The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, part of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, provides a range of programming to support entrepreneurs and businesses across Southwestern Pennsylvania. It’s PantherlabWorks (PLW) program is designed to assist entrepreneurs seeking to bring new products to market with a range of consulting services, educational workshops and networking opportunities. Victoria Hassett is the director of PLW. A graduate of Grove City College, Hassett leads the PLW efforts working with manufacturers and technology companies commercialize their products across the 11-county region.
Tell us a bit about your professional background prior to coming to IEE
Prior to joining IEE, I had worked in workforce development at a vocational school. As a fun note, I had been an intern of the IEE in its Small Business Development Center in Washington County, and then was hired by an SBDC client because I was trained in Quickbooks by the consultant who had trained their staff. And have boomeranged back.
You are now director of the PantherlabWorks program. Who does this program serve?
This program serves local business owners and entrepreneurs who are commercializing a product or technology- this could be someone making candles in their kitchen to someone using AI to assist senior citizens.
What services does PLW provide?
We provide confidential one-on-one consulting for technology and manufacturing companies.
You recently kicked off a new product development series entitled “Ideation to Investor”. What is the goal of this series?
The focus of Ideation to Investor is on getting to know the customer and identifying the true pain points a customer has before they will spend their money on a solution. Only by understanding what a real customer’s unmet needs are can a new product succeed. This program helps new product developers align their product or service design to fit real needs in the market.
Is there a cost for entrepreneurs to participate in PLW programming?
General consulting and most of our programs are at no cost.
Can you give a few examples of some recent successful engagements for the program?
Sure. One of our clients began working with PLW three years ago to commercialize a new product. They are now in the final stage of field testing, and it has had tremendous positive outcomes. The field testing alone doubled the client’s revenue. The engagement was so successful that the client created a position and hired their PLW consultant into the company. They continue to trust us and work with us and see the value of our services.
Another client, Kelsey Schumacher, who is a Pitt alumna and founder of Homegrown Beauty, worked with us to define her brand and develop unique positioning in the competitive beauty space. Homegrown Beauty was named the OIE’s 2025 Small Business of the Year.
Another example is a client who has been engaged with PLW for 7 years, successfully commercializing two products. Working with us, she protected her intellectual property, and had recently had major pay-outs from knock off companies. She has also licensed her product with a major retailer.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of the job is the relationship we get to build with our clients. The goal is to build a relationship of trust, to lead our clients to make the best decisions. It is an honor when they give us the gift of trust- it is something to treasure, as their business is a part of them.