Pocket Grill Inventor Cooking Up Other Stuff
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
The 1999 Wawasee graduate is expanding on that and using experience he gained from one of the most prestigious business school in the country to bring some big ideas to the area.
Ashpole is in the process of purchasing the home he grew up in.
The two-story home that overlooks Webster Lake has plenty of history on its own.
The home was built in the early 1930s during the tail end of prohibition.
It’s rumored the home was built by an associate of Al Capone and that the Chicago mobster even visited the home and held card games there.
The house has buzzers in the floor that back then could be stepped on to alert people in other rooms of the house.
Ashpole’s aim is decidedly more on the up -and -up with regards to the house.
Ashpole hopes the house becomes a meeting place for inventors and entrepreneurs. with no dress code.
“I want people to feel like it’s a place they want to hang out,” said Ashpole.
After going through the Wharton Venture Initiation Program, a business incubator to help launch start-ups, Ashpole hopes to create a similar program locally.
He said he believes there is enough local talent in areas like skilled labor to go along with local inventors and entrepreneurs.
“The orthopedics industry is a tremendous asset as well,” said Ashpole.
With globalization, Ashpole said the key to success is to become thought leaders.
“I believe the time is now,” said Ashpole. “Whether it’s a move from RV to IT, it’s now.”
Ashpole said a co-op of inventors and entrepreneurs working in the same room is beneficial to everyone.
From advertising to human resources, said Ashpole, someone may have a connection or familiarity with an aspect of getting a startup off the ground that someone else doesn’t.
With his own invention, The Pocket Grill, Ashpole is currently looking for experienced sales staff who can get his product in both chain and local stores.
He’s shooting for a Spring 2012 release of the product into stores.
He’s also getting ready to launch a software program that helps people organize their contact information.
Information on the software can be found at website Updentity.com
Ashpole will launch, beginning with invites to select users, in September.
Along with his invention, starting the local incubator program and launching his software, Ashpole said he also hopes to work with local schools to teach programming courses and ongoing education programs.
While that may seem like too many irons in the fire, it’s nothing new for Ashpole, who while in high school was involved in student government, band and athletics.
He was also the first prosecuting attorney for a kid’s court system set up in the late 90s, worked on a congressional campaign and was involved in a student group that protested KKK rallies at that time.
“I love being involved with all these activities and making a difference,” said Ashpole.
During his time working for the Department of Defense, Ashpole said he realized he wanted to spend his life building things.
Whether that's products, software or ideas, Ashpole said that’s what he was meant to do.
One reason why Ashpole came back to Indiana, he still splits his time between North Webster and Philadelphia, is because he said the state has created incentives for creating the sort of ventures he’s involved in.
Ashpole said Indiana is helping stem the “brain drain”, kids who grow up in the state, move away and never come back.
Ashpole said he hopes that his incubation program would even bring back some talented people who have left the area.
He has worked with Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation Executive Director George Robertson to help build local connections.
Whether it be his own ventures or helping create an environment that fosters other people’s ventures, Ashpole said the endgame is to be on the forefront of business.
That he said benefits everyone.
“In this economic climate, you either make it better or its going to get worse,” said Ashpole. “There is no staying the same.”
Ashpole is currently accepting application for interns as well.
To contact Ashpole on any of his ventures, call 215-760-1613 or email him at [email protected][[In-content Ad]]
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The 1999 Wawasee graduate is expanding on that and using experience he gained from one of the most prestigious business school in the country to bring some big ideas to the area.
Ashpole is in the process of purchasing the home he grew up in.
The two-story home that overlooks Webster Lake has plenty of history on its own.
The home was built in the early 1930s during the tail end of prohibition.
It’s rumored the home was built by an associate of Al Capone and that the Chicago mobster even visited the home and held card games there.
The house has buzzers in the floor that back then could be stepped on to alert people in other rooms of the house.
Ashpole’s aim is decidedly more on the up -and -up with regards to the house.
Ashpole hopes the house becomes a meeting place for inventors and entrepreneurs. with no dress code.
“I want people to feel like it’s a place they want to hang out,” said Ashpole.
After going through the Wharton Venture Initiation Program, a business incubator to help launch start-ups, Ashpole hopes to create a similar program locally.
He said he believes there is enough local talent in areas like skilled labor to go along with local inventors and entrepreneurs.
“The orthopedics industry is a tremendous asset as well,” said Ashpole.
With globalization, Ashpole said the key to success is to become thought leaders.
“I believe the time is now,” said Ashpole. “Whether it’s a move from RV to IT, it’s now.”
Ashpole said a co-op of inventors and entrepreneurs working in the same room is beneficial to everyone.
From advertising to human resources, said Ashpole, someone may have a connection or familiarity with an aspect of getting a startup off the ground that someone else doesn’t.
With his own invention, The Pocket Grill, Ashpole is currently looking for experienced sales staff who can get his product in both chain and local stores.
He’s shooting for a Spring 2012 release of the product into stores.
He’s also getting ready to launch a software program that helps people organize their contact information.
Information on the software can be found at website Updentity.com
Ashpole will launch, beginning with invites to select users, in September.
Along with his invention, starting the local incubator program and launching his software, Ashpole said he also hopes to work with local schools to teach programming courses and ongoing education programs.
While that may seem like too many irons in the fire, it’s nothing new for Ashpole, who while in high school was involved in student government, band and athletics.
He was also the first prosecuting attorney for a kid’s court system set up in the late 90s, worked on a congressional campaign and was involved in a student group that protested KKK rallies at that time.
“I love being involved with all these activities and making a difference,” said Ashpole.
During his time working for the Department of Defense, Ashpole said he realized he wanted to spend his life building things.
Whether that's products, software or ideas, Ashpole said that’s what he was meant to do.
One reason why Ashpole came back to Indiana, he still splits his time between North Webster and Philadelphia, is because he said the state has created incentives for creating the sort of ventures he’s involved in.
Ashpole said Indiana is helping stem the “brain drain”, kids who grow up in the state, move away and never come back.
Ashpole said he hopes that his incubation program would even bring back some talented people who have left the area.
He has worked with Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation Executive Director George Robertson to help build local connections.
Whether it be his own ventures or helping create an environment that fosters other people’s ventures, Ashpole said the endgame is to be on the forefront of business.
That he said benefits everyone.
“In this economic climate, you either make it better or its going to get worse,” said Ashpole. “There is no staying the same.”
Ashpole is currently accepting application for interns as well.
To contact Ashpole on any of his ventures, call 215-760-1613 or email him at [email protected][[In-content Ad]]
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