SUFFOLK BUSINESS
NEWS & EVENTS
Entrepreneurship Program Combines Knowledge, Experience, and Mentorship Students apply theory to real-world situations THE SAWYER BUSINESS SCHOOL’S Entrepre-
neurship Program bridges the gap between classroom and boardroom. The curriculum focuses on the foundations of business and real-world experiences, including how to build a company. Undergraduate students can earn a major or minor in Entrepreneurship, and MBA students can earn an Entrepreneurship concentration. Students in the Entrepreneurship Program experience the challenges of entrepreneurship before actually starting a company. “Increasingly in the US, as well as in the emerging economies of India and China, the push to take action and create new businesses is the dominant engine of economic growth. We have to help our students understand that they are not only capable of–but responsible for–building their own economic success,” said Suzyn Ornstein, co-founder of the program. Students also develop the skills to succeed in the corporate world. The Business School promotes collaboration among students, alumni, and faculty to devise solutions to common business pitfalls, and fosters an entrepreneurial spirit in startups and existing organizations. Exposure to real-world entrepreneurs provides students with an opportunity to find inspiration in their successes and to learn from their mistakes. Program’s Growth With flexible course schedules, the Entrepreneurship Program has seen substantial growth in the number of graduate students returning to study entrepreneurship to start their own companies, become entrepreneurial thinkers in existing organizations, or take over an existing family business. The undergraduate program has also seen dramatic growth in majors and minors, as it was nationally ranked within its first five years of existence. With the recent surge in unemployment, the Sawyer Business School faculty recognized an opportunity to leverage its Entrepreneurship Program to help motivated indi10/ Suffolk Business Magazine FALL 2011
viduals free themselves from the shackles of a depressed labor market. Faculty members work to ensure that students are proactive about their futures and not waiting for opportunities to fall into their laps. As the Director of Entrepreneurship Programs George Moker noted, “It is very rare in life that you find yourself in the right place at the right time, and shame on us if we don’t help a student seize his or her moment.” Experienced Faculty, Committed Mentors Entrepreneurship faculty members are successful entrepreneurs and mentors. For example, Moker is a CPA who manages a successful public accounting firm in Beverly, Massachusetts, that focuses on government-funded startups. Likewise, Ornstein earned a PhD in business administration and has founded two startup companies. The Entrepreneurship Resource Center The Entrepreneurship Resource Center aims to inspire entrepreneurial thinking in all undergraduate and graduate students and alumni. Located on the fourth floor of the Sawyer Building, the Center provides a place for students to network with peers, alumni, and faculty. For students interested in developing their own companies, the Center also offers labs, workshops, and business plan competitions. Networking Connections are important. Through a variety of initiatives, the Center brings people, new ideas, and resources together. With workspace available, students can meet and work with other like-minded individuals and even hold board meetings for their startup companies. Networks developed in the classroom also lead to hiring opportunities for students. Business Plan Competition The Sawyer Business School promotes the entrepreneurial spirit of its students by providing them with the opportunity to design a business plan, implement their ideas, and acquire funding. The School’s New Product Innovation Competition encourages innovative thinking and develops business acumen amongst students. The winner receives $50,000 in startup capital and in-kind services. Product Launches Many students and alumni have launched successful ventures, including: • Candy.com: Sells over 6,000 types of candy items from over 500 manufacturers. • CoupMe.com: Offers Boston shoppers exclusive discounts for products and services. • SumoSkinny.com: Provides articles specifically for college students. • Ideologie.com: Organic clothing line that donates two percent of its t-shirt revenue to the Acumen Fund. • CardStar Inc.: Startup revolutionizing the membership and reward card system through the use of smartphones, with more than one million downloaded apps. • Peekaboo Mobile: Uses smartphone geo-location technology for the delivery of coupons, discounts, and promotions.