Online entrepreneur shows the ropes of the web to students B Y L E I AN I BRO W N
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or the 13 years following his mission, BYU-Hawaii's new Entrepreneur in Residence and Idaho native, Bo Porter, has been in the business of buying and selling products online, and now seeks to impart his knowledge and experience to students, particularly international students. This being his first semester at BYUH, Porter teaches Internet Business Fundamentals (390R), a product-centered class available to any student. However, starting next semester, Porter will begin a class called “International Online Biz Startup.” “The goal with this class,” said Porter, “is to help international students be able to increase their earning potential inside their countries.” “A lot of international students,” he continued, “go back home and get a good job with a salary that’s good for their country. But this class is meant to help them realize they don’t have to accept that. This class is going to teach them that they can use the skills they learned here, whatever they may be, and teach them how to market those skills on an international level, and not be limited by their country’s typical pay.” Porter’s current class, Internet Business Fundamentals, features guest speakers and focuses on teaching students how much opportunity is online and how to start online businesses. “Bo’s class is very hands-on and teaches real world experiences,” said senior business management major Michael Nightingale from Minnesota. “Every week we have someone visit our class who makes money from online business and teaches us how to do it ourselves. Also, it teaches modern skills such as SEO [search engine optimization], digital marketing, and building websites that aren’t taught in most traditional classroom courses.” Porter said “Each online success is different. I succeeded with products, but [people] have all succeeded in completely different ways.” Academic Director and Associate Professor of the Willes Center for Entrepreneurship Jason Earl said, “The future of business, especially international business, is online. Brother Porter has all of the critical skills when it comes to identifying an opportunity and launching a product or service online with minimal risk and minimal investment.” Earl taught Porter seven years ago at BYU-Idaho and was able to watch as his career developed into what it is today. “I actually started in college,” said Porter. “I just started by buying and selling things in eBay, and it just kept snowballing from there.” Students don’t realize how much opportunity there is for business and making money online, said Porter. “Because I live in a small town where typically you can’t make a lot of money, I love how the Internet lets you open up to where you can excel higher, more than local business typically allows,” he said. “I like that I can live where I want and make what I want.” With his new class beginning next semester, Porter hopes to work with the school to get the approval for students to start their own online businesses while they are here. “I think there’s some really promising possibilities out there,” said Porter.
Bo Porter, pictured with his wife, Celeste, left his home in Idaho to teach in the entrepreneurship program. Photo by Bo Porter
Both classes, International Online Biz Startup and Internet Business Fundamentals are offered to any degree-seeking students and are repeatable. “Our very best entrepreneurs are not business students but those who have a real skill, passion for solving a real problem in the world, and the ability to create an economic engine that allows the new venture to grow and prosper,” said Earl. “It does not matter whether the new venture is a for-profit, non-profit, NGO or school. The important thing is that students bring their ideas and then take action to make them a reality. Brother Porter is a master of doing just that and he is here to help students at BYUH learn how to do it for themselves.” Although this is Porter's first time teaching, he said he is learning as he teaches and has enjoyed and appreciated his students. “I’d never taught before, so for me it’s been a huge adjustment to learn how to fill an hour and half time slot,” said Porter. “But I’ve been really impressed with the students. I’ve studied at both BYU in Provo and BYU-Idaho, and it’s really different here, the most diverse college by far.” Nightingale, who is taking Porter's Internet Startups class, has said he has enjoyed learning and interacting with him. “Bo Porter is a very down to earth and agreeable guy. I love having him as a professor because he really cares about his students being able to be successful like he is in his own life,” said Nightingale. “I’m able to go by his office and just talk to him about how my business is doing, and he is always happy to give advice on what to do next.” Porter, his wife and five children are here on a one-year service mission and are still adjusting to the change. “It’s a beautiful island, crazy hot, but we really enjoy the small town life,” he said. Although Porter has been a helpful addition to the Willes Center and was happy to find Laie small like his hometown, he wasn’t convinced right away he should come. “I called Brother Porter this last year and invited him to join the Willes Center as an Entrepreneur in Residence. He immediately turned me down and said that it was a crazy idea and he could never leave his business and move to Hawaii,” said Earl. “The very next day he called me back, said he and his wife prayed about it and felt good about the decision to come to BYUH and teach for us.” Because their Idaho hobbies such as ATV riding, fishing, and dirt biking, are not as present here, Porter said he and his family needs to “pick up some new Hawaiian hobbies.” OCTOBER 8, 2015
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