Creating An Entrepreneur University
Let’s say, for the sake of conversation, that you want to be an entrepreneur doing what you love to do. You can’t, though, because you can’t make a living doing it. And there are a lot of people out there just like you.
So instead of doing what you love, you’re doing what you can get, just to keep a roof over your head and food on the table.
Take the I-Open Entrepreneur University Survey by clicking on this link. We want to know who thinks this is a good idea.
The October 2015 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine carries an article that explains how entrepreneurs differ from traditional workers. Adaptors are the get-along, go-along types who are well-suited for working in companies. Entrepreneurs are innovators who disrupt the status quo.
Innovators are self-starters who trust their instincts. They don’t need others to ratify their beliefs and decisions.
If this sounds like you, read onT
But maybe you’ve never been trained in starting a business. So you think you don’t have skills in business planning, marketing, fundraising, management, and budgeting.
Now imagine there was a place you could go to learn everything you need to know and not have to pay an arm and leg for it.
We want to know what you’re interested in learning. Our survey includes a rough draft of our curriculum of what we’re going to offer. Tell us what interests you.
Is this dreaming, too good to be true? No! You’re a smart person and you have common sense and a decent education. You and everyone like you already have the knowledge you need to make a living doing what you love to do. You’re only lacking one thing.
It’s a network. If you could connect with like-minded people - people who, like you, want to make a living doing what they love to do - you could learn from each other the skills you need to become a successful entrepreneur. Everyone would have some grain of information, some lesson from life, to share that you and others could use to fill you own toolbox of entrepreneurial skills.
We at I-Open have in mind to create an Entrepreneur University. We believe that entrepreneur-hopefuls need to act like professional organizations. After all, you want to be a professional, right?
We want to launch a systems approach to economic development using our own combined skill sets to help entrepreneurs. To that end, we want to create a network of entrepreneurs - artists, musicians, photographers, graphic designers, chefs, and many others.
We will use our skills to build this network and communicate to everyone our value and purpose. Then we will convene conversations to get people in the network to talk to each other.
In doing so, we will “mine your brains” for information you can share with one another so everyone can succeed.
For instance, one person in the network might know all about constructing a business plan. Another may know about creating a logo and a brand. Yet another, how to use social media. And someone, low and behold, might know how to figure out where all the money they need is going to come from.
Take this survey and tell us what you need to know to grow your business.
Speaking of money, the October 2015 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine also carries an article about securing venture capital funding. This is something we all need to know about!
Each of us at I-Open will bring to Entrepreneur University a lifetime of experience and expertise in what we love to do. You will be the beneficiaries of our knowledge and contributions and our ability to draw out the best from each of you.
We envision a consistent, frequent calendar of offerings - both in person and on the Internet - that brings entrepreneurs together for business skills training.
We will offer this at three levels: novice, professional, and advanced. You can enter the network at whichever level is best for you. You’ll know which it is.
Stay tuned to this newsletter for upcoming information about Entrepreneur University and how to get involved!
Don’t forget to take our survey and let us know what you want to know to grow your business!
Tom Romito, Facilitator and Director, I-Open, helps organizations build capacity to survive and thrive with Team Building, Action Planning and Strategic Planning. Tom is also interested in Climate Change Effects on Reforestation, Wetlands, and Birds and Other Wildlife. Learn more about how Tom's work in skilled facilitation helps organizations, communities and businesses adapt to change at his website, TomRomito.com
Betsey Merkel is Co-Founder, Director and Social Intelligence Lead at I-Open. Betsey specializes in communications for community and economic development. Follow on Twitter at @BetseyMerkel
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