BUSM 4010 - Carson ENTREPRENEUR INTERVIEW Description: What are the keys to becoming a successful entrepreneur? Do Social Responsibility (CESR) and Professional Development (PRO) knowledge and skills help create this success? Or perhaps entrepreneurs can be successful without incorporating these two areas into their business? These are some of the questions you will have a chance to explore with an experienced entrepreneur. Objective: • Learn from a successful entrepreneur about: o Keys to their business success. o How CESR and PRO elements were helpful/or not in the development of their business. o Biggest mistakes they made, pitfalls to avoid, or things they would do differently. • Opportunity to learn about a business, industry, or person of your interest. • Opportunity to expand your network and explore new career opportunities. • Have some fun! Requirements: • Student must not be related to the entrepreneur. • The entrepreneur should not be a family friend. • Multiple students cannot interview the same entrepreneur, or the same business person they have interviewed for another class assignment. • Interviews should be done in-person but remote interviews using Skype, Facetime, or Webex will be accepted ONLY if the entrepreneur is NOT within easy driving distance of Boulder (~1 hour away). • FORMAT & CONTENT Requirements: o Maximum 3 pages in total length. § Page 1: Summary page to include the following information (bullet format): • Your Name • Entrepreneur’s Name, Company Name & Contact Information. • Short Description of the Entrepreneur’s business and key dates (e.g. When founded, years in business, etc.) • List of main questions used during the interview. § Remaining pages: Your Insights/Analysis of the Interview Experience. § Formatting: Double space, font: Arial, size 12, normal margins, correct spelling and grammar. o Essay-style writing is acceptable, with judicious business-writing formats to highlight key points is preferred. 1 BUSM 4010 - Carson o Do NOT merely re-write your conversation. You can provide important quotes and sound-bites, but the majority of the paper should be YOUR insights regarding the interview. o Provide YOUR insights on the following: § Why do you think this entrepreneur achieved success? What were the keys to their success? § What (if any) mistakes or pitfalls in their experience can you learn to avoid? § Has Social Responsibility or Sustainability (CESR) been a factor in their business and their decision-making? If so, how? § Has Professional Development (PRO) skills been instrumental in their success? If so, how? PRO skills include the following: Communication, Team building, Selling, etc. § How has this changed your thinking about business or career aspirations? § Did you learn any life lessons? If so, explain. Grading Expectations: o Conform with the aforementioned requirements o Submit per deadline on CANVAS o Quality of writing (e.g. no typos, good grammar, flows well, appropriate formatting) o Content rich write-up (focus on YOUR insights and what YOU learned) Following are suggested steps for this exercise: 1. Identify a list of entrepreneurs you’d like to interview or target companies in which you are interested. a. You may need a list of 2-3 people initially because you probably won’t be able to reach all of them. b. Find ways to contact the entrepreneurs (e.g. cold call the company, search on LinkedIn, get their number from their website, email them, etc.) c. Plan ahead. It may take a few weeks to schedule the interview. 2. Ask for the interview and set expectations a. Use your “Student Card” wisely to get the interview! b. Request a 1-hour time window at their convenience. 3. Confirm interview time and location a few days or a week ahead of time. 4. Prepare for interview! a. Learn about company and entrepreneur. b. Create a plan and overall flow for the meeting. c. Perhaps email ahead a brief agenda to the entrepreneur with a few sample questions. 5. Show up ON TIME. 6. Conduct interview & keep to the time allotted. Enjoy the process! 7. Follow up within 48 hours with a written thank you note or email. 2 BUSM 4010 - Carson Sample questions for your interview. Add/adapt questions as appropriate. 1. Please tell me how you got into this business and why you founded the company. what was the problem you were solving for, or the opportunity that you saw? 2. To what do you owe your success? 3. Who are your key stakeholders? (e.g. Investors, Employees, Partners, Vendors, Community, Government, etc.) Is one group more important to your company? Has this changed as your company has evolved? 4. Has Social Responsibility or Sustainability been a factor in the formation and running of your business? How? 5. How important have Professional Development skills been to your success? (e.g. Communication skills, presentation skills, sales skills, etc.) Any advice for me on lessons learned in this area? 6. How is your company involved in your community? 7. Have you made any mistakes or encountered pitfalls that you can share with me and what you learned from them? 8. If you could give two pieces of advice for a graduating college student, what would those be? 3
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