Dreaming about being an entrepreneur?

What’s it all about, anyway?What does it take to be an

entrepreneur?What do they do?

Are there things here at Illinois I can do?

Prof. Laura L. Hollis, Esq.Dr. Pete Dragic

iFoundry launch, August 22, 2009

What do entrepreneurs do?

• Entrepreneurs find OPPORTUNITIES in PROBLEMS

• They develop SOLUTIONS to those problems

• They build an ENTERPRISE, a BUSINESS or a VENTURE around those solutions

• They assemble RESOURCES, like PEOPLE and CAPITAL

• They are willing to take CALCULATED, EDUCATED RISKS

• They learn from FAILURE, and ADAPT

Could I be an entrepreneur?

• Entrepreneurs are made, not born• Serious work ethic!• Autonomous • Motivated by PASSION to SOLVE

PROBLEMS • Not greed!• High sense of self-efficacy• Confidence (comes from

EXPERIENCE)• Tolerance for RISK

What’s available here at Illinois?

• Guest lectures (designmatters)• Classes• Certificate programs• Competitions (I2P, Cozad, Lemelson)• Student Organizations (IEN, EWBs,

SIFE)• Technology Entrepreneur Center

(Engineering)• Academy for Entrepreneurial

Leadership (Business)