This course on Entrepreneurship is offered as part of the MBA Program at Otterbein College. To enroll in the class, click here.
Course Description
Want to start, own and run your own business? Wondering whether you could be an entrepreneur? Do you have (or want) a business idea worth planning and starting?
Entrepreneurship (BADM 664) explores how to conceive, plan and start-up a business. In a seminar setting, students discuss: Why am I interested in starting a business? What are the critical factors for success? How can I best prepare myself for entrepreneurial success?
Classes will be held in Room 117 in beautiful Towers Hall, which is building #48 on this map.
Course Goals
Entrepreneurship seeks to ready the student for entrepreneurial success. Our goals:
- Define “entrepreneurship.”
- Explore through self-assessment each student’s entrepreneurial readiness and appropriateness.
- Discuss attributes and practices that contribute to individual, team and organizational entrepreneurial success.
- Develop individual business plans for entrepreneurial start-ups.
Assignments and Grading
Readings are from The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
by Michael E. Gerber.
There is no examination. Grades will be calculated based on your performance in the following:
- individual responses to the entrepreneurs who present to our class, suggesting how you might answer the questions they have asked, and how you might ask the questions they might have overlooked. (35% of your grade)
- development of a business plan, based on your own idea or the business of the (see below) Class Guinea Pig. (50%)
- productive, collaborative participation in class (15%).
Meeting Times
The class will meet for five 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. sessions. Class will begin and end promptly. Because we meet only five times, attendance is required at all sessions.
Schedule of Events
All classes will be led by Artie Isaac. Here is the tentative schedule:
Prior to class, read the first six chapters of The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
by Michael E. Gerber.
- Morning — Jason Seeley and Rachel Mazur will present on their family owned company, DASCO Home Medical Equipment.
- Afternoon — Karen Snyder, Ph.D., will present on the long life and recent sale of her company, The Strategy Team, Ltd., and the market research needs and opportunities facing entrepreneurs.
Saturday, December 6, 2008:
- Morning — individual histories, assessments and mission statements
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Afternoon — Nathan Rodgers will present on his company, Techmate.
Jennifer Griffith, president, Commerce National Bank, on a funder’s view of entrepreneurial opportunities.
Friday, December 19, 2008:
- Morning — Brandon Dupler will present on his company, Dupler Office.
- Afternoon — Jim Wasserstrom will present on his company, Advance Sign Group.
Saturday, December 20, 2008:
- Morning — Joelle Rubcich will present on her 18-month old company, LeadingEDJE.
- Afternoon — TBD
Saturday, January 24, 2009:
- Presentation and refinement of business plans
What if you don’t have your own idea for a new business? Then you can work on any of the following up-and-running enterprises:
Homage Clothing. Start-up entrepreneur Ryan Vesler will attend all classes and offer his real-life business as the subject of your business planning.
- Katzinger’s Delicatessen. Deli maven and proven entrepreneur Diane Warren has an innovative idea. If you want, you can interview her, build her business plan, and, just maybe, you’ll get a knish out of it.
- SpeakerSite. Artie Isaac has co-founded this public speaking experiment with Rob Emrich. A formal business plan could help chart the fast-paced journey of this online social network of public speakers and event planners.
(Note: If you choose to work on these companies, your business plan will become the intellectual property of the actual owner-entrepreneurs.)
Notice For Students With Disabilities
Otterbein College is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities have access to an education. In order to receive appropriate accommodations in my class, you must first be registered with the Office for Disability Services (614-823-1618 or Lmonaghan@otterbein.edu). I strongly encourage you to schedule an individual meeting with me as early in the quarter as possible to discuss your needs and accommodation requests. If necessary, we can collaborate with the Disability Services Coordinator to determine optimal accommodations in this course.
Questions? Ask me.
Suggestions? Tell me.
Here is an alternative URL for this page: http://tinyurl.com/EntreOtter.