Tag Archives: Enterprise

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University Educators have to be Entrepreneurs!

Every year fresh new students enter university, these young enthusiastic people begin the next stage of their lives. They totally understand that the rules are different, they are no longer at school, no longer living with parents, have access to their own money and meeting new and amazing people in a very vibrant community.

The real trick for educators at this time of year is to facilitate this, develop this passion and ensure that it can be channelled in developing and progressing the student throughout the course.

However, with cuts in the system, staff who no longer want to teach but still want to get paid and courses which do not contain any modern related content except for that dated pre Apple/Microsoft operating systems, the chasm between the student and the educator can quickly, in a matter of hours, become only too large for either side to see why they should bother.

Equipping students for a life where they will change career four times, be in dept for most of their lives and develop relationships in virtual spaces first should be core to any persons education. Enterprising people by their nature adapt and create opportunities and we should only allow these types of people to focus our young.

Enterprising Educators are needed to ensure we develop enterprising graduates. As with the best sweet shops these come in all flavours and sizes with no one appealing to all. So how do we do this?

University educators should be part time and self employed, they should be entrepreneurs!

This would ensure that the young of today are learning from the very people that are adaptable and able to able to create opportunities. A lecturer could still do research, run a business or provide consultancy allowing the creation of more dynamic teams within the university. Its their mindset we need our youth to engage with.

University educators should also still work in the industry they teach. So if you are teaching math to engineering students, don’t get the professor of maths. His application of the subject will be purely theoretical and thus subject to doubt by the students. That doubt then generates mistrust which leads to our chasm.

University educators should know how to add enterprise into every part of the curriculum. Learning comes from lectures, discussions, assignments and lab work. Each of these should be designed to develop the enterprise capability of the student, moving them forward in understanding how they will be contributing to society during the fruitful enterprising career for the next 70 years!

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Do Politicians create Entrepreneurs?

When a new government comes into power and they don’t have too much money, they look to get entrepreneur to work to generate them more money (so they can work out ways of spending that). So around the world we see Entrepreneurs, Business Growth, Enterprise Zones…  etc being announced by politicians.

So are these politicians creating new Entrepeneurs?

The fact that the economy is on it knees means that the most logically person would think twice between the three news stories, first: government has no money, second: economy reducing, third: why don’t you start a business. Within the 60 seconds news flash, you mind has to say, hang-on your trying to brain wash me into bankruptcy, and maybe you’re right.

The fact is existing businesses are declining, new businesses tend not to, as their cost and staffing structures are more flexible and they can capture new customers who are looking for new service propositions and experiences faster. Those businesses which start in a recession also manage higher growth when the economy starts to increase.  So it’s never been a better time to start a business, keeping these factors in mind.

Those that fail will come into two areas, those that spend money on the wrong things and those that don’t develop fast enough. During a recession many people who are thinking of starting a business will have some form of redundancy payment which they hope to use in developing their business ownership hopes. These people either think that paying for high value websites, marketing material and franchises will automatically bring success. The development of the business and the entrepreneur is very important. We see people who think of starting a business as a similar role, yet with more freedom as their previous job, meaning they can come into the office at 9am and leave at 5pm with 5 weeks off holiday each year. Successful businesses don’t run that way (pop down to the 24 hour Tesco’s and sit, watch and learn) and the extra effort is an important factor in ensuring success.

The message given by a government is taken in on many levels, the basic on is “get off your sofa and make your own job, cus no one else ‘at this point in time’ can and you are the champion of your own destiny (until we get a bit more money).” This message is digested by a vast range of people from 12 to 50 year olds who then decide to make the changes to ensure their destiny is one of self esteem, motivation and focus. There is no better way to live your life and this is why an entrepreneur’s role the world is secure and thankful leaving the politicians just to talk about it.