In business school I took a class on poverty. That might seem like an unlikely area to study considering many entrepreneurs aim for prosperity, however, I might argue it was one of the most important classes I took at Syracuse. The professor talked about how poverty isn’t only for individuals and families if their annual…
Quite a few years ago I took some business classes at a local community annex. They taught the basics of time management and P&L statements and had us craft a mission statement and 30-second elevator pitch. I won’t say that these things aren’t valuable because they are; however, the thing I noticed in class is…
I learned a ton when I went to business school. Don’t get me wrong. I wish that anyone would have been privy to the free education I received from the colleges and universities like Franklin & Marshall, Missouri Valley College and Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management and now that I have a few years…
Clayton M. Christenson teaches at Harvard and he works with students to educate them on management theory, innovation and growth. In a nutshell, he teaches them what actions yield what results. On the last day of class he has students posit answers to three critical questions: How I be sure that I’ll be happy in…
For countless years I was taught to learn the right answer and then regurgitate it on a test. I learned pretty quickly in life that if I crammed before a test I could memorize a good bit of information and store it in my tiny little head with just enough time to spit it out…
Fascinating thought: You might not need a big brand school to be successful in entrepreneurship. Believe it? According to Malcom Gladwell’s David and Goliah, although there are serious advantages to being in a top-rate school or institution, it doesn’t guaranteed success. The advantages are also the disadvantages. The fact that schools are so selective and…
When I was working on my undergrad degrees, I had a professor named Virginia Kugel-Zank who has the most magnificent office. She had these lush purple chairs that faced her desk and the room smelled warm and inviting. She had a little gargoyle seated on her large, classic desk and to her right her room…
My generation… … holy moly, I never thought I’d be old enough to write those words. Let’s pause a moment to reflect on that before I begin again. Deep breath. …most of my generation recalls what life before the Sept. 11 and how life changed dramatically and subsequently, though admittedly some of us were a…
As an entrepreneur I have had to develop grit, courage and commitment. Frankly, I either suck at it or I have a convoluted image of myself. I can share with you what I’ve learned from experience and educational resources how I developed the little reserve I have in my arsenal. What little grit I have…
A teacher once called me a “scholar, just because she loves learning for the sake of learning.” But really, I’m just intensely curious. Certain topics resonate with me-I love learning about leadership on the web, going to Chamber of Commerce functions like Professional Development Fridays, and Excellence Exchanges where CEOs share their struggles and their…