Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught? N.C. State Answers with An Emphatic Yes!
(Business Leader Magazine September 2001)

Two essential characteristics of a successful entrepreneur are PASSION and VISION. Passion, as defined by The Oxford Dictionary is strong barely controllable emotion. This passion is the driving force that keeps an entrepreneur going when major challenges and seemingly insurmountable odds would cause most people to give up and let their dream die. In our society today many people are obsessed with money and the accumulation of material possessions. A fact of business is that it takes money to sustain your passion. Truly successful entrepreneurs don't do what they do just for the money. "Blind" passion can lead an entrepreneur down the wrong path. This is where vision comes into play…the ability to see the big picture and visualize the end result.

Passion cannot be taught, it comes from within. However, when that passion is properly nurtured with the necessary skills to fulfill the passion and focus the vision, success is virtually assured

Due primarily to the "passion" of Gary Palin, a successful entrepreneur and Entrepreneurship Professor at NC State College of Management, the Entrepreneurship Program will take a new and innovative approach this fall.

At a recent "Where Eagles Flock", an entrepreneurs only organization, meeting Dr. Palin and his partner, Jennifer Coley, made a presentation on the plans for an expanded Entrepreneurship Progam that will create synergies with the innovative programs already established in the College of Management.

Palin and Coley explained how the success of the program will rest in partnerships between students, faculty and members of the business community. These partnerships are essential in developing a process approach to educating and developing students in the area of entrepreneurship.

Many of the partnerships already established with the business community, over a number of years, have been an integral part of building the current Entrepreneurship Program. Numerous successful entrepreneurs have worked with the program as mentors, guest speakers, contributors and friends.

Palin and Gary Tomlinson, a well-known, successful entrepreneur, have teamed up to co-author a new course entitled "Entrepreneurial Skills" which debuts this fall. Together, they have conducted numerous interviews with leaders of the business community for the past several months to gain insight and input on the essential skills necessary to create a successful entrepreneurial venture. Jennifer Coley, a graduate of NC State College of Management MSM Program has been instrumental in integrating a recent student's perspective with the needs and desires of the business community. When asked why she was devoting so much of her time to developing the program, Ms Coley replied, "I gained so much from my years at NC State and I am enjoying gaining experience about business and the entrepreneurial community. I enjoy working diligently for something that I truly believe will be highly beneficial to the state of North Carolina, the University and the College of Management".

Professor Palin stated, " All of the research conducted; the years of working with the business community; the student perspective; the enthusiastic support of Dr. Jon Bartley, Dean of the College of Management and Dr. Steve Barr, Department Head of Business Management builds a solid foundation for a successful Entrepreneurship Program". Students who enter the Entrepreneurship Program will not be placed into a curriculum of classes. They will begin a journey supported by classroom instruction and experiential components involving interaction with mentors that will lead them through an entire process of learning. Students will be presented with essential skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in an entrepreneurial venture.

Through their journey students will have many opportunities to identify their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the skills and knowledge necessary for success. Throughout the program students will have numerous opportunities to gain experience and practice their skills in activities such as, networking functions, the Carroll Joyner Business Plan Competition and internships with entrepreneurial companies.

The program will be developed, in essence, as a loop. Upon achieving success in their respective careers, graduates, like Ms Coley, will complete the loop by working with current students and sharing their experiences. These successful graduates will become guest speakers, attend events, become mentors and help develop and improve the Program.

Recognizing that the "world of the entrepreneur" is not for everyone, research projects are being conducted that focus on ways to transition entrepreneurship and its applications into the corporate environment. The NC State College of Management Entrepreneurship Program will leverage this research by developing Executive and Corporate Education components involving corporate entrepreneurship, known as "intrapreneurship". According to William Coyne, retired senior VP of Research and Development, "Ten years from now, I expect half of 3M's sales will come from products introduced in the previous four years". These new products will likely come from innovations created by intrapreneurs.

Palin concluded, "We believe this innovative program will have enormous long-term benefits to the Triangle Area and North Carolina by fueling economic growth through innovative new products, creating jobs and providing incentives for better prepared young entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs to stay in this area. We take pride in these innovative programs that differentiate NC State College of Management and results in world renowned entrepreneurship activities at NC State University". On behalf of entrepreneurs everywhere we applaud the NC State College of Management for their bold and innovative approach to better preparing future entrepreneurs to continue the "entrepreneurial spirit" that created the greatest country in the world. For more information contact Jennifer Coley at JCOLEY@nc.rr.com or 673-4972. Gary Palin can be reached at gary_palin@ncsu.edu or 515-6957.

"Coach Bud" Coggins provides 40 years experience to help his clients attain the two goals of marketing…to retain and obtain customers. He is Head Eagle of "Where Eagles Flock", an organization for entrepreneurs only. He can be reached at headeagle@whereeaglesflock.com or
(919) 848-9299.

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