Month: July 2020

ENT Buzz | Les Palich

kathy_carrBaylor ENT Professor

Les Palich, Professor of Entrepreneurship

 

WHO IS LES PALICH?

I didn’t grow up in Texas or go to Baylor, but I got here as fast as I could. My wife, Dianna, and I both grew up in the Phoenix area, and I completed my undergraduate studies at a small Christian college in Manhattan, Kansas. A few years later I went back to school to earn an MBA and eventually a PhD at Arizona State University. My next stop was Baylor. We felt a strong sense of calling in coming to Baylor and Waco. This is definitely where we belong.


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

I taught my first class at Baylor in the summer of 1991. It’s one of the courses I still teach today: Strategic Management, the capstone course for all business majors. Since then I have gone on to develop and/or teach other courses for both MBA and undergraduate students, most with an international business focus. Some of my most memorable experiences have come from leading study abroad trips for Baylor students. I’ve led more than 30 groups to Europe and Latin America, and the experience of introducing our students to the places we visit is indescribable!


WHAT’S SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT WORKING IN THE ENT DEPARTMENT?

My colleagues at Baylor are among my closest friends. You would be hard pressed to find a group of faculty and staff who function as well together as we do. In the Entrepreneurship Department we tend to lean toward entrepreneurial thinking, innovative thinking. It’s important that we model creative opportunity development for our Entrepreneurship students, and I really think we hit that mark. Perhaps that explains, in part, why our program is so highly ranked. 


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

My favorite tradition at Baylor is Diadeloso, and not because we all get the day off! Central Texas weather in April is fantastic. Combine that with the casualness of the interactions between faculty and students and you have the makings for a wonderful and unique experience. All of the fun activities of the day are icing on the cake.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

Keep an open mind about where you see yourself going. Don’t let uncertainty keep you from giving it your all and just going for it. The skills and insights you take away from the experiences are key to your success whether you continue with an entrepreneurial path or not.

For more information on Baylor Entrepreneurship, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/entrepreneurship/.

 

ENT Buzz | Shaun Limbers

kathy_carrENT Buzz

Shaun Limbers, Associate Director Baugh Center Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise

 

WHO IS SHAUN LIMBERS?

My beautiful wife, Kristin, and I have four boys (yes, four boys). Right out of college I worked as a special assistant to a United States Senator. After his retirement, I transitioned into the investment space (primarily private equity, real estate) where I ultimately started my own company and investing in operating portfolio companies.


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

I joined Baylor Entrepreneurship in 2019. In my role as Associate Director of the Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise I have the privilege of helping oversee numerous programs that allow me to tap into my background and passion for business and entrepreneurship.


WHAT’S SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT WORKING IN THE ENT DEPARTMENT?

Every day I am in awe of the caliber and commitment of Baylor Entrepreneurship students, particularly their commitment to the entrepreneurial spirit at such an early stage in life. Imagine owning and operating a business your freshman year in college. Or starting a business the day after graduation. Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders – and I think the future is bright.


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

There are so many! To single out just one, Christmas on 5th would have to be my pick. It’s such a wonderful time that truly represents the spirit of Baylor. Students, faculty and staff gather together to kick off the holiday season as one community, as one family… the Baylor family.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

Find a way to differentiate yourself from your peers. Don’t underestimate how contributions to the human spirit can give you an edge in business. Some of the most incredible people I’ve worked with stood out because they were brilliant minds who also took the time to be nice people – even with hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars on the line.

For more information on Baylor Entrepreneurship, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/entrepreneurship/.

 

ENT Buzz | Bradley Norris

kathy_carrBaylor ENT Professor

Bradley Norris, Director Technology Entrepreneurship

 

WHO IS BRADLEY NORRIS?

I earned my undergrad in computer science and math from Indiana University Bloomington and my Master of Science in management at Purdue University Krannert. My wife, Laura, and I have three wonderful kiddos. I have been on staff at Baylor for fifteen years now, and have loved every minute of it.


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

I am the Director of Technology Entrepreneurship and I serve on Baylor’s new Lab-To-Market team, a partnership between the Vice Provost for Research and Hankamer School of Business. This fall I will start a new journey also serving as the Faculty-in-Residence at Brooks Flats, home to the Business & Innovation LLC. My wife, youngest child and I will move into the dorm in August. To have the opportunity to live on campus and mingle with students outside of the classroom is so exciting.


WHAT’S SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT WORKING IN THE ENT DEPARTMENT?

I’ve had the privilege to work on real-world class projects including local Waco companies like Bankstons and Butter My Biscuit to NASA’s Neil Armstrong Flight Research Center to a billion-dollar pharmaceutical startup.


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

Baylor Homecoming is amazing! I especially like the parade. The floats that the students work so hard to make are incredible.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

Always make time to check out guest speakers. Baylor, the business school and the Entrepreneurship department all bring in an incredible roster of speakers who come to campus for you. Be there to learn, to appreciate and to meet!

For more information on Baylor Entrepreneurship, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/entrepreneurship/.

 

Bradley Heidebrecht, Long Run Solutions, Inc.

kathy_carr1846 Incubator

 

“Patience and perseverance are the key towards results.“

-Bradley Heidebrecht

Imagine walking to the bike rack and your bike is gone. Now, imagine looking at this inconvenient and frustrating event as life changing. Is it really possible for something so annoying and relatively small to actually be considered life altering? According to Baylor student Bradley Heidebrecht, it is possible. Yes, something so small can definitely make a big impact. Yes, a million times!

Originally from Southlake, Texas, Bradley moved to Waco to attend Baylor in Fall 2019. Bradley’s parents both studied business and he followed in their footsteps and enrolled as a pre-business major. While neither parent studied entrepreneurship, they encouraged Bradley to follow his passions and pursue entrepreneurship throughout his college experience. 

Adjusting to freshman life on campus had its ups and downs, but Bradley immersed himself in all of the freshman traditions that Baylor has to offer. Meeting new friends, football games and hanging out at Common Grounds made the transition a little bit easier. Bradley also made a point to plug in with Oso Launch and the 1846 Incubator. Oso Launch and the 1846 Incubator are programs designed to foster an environment of teaching and learning for students who own, operate or are launching their own businesses.

When Bradley’s bike was stolen early in the fall semester, it was kind of an eye-opening, ah-ha moment. He questioned why there weren’t better security systems in place. He did everything right. He secured the bike on a rack with a u-lock, but someone was still able to easily saw through the lock and steal the bike. To Bradley, this was actually a blessing in disguise. 

Bradley started researching and found that smart bike racks were nearly non-existent. Ah-ha! What a cool opportunity to create a solution to a real and very personal problem. Bradley made good use of the 1846 Incubator white board. He says, “Without that white board, I wouldn’t be where I am today with my company.” He also connected with Shaun Limbers, Assistant Director of the Baugh Center and advisor for Oso Launch. With Shaun’s mentoring and open-door policy, Bradley felt confident to continue down an entrepreneurial path.

And ah-ha! The blessing in disguise…  Long Run Solutions, Inc., a smart bike rack company with a mission to integrate secure infrastructure solutions for micro-mobility devices while protecting the safety of riders. According to Bradley, Long Run Solutions, Inc. “replaces the typical bike rack with a smart bike rack that has a built-in locking mechanism and alarm sensor.” 

The overall vision of Long Run Solutions, Inc. is to place the product on college campuses nationwide, in front of apartments and outside urban businesses. There have been a few challenges with developing the company quickly enough and securing adequate funding. With such a high-tech product, sampling is extremely important but is also very expensive. COVID-19 also tossed in a couple of challenges. Meetings just weren’t the same without the infamous 1846 Incubator white board. However, software development wasn’t directly affected. Currently, Long Run Solutions, Inc. is developing a website, an app with Apple Wallet features and a software application.

With all of the economic uncertainties involving COVID-19, there are concerns with the official company launch in the Spring of 2021. But Bradley continues to be optimistic. He says, “Patience and perseverance are the key towards results.” 

Sic’ Em, Bradley!

For more information on Baylor Entrepreneurship, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/entrepreneurship/.

 

ENT Buzz | Gib Reynolds

kathy_carr1846 Incubator

Gib Reynolds, Director 1846 Incubator Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation

 

WHO IS GIB REYNOLDS?

Is it possible to bleed green and gold? As an undergrad I studied Entrepreneurship at Baylor and then received an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the Acton School of Business. I married a fellow Baylor grad this past December and we just bought our first home in Waco. I’ve worn a lot of hats in my career, from lettuce farmer to crepe food truck owner. Currently, I’m in the high-end collegiate apparel business. In my free time, I enjoy doing anything active with the potential for unintentional broken bones or bruises –  Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, cycling, hiking…


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

I’ve worked for Baylor in a variety of roles for more than seven years, from an Adjunct and teaching the Accelerated Ventures program to serving as the Director of the New Venture Competition. I am currently the Director of the 1846 Student Incubator. In this role, I coach students of all majors who want to launch their own businesses. Deep down, I’m both an entrepreneur and an educator who is passionate about empowering students to start their own companies.


WHAT’S SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT WORKING IN THE ENT DEPARTMENT?

I’ve had a really unique experience here at Baylor. I’ve transitioned from student to co-worker with some of my favorite professors. I appreciate how approachable our faculty were when I was a student, but to be able to form personal and mentoring relationships as co-workers has been incredibly rewarding. 


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

How can you not love the University-wide Thanksgiving Dinner on Fountain Mall? It’s awesome to see students, staff and faculty come together and celebrate the season and to reflect on how blessed we all are. It’s the perfect way to kick off the Thanksgiving holiday.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

Just do something. Start and then learn by doing. You will learn so much more by taking a risk and testing yourself. Entrepreneurship is not an easy calling, so start early and take advantage of the resources around you while you’re on campus.

For more information on Baylor Entrepreneurship, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/entrepreneurship/.

 

ENT Buzz | Patsy Norman

kathy_carrBaylor ENT Professor

Patsy Norman, Associate Professor Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation

 

WHO IS PATSY NORMAN?

Did you know… I am the shortest person in the Entrepreneurship department, but I tower over my mother. That’s just a fun Patsy fact. Before coming to Baylor, I served in the United States Air Force as a Contracting/Acquisition Officer where I ended up meeting my husband, Mike Farr. Mike and I enjoy travelling and have been very fortunate to be able to travel widely both in the U.S. and abroad.


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

I came to Baylor in 1997 after completing my PhD at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. I am an Associate Professor with a focus on strategy. I teach strategy classes in our on-campus MBA program and in our Executive MBA programs in Dallas and Austin. I also sometimes teach undergraduate students in summer study abroad programs, as well as coach the MBA case competition team. My research covers a variety of topics including alliances, innovation and downsizing.


WHAT’S SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT WORKING IN THE ENT DEPARTMENT?

One of the things I enjoy about our department is that it’s full of hard-working and fun-loving people. Many of us like to think we are a lot funnier than we actually are. When we get together as a department, the jokes and barbs are unleashed. The term “don’t quit your day job” definitely applies. This certainly makes our department fun, but it doesn’t stop us from accomplishing whatever we are there to do.


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

I look forward to Baylor graduation every semester. It’s such a great time to celebrate the accomplishments of my students. Meeting student family members who are in town for graduation is always such a treat. At one graduation a father of one of my students approached me and it was then that I realized that the student was the son of a former Air Force colleague.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

I actually have three tips. 1) Take advantage of all the opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. The Entrepreneurship classes are great. They’re phenomenal.  But there are so many other things available that can enhance the student experience like living in the Business & Innovation LLC, attending speaker sessions and studying abroad. 2) Don’t be afraid to take risks. Try something uncomfortable, something hard. The more you do this, the more comfortable you’ll be and the more you will learn. 3) Have fun! Hard work and fun can, and should, co-exist.

For more information on Baylor Entrepreneurship, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/entrepreneurship/.