Month: November 2020

Business Students Start Baylor Entrepreneurship Club

kathy_carrStudent Entrepreneurs

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.“

–Oprah Winfrey

The Baylor Entrepreneurship Department has more than forty years under its belt and is a nationally recognized academic leader. So, it’s pretty safe to say the faculty and staff know a thing or two about business ownership and are committed to the study, teaching and practice of new business creation both inside the classroom and within the community. But it goes even beyond that. The Baylor Entrepreneurship Department encourages and challenges students and local small business owners alike to be innovative thinkers, to color outside of the lines.

This fall, a group of six Baylor students dared to scribble. What may have looked like an out-of-the lines hot mess, actually ended up as the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club.

An article from 10XFactory listed three reason to join an entrepreneurship club:

  1. Learn about real-world entrepreneurship issues
  2. Create a business network
  3. Learn how to work through failure in a low-stakes environment

Admittedly, these are three absolutely fantastic reasons to join an entrepreneurship club. But the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club looks at it just a little differently. This group of business students look at the club more as a place…the place where students take control of their own dreams.

The Baylor Entrepreneurship Department provides encouragement, support and even a crayon or two (or three, or four…) so students like those in the Entrepreneurship Club can scribble until their heart’s content and chase after their dreams. 

The Baylor Entrepreneurship Club 2020 founding members are Daria Rakitskaya, Nick Madincea, Grace Casper, Dillon Fontaine, Danielle Rozeboom and Bradley Heidebrecht.

Name: Daria Rakitskaya
Hometown: Moscow, Russia
Major: Entrepreneurship & Marketing
Fun fact about me is I am a former student-athlete and I played tennis for 16 years.

Name: Nick Madincea, Founder and CEO Drone Parks® Worldwide
Hometown: The Woodlands, Texas
Major: Finance (Pre-Business)
Fun fact about me is I’m a student pilot, learning to fly a 4-seater, Cessna 172 out of Waco airport (KACT).

Name: Grace Casper, launching a business this spring
Hometown: Parker, CO
Major: Entrepreneurship & Marketing
Fun fact about me is I host a podcast called Those Who Know.

Name: Dillon Fontaine
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Major: Professional Selling
Fun fact about me is I am an avid golfer and passionate about European History

Name: Danielle Rozeboom
Hometown: Abilene, TX
Major: Entrepreneurship & Management
Fun fact about me is I am a member of the Baylor University Golden Wave Band (BUGWB). 

Name: Bradley Heidebrecht, Owner of Long Run Solutions
Hometown: Southlake, TX
Major: Finance
Fun fact about me is I have been a stock trader since I was 17.

  

Why start the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club?

Daria: After I decided to retire from tennis, I was at a personal crossroad. I met Nick and he told me about his idea of starting an entrepreneurship club at Baylor. That was exactly what I needed to jumpstart my life in a new direction so I could pursue my dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

Nick: I am actually a fourth generation entrepreneur, so business is in my blood. When I first came to Baylor, a faculty member mentioned the need for an interdisciplinary, entrepreneurship club. After speaking with several students, I saw the opportunity and went for it. I am very excited at the prospect of the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club becoming the flagship club of the Hankamer School of Business. 

Grace: I love entrepreneurship and the whole process of making dreams become a reality. When Nick asked me to participate in the entrepreneurship club, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. I think this club will be a huge asset to Baylor. 

Dillon: Having the mindset of an entrepreneur challenges you to learn, grow, be flexible and persevere. That special way of thinking and processing is so important and can be beneficial even if a student decides not to open a business. 

Danielle: I honestly believe that entrepreneurs can change the world. As exciting as that sounds, it’s also a little scary. The Baylor Entrepreneurship Club will give students an extra push to get started, but it will also walk side-by-side along the way. 

Bradley: Nick introduced me to the idea of an entrepreneurship club. From there, we developed a plan together to find students across campus who have an entrepreneurial dream.

 

What do you hope to accomplish with the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club?

Daria: I want to help students realize that everyone has a unique story to tell. The kind of business we start and how we operate our business can help tell that story. I want to be part of that discovery.

Nick: My goal is to empower our members to have firsthand, real life entrepreneurial experiences that will increase their professional development and also further Baylor’s position as the nation’s premier Tier 1, Christian research university. 

Grace: I feel like the Lord calls us to dream big with Him and that we can glorify His name through business! I want to be able to connect other students to the right resources, so they can experience the big dreams.

Dillon: I hope to create a club that encourages interdisciplinary collaboration between entrepreneurs of all skills and talents from across campus. 

Danielle: I hope to help others gain insight, knowledge and confidence to pursue their own passions regardless of the end goal. 

Bradley:  I’m excited to hear from other students at Baylor as they share their ideas and dreams of starting a business while in college. 

 

Why should someone join the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club?

Daria: Students should join the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club for the opportunity to meet other students who see the world as they do. These new relationships can lead to teammates, partners and lifelong friends. 

Nick: Students can learn more about the entrepreneurial experience, process, and journey in the most “real world” way possible with the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club.

Grace: The Baylor Entrepreneurship Club will provide students with a community that will offer not only moral support but also practical advice, encouragement and coaching on how to launch your business.

Dillon: Students with a passion for entrepreneurship and a desire to network and learn new skills should absolutely join the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club.

Danielle: The Baylor Entrepreneurship Club is a unique group of students who are dedicated to encourage, lead and guide each other to success.

Bradley: Students should join the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club if they have a passion for entrepreneurship and want to learn the ins and outs of business and how to run a company.

For more information an the Baylor Entrepreneurship Club, please visit @baylor_bec on Instagram.

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

The Perfect Trifecta | Waco, Baylor Entrepreneurship and Local Small Businesses

kathy_carrCommunity Entrepreneurship Program

“Waco is decidedly a cool town,
and for Baylor students to not appreciate that is weird.“

-Harper Mayfield | Baylor Lariat

In a recent Baylor Lariat article, student writer Harper Mayfield stated “Waco is decidedly a cool town, and for Baylor students to not appreciate that is weird.”

If that isn’t a sic’ em kind of mic drop, what is?

After a quick online search for things to do in this heart of Texas hot-spot, a 2020 VacationIdea.com article popped up with the “25 Best Things to Do in Waco, Texas.” Obviously, several of the activities are associated with Baylor University. Even more intriguing is the mention of a couple of local small businesses. Both Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits and Heritage Creamery received a shout out in the article. But that’s not the first time that a small business in Waco has received a nod. Lula Jane’s, a small unassuming bakery nestled quietly on Elm Avenue, was recognized as a 2020 Travelers Choice Winner by TripAdvisor.

As a matter of fact, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, AdvisorSmith.com recently ranked Waco seventh on a national scale for mid-size cities with the most small business owners. That’s a big deal.

Considering that Waco is also home to the Baylor University nationally-ranked Entrepreneurship Department, it kind of seems like there may be this fabulous trifecta brewing with Waco, Baylor Entrepreneurship and local small businesses.

With more than forty years of experience,the Baylor Entrepreneurship Department is a nationally recognized academic leader. For the 2021 national rankings of undergraduate entrepreneurship programs, Princeton Review / Entrepreneur Magazine and U.S. News & World Report have once again both ranked the Baylor Entrepreneurship Department as a top-ten program.

With a top-notch team of dedicated faculty and staff, the Baylor Entrepreneurship Department is committed to the study, teaching and practice of new business creation. Students and local small businesses alike are the beneficiaries of that strong commitment. What makes this commitment exceptionally extraordinary is the color-outside-of-the-lines type of thinking. It’s the kind of innovative thinking that motivates, inspires and challenges.

The Baylor Entrepreneurship Department recently took a stroke outside of the lines with the Oso Launch Program. Oso Launch was designed to provide a niche group of entrepreneurially-minded incoming freshmen with a program that could provide guidance, mentorship and networking for their next four years on campus. Through Oso Launch, students not only build an entrepreneurial foundation with unique challenges in a learning environment, but they also have the opportunity to raise much-needed capital. That’s not the kind of experience you get from a textbook in a classroom setting.

The Entrepreneurship Department continues outside of the lines with the Community Entrepreneurship Program (CEP). This fairly new initiative expands the reach of the department deep into the community. Participants in CEP are local, small business owners who simply want to grow their business. The program provides peer-to-peer networking and valuable mentorship, along with training and coaching. CEP utilizes Baylor Entrepreneurship faculty, staff, students, alumni and donors in delivering this best-in-class Baylor content in a non-threatening, caring environment that welcomes small business owners from all backgrounds. 

The list Baylor Entrepreneurship forward-thinking initiatives and programs could go on and on. From the New Venture Competition and the 1846 Business Incubator to the Texas Family Business Awards and the BEST Program, Baylor Entrepreneurship is making a mark both inside of the classroom and the community as well.

Indeed a trifecta is brewing. And we happen to agree with Harper Mayfield. Waco is a cool town…a seriously, very cool town.

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