Tag: Hankamer School of Business

ENT Buzz | Linda Ramirez

kathy_carrENT Buzz

Linda Ramirez, Program Coordinator Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise

 

WHO IS LINDA RAMIREZ?

I grew up in Waco, but I’ve lived all over Texas in Dallas, San Antonio and Abilene. I ultimately returned to Waco to raise my children. I am a mother to three wonderful daughters and grandmother to three boys and one girl. Along the way, I graduated from Baylor with a BBA in management. Early in my career I founded a multi-management business. After I eventually sold the business, I continued to work with entrepreneurs through the Small Business Development Center Programs at McLennan Community College and the University of Texas at San Antonio. I soon realized that I loved working with business owners and students as much as I loved owning my own business.


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

I’ve been at Baylor since 2013. As a Program Coordinator in the John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise, I am primarily responsible for the Texas Family Business of the Year Awards Program. I also assist with Oso Launch, a program that works with Baylor freshmen who are interested in starting their own business. I love working with student entrepreneurs!


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

Interesting nugget some may not be aware of is that the reach of the Entrepreneurship department extends far beyond campus. We also work very closely with the Waco small-business community. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Start-up Waco, Hustle Co-Working space and quite a few local entrepreneurs. It’s something special to watch the Entrepreneurship faculty, staff and students work together with the community.


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

I love Baylor Homecoming! By the time Homecoming hits the calendar, the mornings can be chilly and it’s absolutely perfect to grab a coffee or hot chocolate and watch the Baylor Homecoming Parade. The floats, the bands and the bears all bring back such good memories. 


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

Dig in! There are so many ways to get involved — Oso Launch, the New Venture Competition, McLane Scholars Reading Program and the Confessions of an Entrepreneur speaker series — each with an opportunity to connect with alumni, community entrepreneurs, student entrepreneurs as well as the Entrepreneurship department faculty and staff.

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

 

Baylor Entrepreneurship Walks Side By Side with Local, Small Businesses

kathy_carrCommunity Entrepreneurship Program

 

At the stroke of midnight, the ball dropped and 2020 was ushered in with promises of a fresh start and a new beginning. After all, 2020 is a once-a-century year when the first two digits of the year match the second two digits. This is something folks will only see once in a lifetime. That alone makes 2020 a year to remember.

And then there was COVID-19…

COVID-19 came in like a wrecking ball. Schools, businesses and churches all felt the sucker punch. Baylor University was no exception. Classes went online, dorms emptied, events were cancelled and engagement programs were put on an indefinite pause. 

The Community Entrepreneurship Program (CEP), managed by the Baylor Entrepreneurship department, is one such program that felt the impact of COVID-19. CEP is a faith-based community entrepreneurship training program developed by Baylor University, hosted by local churches and facilitated by successful executives and entrepreneurs.

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. 

Denitia Blount of locally owned and operated Oh My Juice is both a Baylor grad and a small-business owner who volunteers as a facilitator for the program. Blount spoke at a Confessions of an Entrepreneur event on campus in 2019 and she explained, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” 

CEP helps small-business owners recognize what they don’t know in bi-weekly meetings, by providing support and one-on-one counseling in areas of accounting, finance and strategy. In March 2020 as COVID-19 hit, CEP was halfway through its Spring 2020 session (with record attendance and a diverse group of small businesses represented). The program was forced to go on an indefinite hiatus with respect to the regular meeting schedule. 

Dr. Peter Klein, Entrepreneurship Department Chair, co wrote a recent article for the LSU Business Review with the sentiment that uncertain circumstances can give businesses an opportunity to improve. The article states that in the end it’s businesses, and not policymakers, that should decide how to best weather COVID-19. 

The Entrepreneurship department, recognizing a strong need to pivot CEP to meet the needs of the small businesses facing life or death business scenarios, reconfigured the program to deliver real time, relevant strategy and information that played a major role in being able to keep a majority of these businesses in operation even through a shutdown. 

Michael Wyatt of Wyatt Brothers Moving was a participant in the spring CEP class. He explained that while the goals for the business didn’t change with COVID-19, they were definitely adjusted. The company has implemented a more go with the flow outlook and adjusted goal timelines to account for some of the unforeseen circumstances.

Shaun Limbers, Associate Director for the Baugh Center, oversees CEP and personally feels it’s a privilege to serve the local, small businesses especially during this very difficult time. He says, “We truly believe Entrepreneurship can be transformative with an ability to positively impact our community both locally and worldwide.”  He continues, “CEP is uniquely positioned to execute that vision on a local level.” 

In the coming weeks, the Baylor Entrepreneurship department will wrap up the spring CEP class. CEP may look a little different going forward, but one thing that is for certain is Baylor Entrepreneurship will continue to walk side by side with local, small businesses.

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

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/.

 

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/.

 

ENT Buzz | Kendall Artz

kathy_carrBaylor ENT Professor

Kendall Artz, Director Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise

 

WHO IS KENDALL ARTZ?

I grew up on a remote cattle ranch in Eastern Montana in the small town of Jordan (pop. 400). It took me a long time to decide what I really wanted to do; which led me first to getting an undergraduate degree in Finance from Montana State University, then an MBA from Arizona State, and finally, a PhD from Purdue. I married my hometown sweetheart, Colene, and we have been blessed to be together for nearly 30 years. We have one daughter, Alona, who lives in Seattle.


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

I started working at Baylor in 1995 and have held a number of different positions. For as long as I can remember I have been passionate about entrepreneurship. At Baylor I had the opportunity to help build a world-class entrepreneurship program when I became the Chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (before Entrepreneurship was its own separate department) from 2000 to 2013, and then as Chair of the Entrepreneurship Department from 2013 to 2016. Since 2016, I’ve served as the Director of the Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise and as the Associate Chair of the department. It’s been so rewarding to work with everyone in the Entrepreneurship department to create new and impactful educational opportunities for our students.


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

All it takes is a single email or text from a student who graduated a decade ago, telling me what an impact Baylor made in their life, and I am reenergized and reminded of  how blessed we all are to have this opportunity.


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

Diadeloso, hands down. It’s an April “holiday” so the weather is usually perfect, not too hot and not too cold. It’s close enough to the end of the semester, but far enough from finals that students, faculty and staff are all relaxed. Plus, since it’s scheduled in the middle of the week, it kind of feels like you’re playing hooky for the day!


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

Launch a business as soon as possible! Set aside excuses and fears and just do it. The initial business may not be successful from a financial point of view, but the lessons learned will be invaluable. The Entrepreneurship department provides fantastic tools like classes and mentoring, but nothing beats actual hands-on experience.

 

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

 

ENT Buzz | Marlene Reed

kathy_carrB.E.S.T.

Marlene Reed, Senior Lecturer, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation

 

WHO IS MARLENE REED?

I am a proud Baylor graduate. Never in a million years did I ever imagine that I would end up getting my PhD and teaching at my alma mater. I’ve had the privilege of teaching students and faculty in England, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Armenia, Russia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Zambia and Rwanda. God has blessed me richly!


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

At Baylor I’ve taught the Business Excellence Scholarship Team (BEST) and Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship. I love teaching these courses. I previously owned a Christian book store and I feel my first-hand experience as a business owner helps me understand problems that managers may run into while operating a business.


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

A funny and kind of weird thing that happened while working in the Entrepreneurship department is the time Mary Abrahams (former Associate Director of the Baugh Center) and I went to Europe to plan the first Entrepreneurship European Experience. Late one night while in Milan, we couldn’t find our way back to our hotel. To make things worse, a drunk young man kept following us telling us he would help us find our way. We finally lost him and wandered around for an hour until we found our hotel.


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

I can’t pick just one favorite. I have two — Homecoming and Sing. I think I love Homecoming so much because I get to reconnect with friends from the past. Something that a lot of folks don’t know is I was actually a Baylor Homecoming Queen nominee. Unfortunately, the Asian flu was going around that year, and I got it. After appearing on the football field at halftime, my parents whisked me away to Houston because we had all been asked to leave school if we could. I also love Sing, and I just happen to be on the Sing Faculty Committee.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

My advice to a new Entrepreneurship major is to enjoy every minute of your time at Baylor and get involved in everything that appeals to you. The time spent at Baylor is so short, and students need to get the very most out of. I certainly did.

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

 

ENT Buzz | Boris Nikolaev

kathy_carrBaylor ENT Professor

 

Boris Nikolaev, Assistant Professor, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation

 

WHO IS BORIS NIKOLAEV?

I’m originally from Bulgaria, but I came to the United States right after high school with plans to get a college degree, become a marine biologist and eventually study whales in Kauai. But that’s not exactly how things worked out. I ended up changing my major at least five times, and finally graduated with degrees in Economics, Mathematics and Philosophy. What was I thinking trading the sandy shores of Kauai for an office? I went to Florida for a few years where I earned my PhD degree and helped out with a family business. Then I was off to Emory University to work as an economist for a bit before coming to the Entrepreneurship department at Baylor. I now live in Waco with my wife, Tabitha, and our two kids, Theo and Kennedy.


WHAT DO YOU DO AT BAYLOR?

I teach and research entrepreneurship. The research part can be a little lonely at times while spending hour after hour in front of the computer. But Baylor students more than make up for it. They are so creative and inspiring. I love what I do. I have a job that allows me to be curious, discover new knowledge, research obscure topics and continue to learn. I think this is where I would do a Sic’Em Bears, right?


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

I don’t necessarily have one specific favorite memory that stands out because working in the Entrepreneurship department is full of fun and unexpected moments. It’s kind of like watching The Office, but in real time. My coworkers are definitely an interesting cast of diverse characters. I never know what’s going to come up in a conversation.


WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BAYLOR TRADITION?

Truth be told, I’m still learning the Baylor traditions. If I had to pick just one, off the top of my head it would definitely have to be the Baylor Line. It’s so unique. I am excited to keep discovering new traditions!


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW ENT MAJOR?

Of course I would recommend taking my Entrepreneurship classes! Then I would say to take action and not overthink. So many students feel they have to have the perfect plan from beginning to end in order to start a business. That’s not really how entrepreneurship works. It’s not a straight arrow process. It’s more of a zig-zag, but the most difficult part is actually just getting started.

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