The Whitman Entrepreneur

Whitman offers prospective graduate students many paths to a successful career – be it the renowned supply chain and marketing programs or the highly ranked entrepreneurship program. In making my decision to join the Whitman community to pursue an MBA in Entrepreneurship I had no idea what I was in store for. As I progress through my second year at Whitman, I have compiled the following list to help the aspiring entrepreneur considering a Whitman MBA or MSE degree.

Get a Journal, and Whiteboard Calendar…and use them! – Seriously, when entrepreneuring, time is your most valuable asset. As such you should be ready to manage it wisely. One trick I have learned is to use a blue or red ink pen/dry erase pen to make note of important events and happenings.

 Make Note of Start-Up Resources – If you are interested in starting your own venture and are considering Whitman, then be sure to check out the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship website and make note of the Innovation & Disruptive Entrepreneurship Accelerator (IDEA). These resources along with the Couri Hatchery business incubator have been my most trusted allies in networking to build my start-up environmental management consulting firm.

Network, Network, Network – For the Whitman entrepreneur this means constantly seeking out individuals to join your team and offer insight into your innovative idea or new venture. Their are a host of events held each semester. Dont believe me check out the Entrepelooza event to held this November.

Ask Questions! – This past week I attended the 20th Anniversary conference for the organization Net Impact. I remember one of the speakers saying “use your .edu email to the fullest”. When at whitman be prepared to do the same. The professors are always willing to offer advice and help evaluate any idea you may have and professionals are often willing to respond to correspondence from students. Just this past week I reached out to an analyst at a global consulting firm, and will soon be assisting in collecting data for the Caribbean Renewable Energy Index.