1. Am I an entrepreneur?
In the past I have always thought of an entrepreneur as a businessperson, or someone that founds, runs, or manages companies. After reading through Module 1, I believe that definition of an entrepreneur extends further than what I previously believed, and one can possess an entrepreneurial spirit in many other ways. I have been working in the IT field for 12 years and have learned a great deal about process improvement and problem solving. I’ve also refined my skillset and I’m able to offer my expertise to my current employer by improving upon our products, processes, and procedures. While not exactly alike, I believe many of my skills are qualities that entrepreneurs often embody.

2. What is success?
My idea of success has evolved as I’ve progressed in my career. I used to believe in measuring success through money, power, and recognition. As I’ve been able to accomplish those to a certain degree, I’ve learned I feel the most successful when I have the perfect balance of personal and professional satisfaction. I do still want to have all the things I’ve attributed to success, but there are times when I’ve sacrificed an opportunity or promotion to have a healthier work/life balance for my children’s sake. I also believe that success is genuinely caring about the job you do and deriving genuine satisfaction from your career.

3. Am I a self-starter? How well do I follow through on my ideas?
I am absolutely a self-starter and have been since I was young. I was raised to be very self- sufficient from a young age, and I believe this independent mindset has translated well in the work force. I have always been able to problem solve and implement solutions with little to no guidance. I have no trouble following through with my ideas, as well as no problems asking for help or insights from other experts when I need it. I recognize that I function best using lists with priority assigned to each line item, so I use this method in both my personal and professional life.

4. How does ODU view entrepreneurship?
I believe ODU provides an environment that supports students interested in becoming entrepreneurs. The STROME Entrepreneurial center serves to educate students on entrepreneurship and shows students how to harness their skills in an entrepreneurial way. There are also various services provided through the center, such as consulting and mentorship. I think the fact this was a course I was required to take prior to graduation shows the dedication ODU has towards empowering students that have already decided on this type of career path, as well as facilitating ideas or inspiration in students that
may not have thought of being an entrepreneur before.

5. What is my role in this ecosystem?
I believe my role would be best served as a project manager/problem solver. I am confident in my ability to enter any IT work center and quickly identify what works and what doesn’t. As mentioned in my response to question 1, while I am not an entrepreneur in the traditional sense of the word, I believe my skills would ultimately contribute to product/process improvement within an organization, which would in turn result in added revenue. Furthermore, I believe I could provide value by way of consulting or training within an organization.