Describe five businesses or non-profits that have been created in my field.

There are so many cybersecurity businesses out there, it is almost difficult to discuss only five of them. One of the first ones that comes to mind is CrowdStrike. I know about them because I attended a conference, they were present at. Unfortunately, however, I do not quite remember what they do. So, I had to look it up. CrowdStrike has a cloud-native platform designed to implement cybersecurity standards to secure high-risk instances such as cloud workloads, endpoints, data, and identity (CrowdStrike, n.d.). They also have a CrowdStrike Security Cloud that the CrowdStrike Falcon platform uses to display things such as attack indications as they are happening (CrowdStrike, n.d.). After I finally found out what CrowdStrike does, it made me wish I had talked to them more at the job fair, they are doing outstanding things in the field of cybersecurity.

Fortinet is also another business that I remember seeing at the job fair and hearing about a lot, but do not quite remember what they do. Again, I looked them up and found they help secure various enterprises and government organizations by providing comprehensive training and security products (Fortinet, n.d.). It sort of makes sense now why I hear about them so much, because they seem to have a very broad reach.

Another cybersecurity business is Avast. They are my go-to for virus protection. They offer a great service that is free to download, and with the free download, virus scans are constantly occurring in the background. Now there is also a paid version and that one offers even more features such as driver updates, broken file cleanup, and a Virtual Private Network (VPN). I subscribe to the paid version and love how easy it is to use.

For the last two cybersecurity businesses, I really could not think of anything more, so I searched for cybersecurity businesses and they even list Avast, but what sparked my attention was the inclusion of a company called Sapphire (Chou, 2023). Sapphire provides custom penetrating testing as a service to not only the public sector but the private sector as well (Chou, 2023). This sort of reminds me of what my group is doing for our innovation. We are offering custom software development that can be used to utilize Virtual Reality training. The last company I found is called AppGuard, and they are coined as the most trusted company in the world (Chou, 2023). They successfully can stop attacks before they become too big of a problem, and this allows them to stop threats that are usually undetected such as botnets (Chou, 2023). This was kind of exciting to read about. I did not know that this company was considered the best of the best and it makes me want to keep up with them more.

References:

Chou, J. (2023, April 12). Top 25 Best Cybersecurity Companies in the World. Indexsy. https://indexsy.com/best-cybersecurity-companies/

CrowdStrike. (n.d.). About CrowdStrike: Our Story, Mission, & Team | CrowdStrike. Crowdstrike.Com. Retrieved April 28, 2023, from https://www.crowdstrike.com/about-us/

Fortinet. (n.d.). Learn more about Fortinet and the Security Fabric. Fortinet. Retrieved April 28, 2023, from https://www.fortinet.com/corporate/about-us/about-us

What is your overall perspective on the entrepreneurship experience?

I view the entrepreneurship experience to be difficult. There are a lot of factors that you have to consider when you are coming up with your idea and finalizing your idea. At first, our company was supposed to target students and act as a replacement for internships, but then we had to consider that students are not profitable. On top of that universities are also limited in resources. A lot of universities would rather spend their resources on something that is already distinguished and in arms reach. So, when realizing all this, my group and I had to switch gears and it was kind of frustrating. Despite the frustrations and difficulties that came with the experience, it was sort of rewarding to create something through collaboration. Who knows, maybe one day this innovation will turn into reality.

How did the entrepreneurship class prepare or not prepare you to be a competitive candidate for vacant positions?

Overall, I found the entrepreneurship class to give me a lot of preparedness. Going through this course is going to allow me to enter the job market with the ability to think creatively. Cybersecurity requires creative thinking, and a company is going to need people who can exemplify it. Even if my ideas are not what companies are looking for, being willing to share ideas for the betterment of the state of cybersecurity shows dedication. One day I hope to be able to show the skills I have gained from this class in a job.

What suggestions do you have to improve the experience?

The only suggestion I have to improve the experience is to allow students to meet with cybersecurity professionals to put the innovation to the test. Cybersecurity professionals may be able to give a great amount of insight on how to improve ideas and make them more viable. We want to hear constructive feedback that will only push us forward toward success. Perhaps these meetings can occur as optional Zoom sessions in conjunction with the class.

What’s next for you?

Next week I am set to receive my bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. I am beyond excited to have finally arrived at the end of my undergraduate career. All the hard work and dedication it took will be remembered forever. After graduation, I will be working for NASA as an intern, where I get to put all that I have learned from ODU to the test. Then after that, I will be starting another journey to get my master’s degree in cybersecurity. I am excited to see where my academic and professional career takes me.

What are the connections between the disciplines addressing entrepreneurship at ODU?

The two main disciplines that are mentioned throughout the learning modules are art and science. Dr. Landeata specifically mentions this in a video under the design thinking portion of the learning modules (Dr. Landeata, n.d.). He states that design thinking includes both art and science because design thinking involves some instances that are more science-based such as technology and it involves other instances that are more art-based such as human aspects (Dr. Landeata, n.d.). So, we can say that art and science are connected to each other to produce great design thinking. For example, a design that has immense technological capabilities is most likely going to be greeted with enthusiasm. However, if the technological capabilities a part of the design do not take into consideration things like human tendencies or needs, they will not do good in a market that is made up of humans. Why would a human want to use something if it does not address something they need or want? I know I would not use the design.

References:

Dr. Landeata. (n.d.). Design Thinking: A Description: 202220_CPD494_30646 ENTREPRENEURSHIP-PROF STUDIES. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/131858/pages/design-thinking-a-description?module_item_id=4029263

Is entrepreneurship an art or science?

Entrepreneurship is not just a science nor is it just an art. As we see above Dr. Landeata goes over how science and art are both included in the design-thinking process (Dr. Landeata, n.d.). So, based on that we can say that because the design-thinking process includes both art and science then entrepreneurship is not just a science or just an art. This prompt also made me think of how people tend to say things they do are an art or a science. For example, someone could say teaching is an art whereas another someone could say teaching is a science. Well, one teacher is going to have a different perspective than the other so that makes sense why they think differently about the profession. One teacher might be more logical and approach their classroom in a manner that aligns with a science experiment. The other teacher might be more expressive and artistic and approach their classroom in a manner that aligns with an art project. An entrepreneur is the same. Each entrepreneur is going to have different perspectives and ways of thinking. Entrepreneurship is both an art and a science not only because the processes included aspects of science and art but also because of the perspectives of the entrepreneur.  

References:

Dr. Landeata. (n.d.). Design Thinking: A Description: 202220_CPD494_30646 ENTREPRENEURSHIP-PROF STUDIES. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/131858/pages/design-thinking-a-description?module_item_id=4029263

How is failure good?

Failure is good despite the negative connotation behind the word. It acts as a way of teaching individuals valuable lessons. Quite often you hear someone say that you learn from your mistakes and that could not be more accurate. As someone who does not tend to like failure, I have learned that failure should be embraced and valued. Let’s say someone works at a job and they go about doing their tasks every day without ever hearing they have failed at a task because the manager avoids highlighting mistakes. Said manager simply just takes care of the task themselves to avoid confrontation. This is so detrimental for an employee. They will go on with their lives thinking that they have been doing everything right all along when they really weren’t. If the manager told the individual that they were doing something wrong or failing to meet standards, then that individual would have been aware and able to correct the issue. They also would have been able to prevent themselves from ever repeating that same mistake. People must fail from time to time to learn.

What have I learned from failing?

There are many instances where I have failed and learned something valuable. Sometimes even the lessons learned were how to accept failure with grace. When I was in high school, I had a hard time with precalculus. It was one of the first courses that I encountered that I could not get away with doing the bare minimum. In fact, I was able to do extremely well up until then by doing the bare minimum. I did not study often. I did not do my homework without procrastination. I failed precalculus the first semester and got recommended to take Algebra 3 instead of continuing with precalculus during the second semester. This was a huge wake-up call for me and I had to fail a class to learn that the bare minimum is not always going to work in my favor. From then on, I changed my habits and put more effort into my schoolwork, and it has paid off tenfold. 

What ethical issues might arise related to what I am working on?

Ethical issues arise in a lot of different scenarios and entrepreneurial projects are no exception. Depending on what the idea is related to there are going to be different ethical issues. My entrepreneurial project is going to be related to cybersecurity my major. One of cybersecurity’s goals is to protect the network and the systems within the network from harm. When I say harm, I mostly mean the leaking of important information. There is so much information out there that individuals, companies, and agencies would not want an adversary getting their hands on. So, a major ethical issue when it comes to cybersecurity is privacy. An invention related to cybersecurity has to ensure that the privacy of individuals is of the utmost importance. New systems or applications should be useful without being invasive.

Why do entrepreneurs get in trouble with the law? I want to assume that the main reasons entrepreneurs get in trouble with the law are due to ignorance, laziness, or eagerness. There is a whole entire learning module on Canvas that goes over the legal issues associated with entrepreneurship and it makes seem hard to get into trouble with the law when guidelines are clearly laid out. Dr. Jing Zhang in her legal issues introduction discusses that legal issues can occur despite the individual’s efforts and customers can do things like sue (Zhang, n.d.). My original assumptions most likely still hold some level of truth because I see it happen in the real world, but it is not the whole picture. Entrepreneurs can get in trouble with the law at any time and it seems like the risk they take when they sign off on being an entrepreneur. References: Zhang, Dr. J. (n.d.). Legal Issues: Introduction: 202220_CPD494_30646 ENTREPRENEURSHIP-PROF STUDIES. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/131858/pages/legal-issues-introduction?module_item_id=4029372

What does psychology have to do with marketing? Psychology, I imagine, has plenty to do with marketing. Marketing a product without any thought into the psyche of the market would most likely produce undesirable results for the entrepreneur. Dr. Brian Porter introduces marketing in one of the course modules that provides a distinguished overview of how psychology plays a role in marketing (Porter, n.d.). An important aspect of marketing psychology has to do with humans and the decisions they choose to make (Porter, n.d.). Thus leads to the importance of the way marketers should be presenting information (Porter, n.d.). Marketers should compose their messages in a way that makes it sound like whatever it is they are selling will be considered a gain in the consumer’s eyes as opposed to a loss (Porter, n.d.). This makes a lot of sense. I asked myself if I would ever be swayed into buying a product that included language that points to potential loss and no I would not. My first reaction to something like that would be no way. For example, a college would never advertise its programs and post the fail rate. If I saw that, I would be very unmotivated and assume the programs are not doing what they are supposed to do to support students’ success. References: Porter, Dr. B. (n.d.). Marketing—Module Activities: 202220_CPD494_30646 ENTREPRENEURSHIP-PROF STUDIES. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/131858/pages/marketing-module-activities?module_item_id=4029385   What types of marketing sway my decisions? Lately, with the boom of social media and the integral role that it plays in everyday life, I find myself being swayed into making decisions on products easily. Social media has had the power to make products and entrepreneurs gain popularity quicker than ever. A person online can simply share a testimonial about a product they have enjoyed and within a week that product is being sold out in stores. I have started to find products online and immediately feel the need to buy it immediately due to the fear of the product possibly selling out. One company that I see using a strategy to create urgency in buying is Owala. They sell water bottles with their innovative technologies but have started selling specialized colors/designs by announcing a release date and then only making a limited amount available. This has sparked my need to buy this water bottle and just the other day they dropped a design I was fond of. I was on that website the minute it was released and within that same minute, it sold out. Owala is sparking that urgency and needs to buy their water bottles especially if they are one of a kind.

How can I pitch ideas better? Ideas can be pitched better just like anything else can be done better. Before this class, I always assumed that ideas are always great ideas if they are backed by an extremely intense presentation. Guy Kawasaki has proven me wrong with his very informative video. Kawasaki explains that presentations should only be about 10 slides, completed in 20 minutes, and written in 30-point font (Barker, 2013). This advice has been notably titled the 10-20-20 rule (Barker, 2013). By no means does this seem like an easy task, but it seems reachable and dismantles my preconceived ideas of pitches needing to be extravagant. It goes along with the idea that bigger does not always mean better. After watching the video and reflecting on it, I also thought about what I would do if someone presented me with something that was longer than 20 minutes. I would lose interest and my mind will start to wander and go anywhere but to the presentation. It seems as if pitch ideas become better by listening to professionals and following what they recommend. They are the ones who have had the experience and found the sweet spot in giving pitches. References: Barker, W. (2013, April 29). Guy Kawasaki the 10:20:30 pitch rule. – YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/embed/0iqIBDVMOyw    What are my strengths and weaknesses in pitching? I believe my strengths in pitching are found within the information that is needed to give a pitch and the creativity behind the pitch. Throughout my life, I have always been pretty good at putting together presentations and having the correct information. The presentations I create tend to be detailed and considerably creative. Recently one of my presentations was even used as a demonstration in class. While I find myself being fully capable of creating content that can go into the pitch to make it impressionable, my weakness is delivering the pitch with confidence. The people you see on shark tank exemplify confidence and that is something I am not very good at. Having to stand in front of people is nerve-racking and comes with all sorts of anxieties for me. What if they do not like my idea? Will they laugh in my face? These are true fears and something I need to sort out before finally pitching the idea my team and I create.

Why do ethics matter in entrepreneurship?

Ethics matter in everything. It matters in education. It matters in businesses large or small. It matters in the community. It matters within government entities. So, it certainly matters in entrepreneurship. It would be silly to put ethical standards on everything besides entrepreneurship. Dr. Anne-Taylor Cahill has a video in the learning modules that goes over ethics in entrepreneurship (Cahill, n.d.). She mentions that when ethics are present within an entrepreneur’s goals, they will find themselves with a business that clearly outlines trust and confidence (Cahill, n.d.). Additionally, she brings up a good point that the likelihood of a business being a good business under an ethically challenged entrepreneur is very slim (Cahill, n.d.). This makes a lot of sense to me. Businesses are businesses because they put a lot of work into making a name for themselves. If an entrepreneur that makes questionable decisions that are considered unethical, they are associating that with the potential business. Most people would rather give their money to an ethical business. Therefore, It is easier to just keep the entrepreneurial venture ethical to avoid problems down the line. Ethics in entrepreneurship matters a lot.

References:

Cahill, D., Anne Taylor. (n.d.). Ethics Intro: 202220_CPD494_30646 ENTREPRENEURSHIP-PROF STUDIES. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/131858/pages/ethics-intro?module_item_id=4029319

How is my own personal budget related to an entrepreneurship budget?

My personal budget is most likely very different from others because of my situation. I am a college student that lives at home and whose parents pay for things like food, health insurance, and all that comes with having a roof over one’s head. I pay for everything else. So, phone bills, car expenses, and everything I might want I pay for that. Other college student might find themselves living on campus and having to pay for everything themselves. It all depends on an individual’s situation. I feel like this is the same for an entrepreneur. I assume that the budget of an entrepreneur is most likely based on the complexity of their idea. Dr. Jing Zhang in a learning module talks about a concept known as “market potential” that is important in considering a budget (Zhang, n.d.-a). The example mentioned in the module on market potential is the market potential of a vegetarian restaurant (Zhang, n.d.-a). This is made up of ideas such as how much of the population in the area goes out to eat, how many people within the population are vegetarian, and what amount of money do people tend to spend at restaurants (Zhang, n.d.-a). This sort of corroborates my original assumption and shows that it is dependent on the situation just like a personal budget.

References:

Zhang, Dr. J. (n.d.-a). Introductory Case: 202220_CPD494_30646 ENTREPRENEURSHIP-PROF STUDIES. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/131858/pages/introductory-case?module_item_id=4029327

Why do we need budgets?

Budgets are necessary to not get into sticky financial situations. If I set out a budget for myself biweekly so I do not run out of money, then I need to follow that budget to not run out of money. Some questions constantly run through my head each paycheck. What am I allowed to spend while taking into consideration what bills are coming out of my account this month? How much do I need to put into savings to ensure that I have emergency money? What trips do I plan on taking this year? What are some items that I am going to need soon? Taking everything into consideration and being intentional with money is essential. Budgets help keep money around.

What is social entrepreneurship?

While trying to find a good way to answer this question, I looked at various ways sources described social entrepreneurship (including the course modules) but really liked the way this one website described it. The chamber of commerce describes social entrepreneurship as a type of entrepreneurship that focuses on fixing social dilemmas using business strategies to thus create positivity in the world (Peek, 2020). There are plenty of social issues in the world. So, there are plenty of opportunities for social entrepreneurship. One social entrepreneurial solution that I have the pleasure of being a part of is the organization Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS). This organization was made to address the problem of a lack of women in the field of cybersecurity. It is a member-only organization but being a part of it reveals unique opportunities for women and serves as a place of support and empowerment. It is truly a great example of what social entrepreneurship stands for.

References:

Peek, S. (2020, July 30). What Is Social Entrepreneurship? Https://Www.Uschamber.Com/Co. https://www.uschamber.com/co/co/start/startup/what-is-social-entrepreneurship

What are the most significant legal issues entrepreneurs face?

The most significant legal issues entrepreneurs face was outlined in the course learning module created by Dr. Zhang (Zhang, n.d.-b). These issues based on the video lecture seem to be issues associated with legal forms, taxes, and instances of liability (customers suing) (Zhang, n.d.-b). The taxes and liabilities come as no surprise to me. There are people that I know that must file taxes as a business and it comes with an array of complaints due to the complexity of it. Liabilities are common and often seen in the media or exemplified in movies often. One that comes to mind is that woman who sued Mcdonald’s over their extremely hot coffee. If my memory serves me correctly, she won that lawsuit. This is one of those legal issues that most everyone is aware of because of instances like that. Meanwhile, it never occurred to me until going through the course module that there are legal documents specifically for businesses. I can now say those forms seem to be important for a variety of reasons based on Zhang’s lecture video.

References:

Zhang, Dr. J. (n.d.-b). Legal Issues: Introduction: 202220_CPD494_30646 ENTREPRENEURSHIP-PROF STUDIES. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/131858/pages/legal-issues-introduction?module_item_id=4029372

What is design thinking?   In module one part three there is a YouTube video titled “What Is Design Thinking?” and it was created and posted by Sean VanGenderen (VanGenderen, 2014). This video introduces design thinking as expected from the title (VanGenderen, 2014). Essentially, design thinking is the process of creating imaginative solutions for distinctive problems that arise amongst consumers using a specially designed process (VanGenderen, 2014). This definition came as no surprise because designs are often specifically made for a certain consumer. For example, numerous up-and-coming fashion brands specifically cater to someone’s unique needs. One specific fashion brand that comes to mind is this footwear company called Billy. They create shoes that are fully functional for those who wear foot braces. Interestingly, they accomplished this by making the footbed wider and adding a zipper that completely folds down the high-top shoe. I remember first seeing this product when I worked in a special needs room at an elementary school and was completely amazed at how this simple fix changed the lives of many.   Reference: VanGenderen, S. (Director). (2014, April 4). What Is Design Thinking? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7sEoEvT8l8     How has design thinking influenced a product I use?     When first thinking of an answer to this question, my immediate reaction was “well doesn’t everything I use technically use design thinking?” This may be the case, but after some consideration one product I use really sparked my attention. My Waterpik (water flosser) has to be a product that was influenced by design thinking. Flossing is always one of those activities that most people (well most people I know) do not enjoy. This sort of became a problem because people get gum diseases if they do not floss. Then comes the Waterpik, which acts as an alternative to the problem of lack of flossing in dental hygiene. I always tell my dentist that it is a genius product, and I am happy someone thought of it because I can not stand regular flossing. Additionally, whether this was intentional or not, the product works wonderfully for those who wear braces because food no longer gets stuck under the brackets. It really solved a problem that was unique to consumers.

What are the connections between opportunities and planning?    I truly feel that opportunities are directly correlated to planning and always will be. This is not implying that there are no opportunities that arise out of nowhere without actively looking (planning). Even the opportunities that are unexpected must come with some level of planning. Jobs are the one thing that comes to mind about unexpected opportunities and the planning portion of this event usually includes a lot. When will I leave my old job? Does this new job pay more or less? Will my benefits be as good? Will I have to move? If I move, will my family be able to leave their jobs or change schools? This is simply my understanding of the connection between opportunity without any knowledge about entrepreneurship. With entrepreneurship in mind, it is also clear that there has to be a connection between opportunities and planning. In one of the course modules, there is a video that outlines the design thinking framework by Dr. Landeata (Dr. Landeata, n.d.). This video outlines the process in steps and the steps are understand, ideate, selection, prototyping, and validation (Dr. Landeata, n.d.). Within the understand phase there simply needs to be an understanding of the problem at hand (Dr. Landeata, n.d.). The ideate and selection phase serves as the phases where the answer on how to fix an issue is addressed (Dr. Landeata, n.d.). The prototype and validation phase are phases that the solution starts being put to work (Dr. Landeata, n.d.). This whole process seems like a plan to me and since it is associated with design thinking it is certain to bring an opportunity to a young entrepreneur.   Reference:   Dr. Landeata. (n.d.). What is the Design Thinking Framework?: 202220_CPD494_30646 ENTREPRENEURSHIP-PROF STUDIES. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/131858/pages/what-is-the-design-thinking-framework?module_item_id=4029266           What opportunities have I missed?   Regretfully, there are plenty of opportunities that I have missed. These opportunities were often missed due to fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, or fear of not liking an opportunity. This has occurred at various stages in my life and continues to occur. However, there is one opportunity that comes in mind that I missed that is still fresh in my mind. There was this internship posting that would have been a fantastic opportunity and it happened to be on USAJOBS. For those unaware of USAJOBS, it is a government-associated website that posts jobs, internships, and other opportunities. It is quite overwhelming to those who are new to it and sometimes difficult to navigate. Well, I let that overwhelmed feeling take over and did not end up applying under the posting. Looking back, I regret this and wished I had just taken the leap. This is how entrepreneurship is. It is taking that leap and dreaming big despite doubts.

Can a successful venture be unethical?   A successful venture can absolutely be unethical. One example that specifically comes to mind is a venture associated with beauty products. To my understanding, beauty products must undergo testing to ensure that their products do in fact work and that is expected. However, companies that use animals to evaluate products are considered highly unethical and I agree. Recently, there has been an uproar against a beauty line known as Laneige on social media because of this unethical practice. I see people boycotting the company and spreading awareness of their mistreatment of animals. This just shows that despite the usefulness of the products, ethics should play a key role and always be considered.

Am I an entrepreneur?

When pondering over this question my immediate answer is no, I am not an entrepreneur. I do not create grandiose concepts or products. In fact, it is not very often I even think “hey this might be a good idea.” However, that does not mean I would not like to become one. Entrepreneurs in my mind are people of high status, they are independent, and just truly astounding. Maybe, just maybe entrepreneurs are everything I want to be. Nothing could be greater than being my own boss who at the same time changes people’s lives in a good way. That just might allow me to reach Maslow’s highest tier in the hierarchy of needs (self-actualization). This seems like an overwhelming task though, that my normal self would shy away from due to the unknowns and challenges. I hope that this class will show me how to be an entrepreneur and give me the confidence to start taking action.

 What is success?

Success in my opinion is very subjective. One’s idea of success is not going to be the same as another’s idea of success. For one person, getting through high school on time and going straight to work instead of college is seen as a success. Meanwhile, another person might see continual education (college) as a success. What seems to really matter is what an individual’s goals are and what they need to accomplish to feel successful. It also does not have to matter if others view you as successful or not. Personally, for me, success is getting through college to find the job that makes me the happiest and, in the process, helps people along the way.

Am I a self-starter? How well do I follow through on my ideas?

I would say yes, I am a self-starter especially when it comes to making my life richer and better. I do not rely on anyone to hand me anything to get what it is that I want, nor did I need someone to tell me what I wanted/needed to do. My almost finished degree, my upcoming degrees, the jobs I have had, and the activities I partake in are all because I told myself “Yes you can” and then did it (or plan on doing it). To me, that demonstrates a self-starter. Moreover, I think I also follow through pretty well on my ideas. My mind will constantly replay ideas like a broken record until I follow through. When I say ideas though, I mean ideas like continual education or dream jobs. Innovative ideas are not something I really think about and if a thought does cross my mind, then I do not do anything about it.

How does Old Dominion University view entrepreneurship?

The entire first module within the CPD 494 course is titled “Entrepreneurship the ODU way,” and the module essentially goes over the basics of entrepreneurship such as definitions, how to tackle entrepreneurship, and examples. However, what really captures how ODU views entrepreneurship would have to be the student success stories featured on ODU’s YouTube channel. One video highlighted students by the names of Sophia O’Neal, Jack Chacon/Max Hall, Janay Brown, Maurice Brooks, and Blade Taylor (Old Dominion University, 2017). The student’s who have started their own businesses that vary from app development to food services give ample praise to ODU’s Strome Entrepreneurial Center and the support it has given (Old Dominion University, 2017). This shows me that ODU views entrepreneurship as a valuable matter that should focus its efforts on the young minds that attend ODU. Way to go Monarchs!

Reference:

Old Dominion University (Director). (2017, October 5). ODU Entrepreneurs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnmdWkOJQKc

What is my role in this ecosystem?

As people experience life, they might find themselves falling into different categories of work. I consider some of these categories to be nurturing, teaching, leading, and supporting. For example, a nurturing field is the medical field, teaching falls under educational institutions, leading could be exemplified in managerial roles, and those exemplifying support would be those who work under the leaders to keep the company afloat. Each category can be found anywhere it seems. I consider myself someone who takes on a supporting role in this ecosystem. Cybersecurity is essential to protecting networks and choosing that field is showing my support for the safekeeping of others’ information. It is important to note that just because it’s “support” does not mean that I can’t create and be innovative. Supporting roles also have to be creative to approach problems head-on.