1.     Am I an entrepreneur?

An entrepreneur is defined as a person that comes up with a new idea to create a new product or service, often to generate profits. Given this definition, I believe I have some experience being an entrepreneur. I currently work for Capital One bank, and I have been a part of many projects that involve the creation of processes and software. For example, I was a part of the testing and validating group to develop computer program. I helped software developers by identifying problems by testing their programs and providing feedback that they later used in the final product. Also, I provided brainstormed and developed potential solutions to the problems we identified. Once the product was fixed by implementing my solutions, it was tested several times before validating that all areas were working properly. After a month of testing, we were able to launch the product to other associates and so far, it has been successful. While I have some experience developing new products, I believe that I have room for growth in some of the areas of entrepreneurship that this class will touch on. I’m excited to get started because I know these are skills are essential in the corporate world, and entrepreneurial skills like innovation, risk taking, and leadership will distinguish me as a candidate for potential employers if I don’t decide to open my own business.

2.     What is success?

I believe that success is subjective. Each person has their own way of defining and measuring success. For example, for some people it may be wealth, for others it may be scholastic achievements, high performance ratings, etc. For others, it may be maintaining a perpetual state of improvement. In the end, it all boils down to a persons’ goals and their perception of meeting those goals.

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

Working with other people has made me realize that I am not a self-starter. I often find myself waiting to hear someone’s ideas first before providing my own input. I am an analyzer at heart and prefer to understand the details before jumping into something. Self-starting is an area in which I can improve. Though I have great ideas, I do not always share them right away and, in some instances, it can delay a project. Regarding following through with my ideas, I’m well organized. I first like to brainstorm as many ideas as a I can, then I select about 3 to 5 ideas that stick out to me the most. Once I have chosen my select few, I try to organize them in a chronological order or importance. This method has worked for me throughout my college education when writing documents and it helps me delegate my time towards important action items in the workplace.

4.     How does ODU view entrepreneurship?

Old Dominion University views entrepreneurship as a skill that applies to everyone and how every student major or discipline relates to entrepreneurship. An entrepreneurship is not only about starting a business like most people believe but also about identifying what problems exist in communities and how to resolve those issues. Old Dominion University believes the skills found in an entrepreneurship will help students with their development after graduation because these are skills are essential in any discipline.

5.     What is my role in this ecosystem?

My role in the entrepreneurship ecosystem is to use the knowledge from my major in a practical way to solve different kinds of problems and to communicate these ideas in a way that is easy to understand for others. One of my main goals is to get my opinion across based on evidence using multiple disciplines to find the best solution. The best way to learn this process is by practicing. Even if one fails, this is the best way to learn because just like any other skill; practice makes the master.