Undergraduate Careers:
Entrepreneurship
An entrepreneur is a person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture. A concentration in Entrepreneurship prepares students for a variety of opportunities, including starting a new business venture, working as part of a family business or standing out in a chosen field as a self-starter. Most successful entrepreneurs start with a well-developed business plan. You can get help writing your business plan at the School of Management through the Entrepreneurial Management Institute (EMI). Most Entrepreneurship students do not start a business immediately upon graduation. Instead, a more common path is to choose an industry or field that is interesting and to gain valuable experience and contacts before launching the new venture. Other students may seek employment in smaller, early stage companies, to gain experience in building a company.
Position Yourself for Success
- Gain practical and specific experience related to the field in which you are interested in starting a business in.
- Develop a relationship with a mentor.
- Network, network, network.
- Team with a more experienced businessperson.
- Note that success may mean taking risks.
- Get involved with organizations on campus related to entrepreneurship:
The Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (ITEC) www.bu.edu/entrepreneurship
The Council for Women's Entrepreneurship and Leadership (CWEL) www.bu.edu/entrepreneurship/cwel.htm.
Possible Career Paths
Sample Entry Level JobsConsultant*
Financial Analyst*
Operations Specialist
Real Estate Development*
Retail Management Trainee*
Sales Associate*
Financial Planner
Sample list of employers of BU alums with a concentration in Entrepreneurship:
Accenture*
Bear Stearns*
Fidelity Investments*
Forrester Research*
John Hancock*
Reebok International*
State Street*
* Denotes BU graduates from the classes of 2006 and 2007 with Entrepreneurship Concentrations
Web Resources
Boston University's Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (ITEC): www.bu.edu/entrepreneurshipEntrepreneur.com: www.entrepreneur.com
Inc.com: www.inc.com
Kauffman eVenturing: www.eventuring.org
Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Clearinghouse on Entrepreneurship Education: www.celcee.com
Small Business Resources: www.smallbusinessresources.com
Council for Entrepreneurial Development: www.cednc.org
All Biz.com: www.all-biz.com
TiE-Boston: boston.tie.org
The Entrepreneurs' Organization: www.eonetwork.org
