I have written a little bit about teaching entrepreneurship at UNC Charlotte this semester. It was my second semester of teaching and I believed that the class got better. I am looking forward and the University agrees, which is great, that this is a long-term venture for both of us.
My Dad
I remember a lot of things from my childhood. I remember going to class with my Dad as he taught education courses at ASU. I also have one of those random memories of him telling my Mom that the Dean of his school told him that if there was any topic he was interested in learning about that he would let him teach a class on it. Even as a young kid that struck me as odd because I believed that the teacher should know the subject they are teaching before they taught. Well… Dad… and nameless/faceless dean at ASU – I know now what you were talking about.
Yep!
I believe that I knew a lot about my topic. I had technically never been trained in the discipline of entrepreneurship… I didn’t even know how to spell it before I taught. I had, however, started my first company is 1976 at the age of 7 and then a series of companies after that. Even to the point to where I made so much money in the 2nd grade selling things that my parents were uncomfortable with it and made me give back the money (I am still a little mad about that). In my 20s I had a successful run with helping to start Careershop.com and then my 30s and 40s with AvidXchange… from 5 people to 650 and growing now. However after teaching two semesters it is becoming clear that no one really knows what entrepreneurship means and everyone thinks they know what entrepreneurship means (I hope you get that). Even the word “entrepreneurship” seems to send people in many directions.
Here Is What I Learned!
In no particular order, I had a few extremely big learning moments:
- There are some truly brilliant young people out there!
- Exams are as stressful on the professor as well as the students
- Entrepreneurship can be measured and has principles like
- Creative Destruction
- Jumping Curves
- The Golden Circle
- Entrepreneurship is more a study of personal success than business tactics
- We need to find a new name because Entrepreneurship seems to be confusing people
Changes – Getting Better
The biggest learning beside the quality of the students and how they really take to real world concepts and how fired up they get about entrepreneurship (once they know what it is) is the fourth bullet about success. I had wanted to teach a University level class on what makes people successful. I thought about pitching it to UNCC or another one of the area colleges and then I realized that I really didn’t need to, and the opportunity that I had right in front of me was all I needed. (So) This summer when I teach entrepreneurship, every day in my three-hour class, there will be an hour of success teaching – studying what makes people successful, an hour of principle and concept based learning and an hour of practical application.
I am excited – I hope you are!
Want to know more? Buy My Books!
To buy the book – The Argument to Automate – How Innovation Can INSPIRE Not Fire – click here to buy
(Also) To get your copy of The 8 Pitfalls of Accounts Payable Automation – click here to buy
How about a children’s book? The Princess and the Paper – click here to buy
About The Author:
Christopher Elmore has written 8 books, countless articles, lectures at UNC – Charlotte and travels around the country speaking on the topics of startup success, sales, presentation skills, change, entrepreneurship, accounts payable and payment automation. Having deep startup and entrepreneurial experience, Christopher was one of the six people who started AvidXchange in 2000 and continues to work in the business today. If you hire Christopher to speak or teach at your company or event… you won’t be sorry! Request a media kit or contact us for more information
thechriselmore.com 