Many aspiring entrepreneurs wonder about the secret to success. Is it connections and networking? Is it money? Is it a mix of dedication and education? Is it all of the above?

As Oprah Winfrey puts it, “The big secret is that there’s no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” Being an entrepreneur means having an end-goal in mind, and doing all that it takes to succeed at that very goal. This means accumulating the resources, the knowledge, and the tenacity needed to succeed.

So, where do you start? Let’s say you have a great product in mind, a patent on the way, or a great start-up you’d love to bring to the table. How do you turn it into an actual business plan? How do you market not only your product, but also yourself and your up-and-coming company? Who do you talk to? Who do you hire? How do you define and record success? You’ve got the creativity and the drive, but you need some direction. That’s where an entrepreneurship-focused business program can help.

Entrepreneurship education will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to create (and grow) a business.

There are many aspiring entrepreneurs out there who dream of starting their own company, running their own business, and carving their own path to success – yet all too often, they lack the tools needed to launch. Yes, being an entrepreneur takes motivation, dedication, and a sense of eagerness, but it also takes a knowledge of business and fiscal management to succeed. As the Sharks say, you have to know your numbers. You have to know how to manage your resources. You have to know marketing, budgeting, ethics, strategic planning, all the nitty-gritty.

With a postsecondary entrepreneurship education, you can walk away with the knowledge and skills needed to get not just one, but two feet in the door of today’s competitive business arena.

Goodwin College’s entrepreneurship program is built on the fundamentals of planning, leadership, and organizational development, as well as on the qualities of effective leaders – management, communication, people skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, and perseverance. Through the entrepreneurship component of our business program, you will learn how to:

• Initiate the start-up process
• Evaluate market sustainability
• Craft business plans
• Develop and present business pitches
• Access and manage resources
• Engage prospective business partners
• Maintain a competitive edge
• Develop products
• Gain market share
• Make financial decisions

Entrepreneurship education will arm you with real-world business experience.

As a young entrepreneur, you might be thinking, “Why should I take college courses when I can be out there making moves?” The truth is, when you enroll in an entrepreneurship program like Goodwin’s, you are making connections and gaining real-life experience in your desired field. As a required part of our business administration degree, all entrepreneurship students must fulfill a 180-hour internship. Here, students get to apply their classroom learnings to a real business environment, often (and where possible) in a place that reflects the student’s career goals.

You may be asking, “Why go to college when I can be out there starting a business?” If you come to Goodwin College with a business idea, we will encourage (and help) you to run with it. Here, you can bring your business ideas to fruition while earning your degree. Each student in our entrepreneurship-focused program builds a business plan from the ground up, one that is relevant to their career aspirations and that integrates the skills and knowledge learned in their various business courses.

An entrepreneurship-focused business program can put you in touch with like-minded individuals.

Imagine being surrounded by aspiring entrepreneurs on a weekly basis. Imagine having the opportunity to spit-ball ideas off one another, to merge ideas into brilliant products, to partner up on endeavors, and to have those connections as each peer becomes a household name. Now, imagine having a mentor and a savvy business-person to guide you.

That’s kind of what you’re getting with a college-level entrepreneurship education. And a major reason why so many entrepreneurs choose to go to school is for the network of connections they can build. In business school, you consistently have the opportunity to collaborate with your peers, gain insights from fellow students, and to work out any challenges you may have through your professors. Goodwin College also has strong connections with business leaders throughout Connecticut, putting our students at a great advantage for networking.

An entrepreneurship program can boost your confidence, and help you stand out.

Going to college, in itself, is a major achievement. As much as you may want to go against the grain and avoid that college tuition, the truth is – you will be proud and confident once you have a degree in hand. Not only will it look great on your resume, it will also make you feel great and prepared to go out there and succeed. An entrepreneurship education can truly prepare individuals to lead with confidence. As The Atlantic so eloquently wrote in their article, “The Myth of the Successful College Dropout,”

“College provides young adults with the intellectual capital to succeed and the social capital to help them make connections, build networks, and establish life-long relationships. It provides them with skills in analysis and reasoning combined with confidence that will lead them boldly to articulate and embrace new ideas. It transforms their perspectives, opening them up to different cultures, different world views, and different ways of seeing — and solving — some of the world’s most complex problems.”

In the U.S., about 800,000 new businesses are started each year. Yours could be next.

Goodwin’s Entrepreneurship/Small Business program will equip you with the knowledge needed to start a business, the skills needed to succeed, the experience needed to stand out, and the confidence needed to effectively take charge in today’s business world. Call us at 800-889-3282 to get started, or visit us online to request more information.