From The Print Edition: The Entrepreneur's Corner

Schiebe

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By Jeff Schiebe Special To The Worcester Business Journal

In January, I wrote a column in the Worcester Business Journal entitled, "3 Ways to Aid Entrepreneurs in Worcester." In it, I addressed the three ingredients needed for true entrepreneurial community development. Yet there is a fourth ingredient: entrepreneurial spirit.

Worcester is experiencing what every other business community in the U.S. is experiencing today: a strong and growing interest in entrepreneurship. The spirit of entrepreneurship is very much alive and well in Worcester. It has, in fact, grown into a global phenomenon, and Worcester is part of it.

I see this spirit being generated in three specific areas: companies, organizations and students. Let me start with the organizations. Organizations tend to help "prime the pump." They're a good bellwether of entrepreneurial activity and they offer a vehicle to get the busy entrepreneur and the also-busy-but-interested students involved.

Organizations

The number of organizations in the greater Worcester area supporting the growth of new business ventures is continually growing. They range from ad-hoc groups like Worcester Entrepreneur Meetups to business associations like the Worcester Business Resource Association (WBRA). One that really embodies the entrepreneurial spirit in Worcester is The Venture Forum, formerly known as the WPI Venture Forum and originally launched under the auspices of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I give this organization a lot of credit for broadening its base and expanding its programs to include the broader community, not only from WPI's perspective.

To accelerate this new expansion initiative, the organization changed its name to reflect the broader business community demographics. The Venture Forum also decided to launch its 2012-2013 season with a kickoff event at Clark University in September. This was a smart move because it will tap into the growing interest in entrepreneurship and startups at other schools. It also provides a great opportunity to leverage the second group: students.

Students

It's our youth who really help drive the spirit of entrepreneurship and bring new energy and ideas into the business ecosystem. We have 30,000 students in Worcester during any given academic year. Most are here for four years and many of them want to meet startups and emerging companies. Whether they're seeking internships or part-time jobs, incubating an idea or concept, or starting their own businesses, they want to connect with the right people to help them along the way and at the appropriate times. They all have the common interest, passion and "spirit" of entrepreneurship.

I teach entrepreneurship at Clark and am always being approached by students who ask such questions as: How can I meet that CEO? Can you connect me to this company? Where can I find guidance on patents? How can I get access to that person? How do I find an engineer to help with my design? Where is a good web designer?

The students are looking for coaches, mentors and resources. They want to meet, connect and be part of the entrepreneurial world. They also want to experience the real world of a startup business. It's the students who really help drive this spirit of entrepreneurship and bring new energy and ideas to the business community. Students today are quite innovative and have a strong desire to start something new, push the boundaries and create their own signatures. Despite the fact that most of them need more experience, further mentoring and practical business support, they believe they could be the next Mark Zuckerberg and have boundless energy to get involved and make things happen.

Companies

Startups and new ventures are certainly the lifeblood of the economy. The economy is slowly coming back from a deep recession and startups and emerging companies want to expand and grow. And many would rather do that right here in Central Massachusetts. Why? They have roots here, family and friends and a growing business network. With the growing entrepreneurial talent base, many companies don't need to be in Cambridge or Silicon Valley.

When companies see lots of students eagerly seeking work as either full- or part-time interns, they'll stay here.

The more companies that are actively launching and growing means that all organizations — businesses, networking groups, community groups, social organizations, and government — prosper. This, in turn, helps fuel the networking and resource sharing that's so vital to a healthy, spirited startup environment.

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This new column, The Entrepreneur's Corner, will run occasionally in the Worcester Business Journal. Its author, Jeff Schiebe, is entrepreneur-in-residence and adjunct professor in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program at Clark University in Worcester. Contact him at jeffschiebe@verizon.net.