Over the past four years, scores of successful alumni entrepreneurs have shared their knowledge and experience with Colgate students who aspire to start their own businesses or not-for-profit organizations. One Saturday a month, alumni and students have worked side by side, teaching and learning about how to take an idea to reality — from how to find customers or venture capital, to how to build an effective team, manage risk, or incorporate. It would be nearly impossible to calculate the value of the advice.
Now, a new series of short videos, offered by Colgate’s Thought into Action Institute (TIA), captures the wisdom and advice from some of the mentors, and shares it beyond the TIA community. Longer, lecture-style videos like this one, called The Ask featuring Bob Gold ’80 P’15, president and CEO of Ridgewood Capital, will also be shared online.
“Entrepreneurship is embedded in Colgate’s DNA,” Andy Greenfield ’74 P’12 has said. He co-founded TIA with Gold and Wills Hapworth ’07, president of DarkHorse Investors. The program has grown steadily each year, engaging more and more alumni and resulting in concrete success among the student entrepreneurs.
At Colgate’s second Entrepreneur Weekend in April 2013, Greenfield served as emcee at a Ted-style presentation event where five Colgate entrepreneurs shared their stories. Their Little Talks, Big Ideas presentations are also online.
The TIA Saturday program resumes on September 7. Here’s how to get involved.