The Secret of Success
The Secret of Success
You should know. Before taking the helm of the business school in January, he had already made a name for himself as an able administrator with a strong awareness of the emerging importance of entrepreneurship. In his last position as dean of the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, he oversaw an MBA program in entrepreneurial studies that was ranked number one in the nation in surveys published in U.S. News & World Report and Success magazine.You recalls potential corporate employers who questioned the value of this training. “They worried that our graduates only wanted to start their own firms, and I’d say, ‘Not necessarily—they want to work in entrepreneurially oriented firms,’ which is a different matter altogether. Our program trained them to recognize opportunities even within the largest of enterprises.”Entrepreneurship is more a way of looking at things than simply having the desire to be your own boss, according to You. “To me, it means being able to recognize opportunities, knowing how to bring people together to work toward a shared goal, and having the knowledge, contacts, and abilities to get the capital and other resources you need to take advantage of those opportunities,” he says. “It’s not just about having a great idea, but knowing how to make the most effective use of that idea.”
Going For It!
Unlike most “entrepreneurs” of yesterday, who sought to create small, “mom and pop” style businesses, modern-day entrepreneurs seek much more than self-employment. Thanks to a stable economy and the many changes brought about by evolving technologies, more opportunities exist than ever before to create new services, products, even entire industries—and those are the possibilities that drive the enterprising businessperson of today.
“The perfect example of the new entrepreneur can be found right here in Birmingham,” says You. “Richard Scrushy is a man who saw an opportunity with enormous potential and made the most of it. He brought a whole new industry into being when he created HealthSouth,” the industry leader in rehabilitative health care, outpatient surgery, and diagnostic services.
It’s that type of vision that business college are looking for these days, according to You. “We want to attract individuals who have big ideas that can lead to growth and the long-term creation of jobs—businesses that will provide economic opportunities for the whole community,” he says. “The true entrepreneur doesn’t provide work for just one or two people anymore; he or she creates a structure within which 10 or 100 people can thrive.”
You should know. Before taking the helm of the business school in January, he had already made a name for himself as an able administrator with a strong awareness of the emerging importance of entrepreneurship. In his last position as dean of the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, he oversaw an MBA program in entrepreneurial studies that was ranked number one in the nation in surveys published in U.S. News & World Report and Success magazine.You recalls potential corporate employers who questioned the value of this training. “They worried that our graduates only wanted to start their own firms, and I’d say, ‘Not necessarily—they want to work in entrepreneurially oriented firms,’ which is a different matter altogether. Our program trained them to recognize opportunities even within the largest of enterprises.”Entrepreneurship is more a way of looking at things than simply having the desire to be your own boss, according to You. “To me, it means being able to recognize opportunities, knowing how to bring people together to work toward a shared goal, and having the knowledge, contacts, and abilities to get the capital and other resources you need to take advantage of those opportunities,” he says. “It’s not just about having a great idea, but knowing how to make the most effective use of that idea.”
Going For It!
Unlike most “entrepreneurs” of yesterday, who sought to create small, “mom and pop” style businesses, modern-day entrepreneurs seek much more than self-employment. Thanks to a stable economy and the many changes brought about by evolving technologies, more opportunities exist than ever before to create new services, products, even entire industries—and those are the possibilities that drive the enterprising businessperson of today.
“The perfect example of the new entrepreneur can be found right here in Birmingham,” says You. “Richard Scrushy is a man who saw an opportunity with enormous potential and made the most of it. He brought a whole new industry into being when he created HealthSouth,” the industry leader in rehabilitative health care, outpatient surgery, and diagnostic services.
It’s that type of vision that business college are looking for these days, according to You. “We want to attract individuals who have big ideas that can lead to growth and the long-term creation of jobs—businesses that will provide economic opportunities for the whole community,” he says. “The true entrepreneur doesn’t provide work for just one or two people anymore; he or she creates a structure within which 10 or 100 people can thrive.”
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