Waking up one day and deciding to start a new business isn’t easy.
But a new student business organization, Quinnipiac Entrepreneurs, is hoping to make it a little easier. The new group aims to help students who are interested in starting their own businesses.
Eric Byrd of Quinnipiac Entrepreneurs is using everything he has in order to help this student-run group become officially recognized. He believes this will help the students receive the confidence they need in order to start their own businesses.
“I hope to bring to Quinnipiac something that will give all of our students the resources and confidence to start their own business as well as the edge our business school needs in the competitive business environment,” Byrd said.
Entrepreneurs will focus mainly on individual projects and focus on creating or analyzing businesses in and around Hamden. Students will have to determine how to make these businesses more efficient. Students can pick and choose projects. They will have their consultant group work with local businesses and students that need help getting their business off the ground.
“We don’t want to take out business plans, we just want to help them,” Byrd said.
Initial profits for this group would be to begin internships and new micro-funds. The non-profit would include finding staffing and new business start-ups. The non-profit would also be sending the student consultants abroad on internships to work with entrepreneurs in developing countries.
Also, besides reaching out to businesses, Entrepreneurs will have their consultant group work with the Learning Center. Marketing majors in the consultant group will tutor students.
“Our goal is to create a consultant group,” Byrd said. “In order to guide, consultants will be there to point students in the right direction and create awareness.”
Byrd hopes in the future to combine Students In Free Enterprise, another business group here at Quinnipiac, and Entrepreneurs together into one group. Quinnipiac Entrepreneurs would partner with SIFE to help run businesses.
Students and faculty interested in joining Quinnipiac Entrepreneurs can e-mail [email protected].
“Entrepreneurship means to undertake,” Byrd said. “What better way to teach leadership through that. Being a leader, take something on yourself.”
