Over the past several years, I have come to a much better understanding of who I am, how I tick and what drives me. I have come to not only realize, but fully own, the fact that I like to start stuff. And, if I can’t start something from scratch, I want to be able to take something that’s already there and overhaul it to make it the best it can be. It’s how I’m wired. I love strategy, vision, culture-building and working toward organizational potential. The entrepreneurial spirit lives deep within me.

Those who are wired like me long to be unleashed, to be given permission to start something, to build something great. Being “unleashed” is essential, but so is discipline and preparation. We are very fortunate here in the Valley to have formal education at our disposal to help prospective entrepreneurs develop emotional, mental and relational disciplines as well as the educational preparation necessary for them to reach their potential.

UW-EAU CLAIRE

UWEC offers an elaborate and multifaceted training for entrepreneurs in the area through the Dennis L. Heyde Entrepreneur Program, a part of UWEC’s College of Business. The focus of this program is to help students move forward in the progression and development of their business ideas, to help prepare them to think critically about their ideas, refine them, and begin thinking about implementing those ideas. The Heyde program offers two main courses of study toward those ends.

One course of study offered as a part of the Heyde Program is the entrepreneur emphasis which can be taken within the management major at UWEC. Students pursuing this program are “encouraged to think in terms of what they see as the “next logical step” in the evolution of a business idea. They examine and communicate the feasibility of the idea through a business plan, which they present to a panel of entrepreneurs, development specialists, and investors.

Some of the classes offered in the entrepreneur emphasis that are unique to this particular program are Business Plan Considerations and Drafting, Applied Quantitative Methods, Business Law.

This course of study is the most elaborate of the entrepreneurship offerings at UWEC and seems to offer a broad understanding of not only entrepreneurship-specific ideas, but also business-related ideas that the entrepreneur must consider once attempting to launch a new business, overhaul his or her  department at work, or start whatever revolution he or she is passionate about.

UW-STOUT

As a part of the bachelor of science in business administration program at UW-Stout, students may choose to pursue the entrepreneurship emphasis. This 12-credit program is “the fastest growing emphasis area out of a total of 26 options” within the business administration program, according to Mark Fenton, program director for the entrepreneurship emphasis. Not only is this course of study popular among the business student population, but local employers seem to be excited about it as well. Fenton mentioned that, even though the entrepreneurship emphasis program is only two years old, he has already received positive feedback from employers who have become acquainted with it.

Along with the undergraduate option mentioned above, this fall UW-Stout is launching a new graduate certificate program. This is a four-course program that will be facilitated totally online, which will allow working professionals to engage in the program. According to Fenton, this program “will lead to a significant understanding of what it means for an individual to be innovative and entrepreneurial in the professional environment.” The classes in the program are Entrepreneurial Leadership, Strategic Marketing for Entrepreneurs, Financial Strategies for Entrepreneurs and Innovative Organizations, Discovering and Developing Entrepreneurial Opportunities.

As a part of this program, students will have the opportunity to do industry, competitive, and market analyses; explore financing options; and develop a business plan.