Schools and Entrepreneurs
In the days of John D. Rockefeller and Henry Ford, there were very few business schools that existed on the college level and Rockefeller and Ford did not attend a four-year university but they managed to be successful and make millions. On the other hand, there are also successful entrepreneurs who attended business school. If you wonder if schools can teach entrepreneurship, the answer is yes and no.
Ask Yourself If You Can Be an Entrepreneur for a Long Time
Based on what some business schools are teaching, they ask students a fundamental question regarding entrepreneurship; they ask the students which activity they see themselves doing for the rest of their lives without getting tired of it. This is an important consideration because too-often aspiring entrepreneurs have unrealistic views of owning a business.
Why Inner Cities Benefit From Entrepreneurship Classes in Schools
Some social science researchers stated that one reason why low-income families struggle with crime, teenage pregnancy and a host of family problems is because of a lack of financial stability that could help them get out of poverty. It is for this reason that some education experts suggested that high schools in low-income neighborhoods teach students the principles of entrepreneurship so the students can be inspired to develop innovative ideas and start businesses as adults.
Some Say Business School Does Not Adequately Prepare for Entrepreneurship
Some who work in the corporate world as entrepreneurs are not impressed with the business schools, and say that the business schools do not always emphasize the importance of getting sales, which is one of the most basic entrepreneurial lessons. Other successful entrepreneurs feel that some business schools deceive their students into thinking that an MBA is a one-way ticket to entrepreneurship but fail to teach that entrepreneurship involves creating unique ideas and working hard to achieve success.
Businesses You Can Start Without Attending Business School
There are still many businesses you can start without going to business school if you cannot afford to do so. If you like tutoring children you can have your own tutoring service. Prepare flyers and bring them to elementary and high school students. You can purchase tutoring materials inexpensively from online stores. Another idea is to create greeting cards for special occasions such as graduations, weddings and birthdays.
Sometimes Business Schools Benefit Aspiring Entrepreneurs
There are times when business school is good for entrepreneurs, and this is when the person wants to engage in international business operations or run more than one branch of his future company. The aspiring entrepreneur will need to know the principles of international business in order to engage in trade with business owners in other countries.
Business Schools Assist Current Entrepreneurs
Business schools are also helpful for those who have been entrepreneurs for many years because they can learn the latest business trends and how those trends will affect their businesses. For example, if a bookstore owner learns in business school that there will be a decline in interest in visiting bookstores due to the Amazon Kindles and iPads, this bookstore owner may decide to offer an app that lets his customers download to their phones so they can read the books he sells for a fee.
Conclusion
Business schools are a good tool of training aspiring entrepreneurs but this should not be the only method of training them. Aspiring entrepreneurs also learn about entrepreneurship by obtaining apprenticeships and reading other books on this topic. If business schools consider entrepreneurship and innovation as the things needed for students to be successful, they will be able to help the young people in establishing companies, producing products really needed by the consumers, and building fortunes.
