[ibimage==31350==Large==none==self==ibimage_align-center]
Some believe entrepreneurship is innate, inborn; that it cannot be taught. Jeff Donaldson, founder of Atomic 20, a Boulder-based digital marketing agency, and mentor at accelerator Boomtown thinks otherwise. In fact, had it not been for an education in entrepreneurship, Atomic 20 and Boomtown may have never been.
What Donaldson found, and,what more and more people are recognizing, is that entrepreneurship is something that can be learned like other skills. What’s more, you are never too old, or too corporate to learn it. Donaldson, for example, had experience at companies like Coors Brewing, Crocs and The Integer Group, and had been out of college 19 years before taking classes on entrepreneurship, yet the lessons stuck all the same.
Attending Denver University’s Daniels College Executive MBA program, which has an emphasis on entrepreneurship, Donaldson said some of his most profound lessons came from thinking about what he didn’t know.
“Not knowing you have blind spots is more dangerous than not having the skills in those spots,” said Donaldson. “I learned that I didn't know what I didn't know.”
Entrepreneurship is a lot like rock climbing without ropes; there’s no big corporate infrastructure to catch you if you fall. So, schools like Daniels College focus on teaching entrepreneurs how to catch hidden problems ahead of time.
“Having skills in self-awareness is critical to being a successful entrepreneur,” said Donaldson. “Daniels goes beyond the standard curriculum to help students see themselves differently, and to show them they are capable of more than they expected.”
Daniels offers a variety of MBA programs, including an Executive MBA(EMBA) program, that teaches classic masters in business administration skills, as well as entrepreneurship focused ones. Ranked as 27th most entrepreneurial university in the United States by Forbes Magazine in 2014, the school is part of a growing movement of MBA programs that recognized entrepreneurship as a legitimate subject of study, and something that its prospective students are hungry to know more about.
Daniels College, in particular, has also done well to connect to the Colorado tech startup scene through alumni like Donaldson. In total, the school boasts 33,000 alumni worldwide and emphasizes the value students get from working with and learning from each other.
“Learning from the other students was incredibly valuable. Expanding my perspective on business by 40 more perspectives (number of students in the EMBA) made the curriculum even more applicable,” said Donaldson. “Being able to see that there were many ways to be innovative and that many other people had the guts to start their own businesses… It gave me the confidence to tackle tough challenges and eventually start my own.”
After earning an EMBA, Donaldson would go on to found Atomic 20 with fellow Daniels College alumni Toby Krout. Krout then went on to found the Boomtown accelerator, where Donaldson plays a role as mentor today.
Now a founder, mentor and graduate of the EMBA program Donaldson said he understands good entrepreneurship isn’t about stubbornly suffering alone or learning by error, rather there’s power in who you associate with.
“Surround yourself with talented, generous and experienced people. Learn from others and don't expect you can do it all yourself. Getting help from others doesn't show weakness, it shows maturity and business intelligence,” said Donaldson. “I wish I had known that sooner.”
Want to sample classes at Daniels College? The graduate school is giving away tuition for its Professional Short Courses ($1,500 value per seat). Enter here: www.DanielsGiveaway.com
Have a tip for us or know of a company that deserves coverage? Email us via [email protected]
