A taste of entrepreneurship
by Vincent Ciccarello
A
one-day workshop aims to address some key questions about starting
your own business.
It defies the conventional wisdom but, according to Peter Balan, anyone can be an entrepreneur.
Senior Lecturer in UniSA’s Centre for Development of Entrepreneurs, Balan said the idea that entrepreneurs are born and not made is misguided.
"Entrepreneurship is not about taking risks, but about managing risks," Balan said. "Given the right circumstances, anyone can be taught to be an entrepreneur."
Changing the entrepreneurial mindset is the primary aim of A Taste of Entrepreneurship, a one-day workshop to be held at UniSA’s Bradley Forum on Saturday July 19.
"The workshop will address the four key questions people have if they are thinking about starting a business – the reasons for starting a business, how to test a business idea, carrying out market research and how to raise finance," Balan said.
"Business start-ups have a high failure rate but the reasons for failure are usually self-evident. We’ll address this in the workshop so that entrepreneurs have a better idea of how to make their business a success."
Workshop participants will hear from four UniSA graduates who have made the transition to successful entrepreneurs, and will take part in discussions and exercises designed to put theory into practice.
Participants will also be encouraged to apply for the 2008 Pank Prize, which provides $10,000 to cover costs incurred in getting a new venture up and running, as well as valuable mentoring from UniSA’s School of Management.
"This could be the help that could make all the difference in starting a career as a successful entrepreneur," Balan said.
The one-day A Taste of Entrepreneurship workshop costs $50. To register or for more information about any of UniSA’s undergraduate or postgraduate entrepreneurship courses, visit www.unisa.edu.au/cde or phone Peter Balan on +61 8 8302 2035.