Entrepreneurship 30 Is Not Just About Taking Care Of Business

By Robert Thomas

The odds might be against it but if Christine Lapointe had her wildest dreams come true the recent crop of students in the Entrepreneurship 30 class she teaches at Vanier Collegiate might have in its midst the next great international business entrepreneur in it.

But even if that did not happen Lapointe still sees the class as a chance for students to not only learn about the real world of business but also to help them think outside of the box and to innovate. Skills which are beneficial throughout life.

“I hope they learn more about relationships. In not just working with team members but working with customers and suppliers and venders. I hope that they learn more communications skills as well as team building, how to be marketable, how to stand out. They learn how to network, connect with people and make something that is lasting,” Lapointe said.

She made her comments as the students in the Entrepreneurship 30 kicked off the launch of their new businesses at the school on Wednesday during the lunch hour. The class has been taught at Vanier Collegiate since 2009.

Students in the Entrepreneurship 30 class were putting into practice the things they had learnt through the course.

“For the first two months of the course I covered the curriculum and gave the foundation to business and basic concepts to help them with business planning, marketing and finance and as of now the students are putting into practice what they learnt in the classroom,” she said.

On Wednesday the students in the class opened up their three businesses which offered three highly diverse products ranging from spices for meat barbecuing, personal crystal wear and an ecological greeting card that afterwards literally blooms into a bigger gift.

A selection of crystals which will be turned into wearable pendants was on display - MJ Independent photo

Although the class might aim to teach the basis on being an entrepreneur there are also other tangible benefits for those who lean towards not becoming an entrepreneur.

“I have some students who are very much eager to go into business after taking this class later at the college or post secondary level or as an entrepreneur in a variety of industries however I have had students who have come out of this class and say ‘holy cow I don’t ever want to start my own business. And I don’t ever want to be a manager.’”

Despite some students not wanting to become entrepreneurs the class does offer benefits for all students. The class is not a failure because it helps students understand what it takes to go into and operate a business.

“The student who said after doing this class that I think I don’t want to go into business she did not want to go into business told me she has a greater understanding and appreciation of what my boss does and why they do things.”

Asked even if students decided they were not going into business if they learnt things such as how to marketable and innovate in order to succeed in life Lapointe said they had.

“Junior Achievement is an international organization and they definitely focus on financial literacy however it is about marketability…it is all across the world and in different countries it sought on resumes and so these students have the ability to apply for scholarships right out of grade 12.”

“It definitely sets them apart because of their business knowledge and experience and their ability to work with others and apply skills in practice and not just in the classroom so it does set them apart from others.”

According to the Junior Achievement Canada web-site the program is targeting future business leaders but also their “programs prepare them to innovate, take on leadership roles and go after their dreams.” Learning to express ideas and being innovate in doing so is a major part of the Junior Achievement program.

Taking an order for spices at Spice Kings - MJ Independent photo

Regarding the class teaching other lessons such as the need in real life to innovate and think out of the box to find solutions Lapointe said the class is geared to and encourages that.

“I like bringing in people from industry. So I bring in guest speakers and I bring in people with business because that experience and learning about what industry wants and how they can set themselves apart is part of it. So I try to bring that in as much as I can. If you get a great next entrepreneur great but is also applicable life skills they can use no matter where they go in life,” Lapointe said.

Although resumes are important one thing the class tries to teach its students is the art of pitching themselves based upon their abilities and what they are able to do.

The class is based on real world scenarios where students were given limited time to come up with their business ideas and come up with something they felt was marketable. The concept helps teach students how to quickly identify and take advantage of opportunities before they disappear.

“I only gave them three days to pitch their ideas…it helps them learn to identify their skill sets. By learning what they are good at. It teaches them to delegate and work together. It gets them thinking what am I good at and how can we (as a group) use it,” she said.

“It is really putting them in a place of responsibility. They have to learn. They have to find out and how to utilize their strengths. We have some people who cannot or not good at public speaking but that is Ok you can still contribute in a lot of other different ways.”

Asked if she though the course was teaching students to become innovative and think outside of the box she said it was very much geared towards that.

“Very much, lateral thinking is (very much) part of it. If you asked them again about some of the activities before doing the idea (for their businesses) it was all about creative thinking outside the box, learning from mistakes putting on…different thinking hats,” Lapointe said.

“It is all about lateral thinking. Instead of getting them to go over the wall it is about go under, around, going right through. Doing anything you think of (to solve the problem)…but it is the idea about being remarkable, being outstanding in a field, how do you get out and service your customers. How do you out care your competition. And how do you stand apart.”

The course is not a be all to end all about learning to succeed in business or marketing yourself, she said.

“You need to start somewhere and that is what this class is all about…we had a few problems this morning…it is definitely an on-going learning process and it always is. That is why I support and tell them don’t be yourself up you learn as you go.”

MJ Independent plans to run separate stories about the three student businesses - Spice Kings, Cristal-Li and Seed You Later - please stay tuned.

Second Story in the Series - Students Start Company Aimed At Sustainability