Ryan Hayes Writing Minor

Until this previous year, I had associated entrepreneurship with beakers, white lab coats, and mathematical savants writing complex theorems on white boards.  While I was an avid fan of Dexter’s Lab and an interested follower of start up companies, I was sure that didn’t translate into entrepreneurial success.  I convinced myself that entrepreneurship was an exclusive club of enlightened people, not an invitation to make the world a better place.  It wasn’t until I entered the 1000 pitches competition in 2012 when I realized what Entrepreneurship really is. 

 

Last fall, I became a top 10 finalist in the tech category out of over 1000 participants after pitching an idea for more dynamic TV advertisements.  It was beyond an awesome experience.  My head was up in the clouds as I experienced the thrilling false belief that my idea would change the world.  I was under this reality until a venture capitalist questioned my idea’s feasibility.  I could answer nearly all the questions, “How will it be used?” “How will you make money?”  Yet, when he asked, “Do people want this?” I didn’t understand.  Of course they would want this, I thought at first.  Why wouldn’t they?  But when I thought about the question more, I realized that I was answering the question from my point of view.  Alas, there was disconnect between the persons I imagined who I would want this product and the real people sitting behind their TV screens.  My idea failed with my inability to truly know whom my product was trying to help.

 

Entrepreneurship urges one to recognize the problems in the world that need solving.  Success requires the ability to not just accept the perspectives of affected parties, potential customers, but moreover to display a level of empathy, a deep understanding of these people.  The painful reality that many entrepreneurs face is that no matter how great the innovation, no matter how cool or complex the technology is, if the people affected by the problem don’t want the solution, the venture will always fail. 

 

This summer, I worked for a Silicon Valley based software start up.  I joined a team of brilliant people who wanted to change the way college donations are transacted by adopting crowd-funding and social media analytics.  My role was to constantly examine strategy, market competition, and market segmentation opportunities.  In an essence, my role was to constantly examine whether or not this issue was a big enough of a problem in which a University would pay for our product.  The foundation of my job’s and the company’s success was firmly rooted in empathy.  I needed to constantly walk in the shoes of our customers as I imagined them experiencing the status quo.  I needed to not just acknowledge that a problem existed, but by truly understanding the parties involved, appropriate strategies and decisions can be made.  Success is then had.

 

Today, I participate in Start Up Academy by MPowered, which is a group of 30 undergraduate and graduate students that work to create a viable start up in an accelerated academic environment.  Everyday I am challenged to question the world around me and to empathize with those facing these problems.  Pursuing entrepreneurship is accepting that the status quo isn’t a limit but rather a stepping-stone for a greater future by viewing problems in a new way.  Whether I am apart of a start up company or not, I will always be an entrepreneur.