Q. Is Entrepreneurial Mindset class a one-time class or a series?

A. Entrepreneurial Mindset is a series of 14 to 15 weekly classes. In 2021, the first section starts January 28 and ends May 13. Classes will occur on Thursday evenings from 6 PM to 8 PM with no class on March 18 (spring break.) A limited number of people will attend in person at Fab Lab ICC and others may opt for our (first time) virtual option.

Q. What if I may have to miss some of the classes?

A. Certainly, perfect attendance is not required. Past participants have indicated receiving great value from the class even when they’ve missed several sessions. We plan to record the virtual session so that if missed, registered participants can view any missed sessions at a later time.

Q. What is the objective of the class?

A. This quote by Fab Lab ICC director and class facilitator, Jim Correll summarizes the objective.

Facilitator Correll explained the class revolves around eight life lessons: Choice, opportunity, action, knowledge, wealth, brand, community and persistence.   “Our objective is to open our participants’ minds to a new way of thinking and approaching the challenges of business and daily life,” Correll said. “We learn through the stories of other successful entrepreneurs that there is more than one path to every destination in life, and a change in mindset can lead to great personal and professional fulfillment.”

Q. What is the content of class and how is it different than any other class?

A.  Entrepreneurs have a certain way of looking at life and solving the problems that arise not only for them but for their customers (or employers.) The objective of the class is to learn how they think and become better problem solvers. This can’t be written in a textbook and if you ask entrepreneurs how they think they won’t be able to give you an answer. If you listen to their stories about how they created their businesses, you can begin to understand how they think and how you can apply the principles to your own life. These principles are organized into eight life’s lessons (listed above in the Correll quote.)

The stories come from a combination of video content of entrepreneurs from around the United States in a series called the Ice House Entrepreneurship program, and real area entrepreneurs from around our area we bring to class, nearly one each week. As we listen to the stories, we begin to realize that in many ways all entrepreneurs think in similar ways. This Entrepreneurial thinking gives them confidence to better meet the challenges in their personal, academic and business lives.

Participants are asked to view an average of 60 minutes of Ice House videos outside of class and provide some discussion questions to share with the class as they view the content.

These two 4- minute videos summarize the Ice House program.

The Ice House Entrepreneurship Program

https://youtu.be/-IUcrHLuKhs

Although our class is not exactly like the video, you’ll get to hear snippits of some of the entrepreneurs in the video program.

Kauffman Sketchbook-"Entrepreneurial Mindset"

https://youtu.be/8NBnoVrLFPU

In this video, Ice House founder, Gary Schoeniger (who will be a virtual guest during one of the class sessions) explains why entrepreneurial education needs to be different than traditional business education and how it all should begin with a change in mindset.

Q. I’m sick of Zoom meetings. Will I find value if I elect to participate in the virtual option?

A. We believe participants will find value in the virtual sessions for three reasons. The first is the content itself, being inspiring and about changing mindset is much more interesting than the content of the average business or class Zoom meeting. The second reason is that we’re going to present the host Zoom view of the classroom in a “TV show-like” fashion using multiple cameras and microphones to enhance the experience. Third, we’ll use the Zoom feature of breakout rooms so that small groups within the class can develop discussion topics to bring back to the full group.

This page on our web site, https://www.fablabicc.org/Virtual-Option-Explained/ explains our concept of “enhanced” Zoom.

For price and registration information visit https://www.fablabicc.org/event-4053342