Start-up Nation Transformation: The Case for Veterans

Posted on by Brian Kelleher

It takes a special mindset to volunteer to join the military in times of war. To leave the comforts of home, to leave family and friends, to go into harm’s way in far off foreign lands creates a complex mindset. It takes a certain mentality to brave the dangers of combat, to go outside the wire and engage the enemy on their grounds.

What is it, ultimately, that makes veterans different from civilians? I have been interested in this question since 1994 – my first recruiting tour of duty. Why did some people sign on the dotted line for four years or more, and some not? What was the unmoved mover that prompted the best and brightest of America’s youth to raise their right hand and take a solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution? Over 6 years and two recruiting tours of duty, I never could put my finger on it. It remains a mystery to me, even now.

We have to recognize the difference between transitioning from the military to civilian life, and transformation from a warrior to an entrepreneur. Transition is merely a change of position. Transformation is a change of substance. It takes a specific attitude to make a transformation. There is a world of difference, and we should celebrate that difference.

I read a book entitled Mindset by Carol Dweck, a psychologist who studies success. In her book, she posits two fundamental mindsets, Growth vs Fixed. Growth mindsets have a tendency to learn experientially, a willingness to take on new challenges and explore new opportunities, and maybe most importantly, a proclivity for hard work. In other words, qualities we most often associate with successful entrepreneurship.

A body of academic research exists about why veterans the world over tend to be successful entrepreneurs. In their book Start-up Nation, Dan Senor and Saul Singer explore the factors contributing to the entrepreneurial success of Israel, on a per capita basis, the most entrepreneurial country in the world. They assert one of the key reasons is Israel’s compulsory universal military service, which creates a common language and outlook for mission accomplishment and – once again – hard work.

Hard work, mission bias, and problem solving skills are at the heart of the veteran-entrepreneur transformation. Here in CT, we have a population of greater than 250,000 veterans; but more than 40,000 veteran-owned businesses, about a 1-in-6 ratio.

Today, as I speak, the unemployment rate among disabled veterans is 15.8 in CT, and here among the current generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, the unemployment rate is greater than 30%.

Approximately 2.5 million Americans have served in overseas  theaters of operations in the Global War on Terror since 9/11. As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan draw to a close, and as budgets are cut and the military draws down over the next decade, more than 600,000 service members a year will leave the military and transition to civilian life; as many as 10,000 veterans a year will return to CT.

If 1-in-6 of those veterans started businesses – our nation would create more than 100,000 veteran start-ups per year. We could create more than 1,000 veteran start-ups here in CT. We veteran-entrepreneurs, with our Growth mindset, as we transform from warrior to entrepreneur – we are part of the solution to the present economic situation.

We can create a start-up state, and a start-up nation.

Center for Real Estate and Urban Economic Studies Releases Real Estate Markets Update

Posted on by Claire Hall

The Center for Real Estate and Urban Economic Studies at the University of Connecticut School of Business has released its latest update on Connecticut Real Estate Markets.

Connecticut housing markets showed significant signs of improvement according to preliminary numbers for the third quarter of 2012. In a typical town and metropolitan area, prices in the third quarter were virtually unchanged from a year ago. Moreover the number of transactions was up by more than 20%, confirming a pattern of increases.

For more information, access the report here: “CT House Prices 2012 3rd Quarter”

Professor John Mathieu Inducted as Academy of Management Fellow

Posted on by Claire Hall

Professor & Cizik Chair in Management John Mathieu was recently elected to and inducted as an Academy of Management Fellow. The Academy of Management is the premier association for Management Scholars. Fellowship status is designed to recognize and honor members of the Academy of Management who have made significant contributions to the science and practice of management, and to provide opportunities for fellowship and a forum for discussion among persons so recognized and honored. Fewer than 1% of Academy of Management members worldwide receive this honor.

SBCC Team Visits ESPN

Posted on by Claire Hall

Kelly Kennedy and the team from the School of Business Career Center, including Assistant Dean Jim Lowe and staff Meg Warren, Robert Volle, Kathy Hendrickson and Lorraine Liswell, had the pleasure of touring ESPN this week in order to gain better insight on what types of roles School of Business students would be engaged in if hired at ESPN’s Bristol campus. Although ESPN recruits from a few dozen schools, they hire from as many as 100 colleges nationwide, and the company has made a strong commitment to increase the number of hires from the University of Connecticut. The SBCC team (shown in photo, right, in 1 of 9 studios at ESPN’s Bristol, Connecticut location) was provided with an overview of the key elements of ESPN’s college recruiting season, with an emphasis on learning the critical information that will help students customize their resume and gain a competitive edge when submitting an application to ESPN.

One highlight of the day was hearing from Joe Franco, ESPN’s Head of College Recruitment. He shared many stories about ESPN’s humble beginnings and his personal history as a key member of their core team of employees who opened the doors in 1979. Joe took the time to talk candidly about the key skills that are necessary for someone to be part of the ESPN team. He explained that, “During the job interview, students need to demonstrate exactly how they will not just meet expectations on the job, but exceed them.” He stressed how employees at ESPN are expected to go above and beyond their defined roles. Having this passion for working at ESPN made it evident that ESPN is not just a team, it is a family. Joe Franco and a team of ESPN’s line managers will be on campus to recruit UConn students on November 7, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 106. This event is open to all majors. The Career Center strongly recommends that anyone interested in working at ESPN attend this information session.

SBCC Senior Night Kicks Off Fall 2012 Recruiting Season

Posted on by Claire Hall

On Wednesday, September 12th, Lecture Hall 106 was filled with School of Business Seniors who are embarking on their full-time career search.

Kathy Hendrickson and the team from the School of Business Career Center welcomed students back to campus and kicked off the Fall 2012 recruiting season. Presenters at the event included Jim Lowe, Assistant Dean of External Relations, Margaret Sweeney, Accounting Internships Program Manager, and Lorraine Liswell and Kelly Kennedy, Program Managers from the Business Career Center. Special guests included Mark Gelinas, Director of College Relations at The Hartford Financial Services, and Jessica Hitt, UConn MBA Candidate and Hartford Financial Services Intern.

The students were provided with an overview of the recruiting season with an emphasis on critical timelines to help them get their job search started. One highlight of the evening was the Employer Tips section, which provided interviewing tips specific to key target companies such as ESPN, RBS, Liberty Mutual, McKesson and The Hartford, to mention a few. Mark Gelinas took the time to talk candidly with students about the career search process as a whole and offered advice to navigate the field of job search.

Students left the event armed with dates, knowledge of employer trends and an unexpected early graduation gift from The Hartford Financial Services Group. As we work with students to prepare them for success beyond UConn, the SBCC was able to partner with The Hartford in the creation of the UConn School of Business Backpack to Briefcase – Making a Successful Transition to the Workplace book.

(Pictured, Left to Right: Mark Gelinas, Director of College Relations at The Hartford Financial Services, Kathy Hendrickson, Undergraduate Program Manager, Jim Lowe, Assistant Dean of External Relations)

NAACP Urban Business Expo

Posted on by Claire Hall

The first Urban Business Expo was held on August 28th, 2012 at the Artist’s Collective in Hartford. This event, sponsored by the NAACP, was designed to bring together Connecticut-based minority and women small business owners with different organizations that educate and assist with funding, development, certification and marketing issues. In addition to business assistance organizations, also present were different companies and agencies in the healthcare, education, government, professional union, and infrastructure development and maintenance fields. Vendor booths were also set up to showcase some local small business owners. The University of Connecticut’s School of Business was represented by Seanice Austin from the Office of Diversity Initiatives and Kathryn Huntington from the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CCEI).

The event was well attended, and small business owners in industries ranging from yoga studios to independent cable providers mingled and networked with representatives in the over 70+ booths. Vendors were able to network with each other at the event, and many promising connections and plans for collaboration between different organizations were made. In addition to the expo booths, there were panel discussions and themed sessions running throughout the day. The theater-style seats were filled, and some sessions were filled to the point of standing-room only. Speakers included Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segara, and representatives from various organizations who provide business assistance to new ventures in the state. Also present on the panels were successful individuals who gave their stories and perspectives, and urged the audience members to take advantage of the different programs and organizations that are able to provide assistance for their business challenges.

It is often the case that small business owners are unaware of programs, funding, or initiatives that are available to them. The Urban Business Expo was designed to create awareness of all these different opportunities, and inspire an increase in the number of minority and women business owners in Connecticut. Austin remarked, “Participating in this event with the NAACP allowed the School of Business to reach out to minority small business owners in Hartford. We connected with some promising individuals and are excited to build relationships with business owners throughout the state.”

Management Information Systems Student Receives Prestigious Information Security Scholarship

Posted on by Claire Hall

Ryan Fried, a senior in MIS, received an Information Security Scholarship from (ISC)2 Foundation. Scholarship recipients were announced on September 11, 2012. This year, Ryan is one of only seven recipients of the Undergraduate Scholarship, which was open for applications worldwide.

When asked why he is interested in Information Security, Ryan said: “I enjoy the challenge of staying one step ahead of hackers and discovering vulnerabilities before they do. For the future, I plan on working as a consultant or in a technology leadership rotational program to further my knowledge of information technology.”

(ISC)2 (‘ISC-squared’) is the largest not-for-profit membership body of certified information security professionals worldwide, with over 86,000 members in more than 135 countries. Globally recognized as the Gold Standard, (ISC)2 issues the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®) and related credentials. The (ISC)2 Foundation is a non-profit charitable trust that aims to make the cyber world safer for everyone by supporting cyber security education and awareness in the community through its programs and the efforts of its members.

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NPR Discusses MIS Recruiting with UConn OPIM Department

Posted on by Claire Hall

Dr. Ram Gopal, department head of Operations & Information Management (OPIM) at the University of Connecticut School of Business, accompanied by OPIM faculty members Ramesh Sankaranarayanan, Sudip Bhattacharjee, Dmitry Zhdanov, and students Walid Namane, Imrus Sadiq, Carlo Guerriero, and Lily Elawar chatted with Neena Satija of NPR News about the overwhelming need for MIS (IT) skills in the state job market.Continue Reading

UConn Business Career Center Presents at Annual NCDA Conference

Posted on by Claire Hall

In June, the National Association of Career Development (NCDA) hosted their annual Global Career Development Conference in Atlanta, with the theme of “Building on the Dream.” The annual event is designed for Career Services Professionals to share experiences with their peers from Higher Education, and includes training programs in areas such as technology, career assessments, ethics, and career information.

Kelly W. Kennedy, Program Manager at the University of Connecticut School of Business Career Center (SBCC) led the training session: “Making Connections with Purpose, Passion, and Possibility.” Kelly shared the SBCC’s successful best practices using a marketing plan to accelerate the careers of young professionals. She discussed the innovative and interactive career development program at the business school, which teaches students to remain competitive in the workplace through networking skill building programs and events, and guides them to take a strategic and long-term approach when thinking about their careers.

The session was well received by Kennedy’s peers in career development, with comments such as “Thanks so much for your presentation at NCDA! I really enjoyed learning about your marketing plan for students and took a lot away from the experience.” “Your presentation at NCDA drew an enthusiastic crowd and I appreciate the time you spent with me afterward.”

The UConn School of Business Career Center provides a wide range of career development and recruiting services to both employers and students, and encourages students to start their job search as early as freshman year for undergrads, or first semester for graduate students. Career development professionals at the SBCC can be reached at (860) 486-5136.

Dean Elliott Welcomes Incoming Class of MBAs

Posted on by Claire Hall

On Wednesday evening, University of Connecticut School of Business alumni, faculty, and MBA students joined together at the UConn Graduate Business Learning Center for a networking & cocktail reception hosted by the School of Business. Event guests included representatives from Cigna, GE, and UTC, as well as faculty and administration from across the University.

The annual event welcoming new MBA students and alums for a networking reception featured new School of Business Dean John A. Elliott as keynote speaker. Dean Elliott was welcomed by University Provost Mun Choi. Choi briefly discussed future plans for the University, addressing the upcoming development of innovative, up-to-date infrastructure projects over the next three years. These projects include the UConn Health Center’s Bioscience Connecticut and a new Technology Park at the Storrs Campus, which will be designed to create an environment where industry partners, entrepreneurs, students and faculty can collaborate on exciting new projects that are expected to add billions of dollars to the Connecticut economy over the next few years.

In just the eighth day of his position as Dean, Elliott noted his observations of the impressive level of commitment to education and the university from President Herbst, alumni, corporate partners, and the State of Connecticut. He commended the numerous collaboration efforts taking place between University departments, and stressed the value of Learning Accelerators in supplementing business education with practical experience.

In closing, Dean Elliott provided the incoming MBA class with some advice, encouraging students to maximize their time in the MBA program by being “active learners,” seizing opportunities as they arise, and using the many resources available to them as students.