Homework: Interview Paper
Length: 1,000 word.
Requirements:
• Choose an entrepreneur in an industry you are interested in. (Interview just ONE entrepreneur).
• The person should be anyone that started a business or was part of a founding team.
• Do not choose anyone that is part of your immediate family (brother/sister/parent). Extended family is OK (cousins, uncles, aunts).
• It does not matter if the business succeeded or failed.
• Avoid lifestyle businesses such yoga instructors, personal trainers, web designers. The company must have more than just one employee.
• Extensions will not be granted due to entrepreneur scheduling issues.
• Include a cover page with name, date, email and your unique LinkedIn URL.
Topics to Cover:
I. Background:
a. What is/was the business? Describe it in detail.
b. Did the entrepreneur start the business with any co-founders? Did they stay onboard?
c. Was the business successful?
d. Did the entrepreneur write a business plan? If so, did it help in building the business?
e. If the company broke even, how long did it take?
f. What was the entrepreneur's previous work history?
g. Were any of his/her parents, relatives or close friends entrepreneurs?
h. Does the entrepreneur have any role models or mentors?
i. What was their educational background? Was it helpful? How?
j. Critique the entrepreneur's process. Was there something the entrepreneur should/could have done differently?
k. Include a funny scenario that will potentially make the reader laugh OR one that will make the reader sad.
l. Make sure to include direct quotes from the entrepreneur.
II. Outside Help
a. Did the entrepreneur team raise any outside capital? If so, where did it come from? (friends, family, angels, banks, bootstrapping)
b. Did the entrepreneur receive any help from mentors or outside organizations?
III. Personal Life:
a. Did the entrepreneur have a "triggering event" that was the reason why the venture got started?
b. How did starting the business change the entrepreneur's personal life?
c. How many hours a day/week did/does the entrepreneur work on the venture?
d. What was the entrepreneur's most triumphant or exciting moment? Their worst moment?
IV. Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs:
a. Does the entrepreneur have any advice to give to aspiring entrepreneurs?
b. Which one personality trait helped them the most in developing their business?
c. Is there a book/article/movie that the entrepreneur recommends other aspiring entrepreneurs to read/watch?
d. If the entrepreneur was able to do it over again, would they?
e. What is the most important thing you learned from interviewing the entrepreneur?
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
i) The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
ii) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
iii) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.