作者:Jonah Grinkewitz
如果你在谷歌上搜索“转型创业”,“bet8体育娱乐入口是第一个跳出来的名字.
这个词, 由ODU研究人员创造, refers to entrepreneurs who face significant adversities as they launch ventures to accomplish meaningful life or career transitions.
这些人可能是退伍军人, 少数民族, 女性, 移民, 难民或生活在经济困难社区的人.
大约在ODU开始调查这些群体的时候, local entrepreneur Marsha 哈金斯 approached the University's 斯特罗姆商学院 to discuss how she could support the very same people.
哈金斯, who received her MBA from ODU in 1976 and now runs 哈金斯 Contracting Corp in Newport 网站登录, hoped to level the playing field for entrepreneurs who lacked resources and opportunities.
"They gave it a name - transitional entrepreneurship - which was perfect for exactly what I wanted to see happen,她说. “我想，‘我可以帮助实现这个梦想.'"
部分资金来自哈金斯的捐赠, ODU于2019年启动了哈金斯转型创业实验室.
The lab's goal is to educate and empower entrepreneurs in underserved communities in Hampton Roads, 指导他们从计划过程到执行.
共同的挑战包括获得金融资本, quality networking and mentoring opportunities and commitment from support organizations and key stakeholders.
实验室的领导层最初专注于纽波特纽斯东南部, 他们在 布鲁克斯十字创新与机会中心.
They also host monthly "coffee meetups" with individual mentees and connect them with local entrepreneurs in their industry who can help them succeed.
当地的导师包括Black Brand的Blair Durham, 安托内·海因斯来自退伍军人前线, 斯特罗姆创业中心的Sharon Scannell说, 乔治·贝瑞和贝瑞食品卡车公司, Benicia Hernandez和Techstars的Aazia Mickens-Dessaso.
最终, the lab's leaders want to involve ODU students as interns to work directly with entrepreneurs and gain real-world experience in the field.
“实验室的重点是三管齐下:吸引我们的学生, 参与社区并进行研究,Anil Nair说, 管理学教授兼系主任.
杰奥图尔, 管理学助理教授兼哈金斯实验室副主任, said an important aspect of their work is building and maintaining relationships in the community.
“很难前进, 特别是对于转型企业家, without understanding the specific needs of the community and the people they're trying to serve,他说. "Transitional entrepreneurship looks different than what you read about in the Wall Street Journal or The New York Times; a thrust of the entrepreneurship is serving the community or neighborhood."
罗伯特Pidduck, 管理学助理教授兼哈金斯实验室主任, 呼应了这些观点.
"We're dealing with a type of entrepreneurship that has all these issues that makes the lab unique,他说.
实验室现在有四个正式的徒弟, 专注于企业家的努力，如基于信仰的咨询, 调查虐待老人和小企业记账.
一个学员, Aletha罗素, founded an all-natural skin care line called "She's Steamy" with the motto: "If it can't go in your body, 它不应该穿在你身上."
"The lab is innovative and up-to-date on today's entrepreneurial needs," Russell said. “杰伊·奥图尔是一位伟大的导师，提供了大量的资源."
In addition, the work of the 哈金斯 Lab has already earned grant funding for research.
2021年9月, O'Toole received a grant from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to explore the needs of Virginia's racial minority entrepreneurs.
The topic was inspired by a discussion at a 哈金斯 Lab workshop on how Black entrepreneurs can grow their customer base outside of the Black community.
此外，Nair还获得了40万美元的奖金.M. Kaufmann Grant to support multiple 斯特罗姆商学院 and bet8体育娱乐入口's Institute for 创新 and 创业 (IIE) initiatives in transitional entrepreneurship.
尽管实验室的大部分工作是在大流行期间开始的, 这并没有阻止它举办成功的虚拟活动.
2021年6月, the Kaufmann-sponsored virtual colloquium on transitional entrepreneurship was attended by more than 130 participants from 17 countries. The grant supports three additional conferences, with the next one planned for June. These conferences would help spur cutting-edge studies in this field and showcase ODU's entrepreneurship initiatives.
“谈谈思想领袖，”哈金斯说. “整个概念可能已经流传多年, 但转型创业直接来自ODU."
"The 哈金斯 Lab has helped us bring research on transitional entrepreneurship into focus and the concept has resonated around the world,奈尔补充道.
The lab is also holding an in-person workshop at the Brooks Crossing Center on April 23, 这是疫情开始以来他们做的第一次.
The event will be a networking opportunity for current or aspiring entrepreneurs in Hampton Roads with lectures designed to give people practical insights.
哈金斯, who saw the power of entrepreneurship change the lives of her parents and grandparents after they immigrated from Greece, said underserved communities have more of a chance to succeed when they feel empowered through opportunities like these.
“他们需要有地方可去, people to talk to who take them seriously and show them how an idea evolves into a reality,她说. “一旦我们做到了, they can stay and invest back into those communities by building their business t在这里, by employing people t在这里 and by elevating the social capital in their communities. It is critical for them to have pride in their communities for something they've done."
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