This article offers four mini case studies of entrepreneurs who started their ventures while still in university.

Getting Started

Appropriate Subject Area(s):

Entrepreneurship, business management, marketing,

Key Questions to Explore:

  • How can your local post-secondary institution support you in developing as an entrepreneur?
Study and Discussion Activity

Introduction to lesson and task:

This lesson examines the start-up phase of a venture from different perspectives and offers advice to other entrepreneurs who are looking to start a venture.

Action (lesson plan and task):

  1. Survey the class to identify what they know about whether the local college or university supports entrepreneurship.  Bring data to the class that can be shared about different programs.
  2. Ask students: why would an entrepreneur want to attend post-secondary education?
  3. Discuss examples of successful entrepreneurs who have attended but did not complete post-secondary education, such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Dell; and of entrepreneurs who never attended, such as Coco Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Debbi Fields and Frank Lloyd Wright.
  4. Divide the class into four groups.  Assign each group one of the mini case studies to read and discuss. Have students use the following questions as their guide for the discussion:
    • What is the business venture?
    • How did the post-secondary institution help the start-up entrepreneurs?
    • What advice did the student entrepreneur offer?
    • Why is the advice valuable?
    • Have each group report their discussion to the class.

Consolidation of Learning:

  • Have students write a one minute paper on how they anticipate secondary and post-secondary education will assist them in being successful in their chosen direction.
Success and Additional Learning

Success Criteria:

  • Students understand the value of further education.

Confirming Activity:

  • Have students research two post-secondary institutions they are considering to discover what support they offer for students interested in entrepreneurship as a career goal.