A recent email from the Economic Development Council of Western Mass highlighted the many organizations in Western Massachusetts that are built to stimulate economic growth through entrepreneurship. I was stunned to see just how many organizations were listed and was of course thrilled to see UMass Amherst’s own Entrepreneurship Initiative (EI) mentioned as one of the critical resources.
Students flock to EI courses each semester to hone their “elevator pitch,” networking skills and business plans. A quick visit to the EI site will show you that EI has given many a budding business the jump start they need.
This interest in entrepreneurship isn’t just a Western Mass phenomenon. President Barack Obama’s new “Start Up America Partnership” shows that even the federal government understands the value. On the Start Up America site it explains, “New and young firms (those less than five years old) have been responsible for creating all of the net new jobs in the United States during the past three decades. The need for additional jobs is greater than ever in this country, and entrepreneurs provide the best path forward for creating these jobs.”
So if you’re pondering y our next career move, why not give that business idea you’ve been contemplating a second look….or have Paul Silva, UMass EI lecturer, member of the Board of Directors at Angel Capital Association and CEO at Valley Venture Mentors, help you give it a second look? This summer Paul is teaching two classes online that are just perfect for the budding entrepreneur:
Andrew Barkley writes for the online version of our publication and specializes in health, wellbeing, and relationships topics. He has a blackbelt in karate and is a self-proclaimed coffee snob.