Paul Sweet is currently the Director of University & Careers Counselling at Dulwich College Seoul. Previously, he was Associate Director of Admission at Babson College. Babson College is known for training entrepreneurial and business leaders. It introduced entrepreneurship as an academic discipline nearly 50 years ago, which means it was one of the first institutions in the world to teach the subject. We asked Paul to share his thoughts on an entrepreneurial mindset and the advice he has for students interested in building their entrepreneurial skills. “Someone with an entrepreneurial mindset sees challenges as opportunities. This person identifies an issue, makes a plan to tackle the problem, and then takes action to solve it; leading, empowering, and inspiring others in the process.” Although often considered in a business context, the great thing about entrepreneurship is it can be applied to Inspired to become a successful CEO? As you have read, it is never too early to started gaining business and entrepreneurial skills. Here are some ideas to help you. A growing number of high schools have entrepreneurship clubs that encourage students to create startup businesses. Try reaching out to nonprofit organizations, i.e. environmental, animal welfare, social service, or women’s rights groups. Taking on a project for causes you care about is a wonderful way to practice entrepreneurship. It is making an impact on your community. various fields. Entrepreneurs are needed in government, education, health care, and the nonprofit sector, just as much as in business. When working in university admissions, I was tasked to find students who were not only strong academically but also had other competencies that would make a potential entrepreneur. These qualities may include, but are not limited to, creativity, critical thinking, communication, empathy for others, initiative, leadership, persistence and self-awareness. As a counselor, my colleagues and I help develop these same skills in our students. We want them to identify an important need and lead others to bring about positive change; thus helping them develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Students can nurture their interest in entrepreneurship in both direct and indirect ways. Many colleges and universities offer summer and academic year programs that allow students to explore this topic. If you don’t find an opportunity that fits your needs, why not start something new? The process of building something from scratch and the lessons learned along the way will be valuable for any budding entrepreneur. It is not about being flashy or making the biggest impact. It is about getting out there, doing something, and being able to reflect and grow from the experience. Some business competitions for high school students Start planning to see if you can take part in the next round of these challenges Blue Ocean High School Entrepreneur Pitch Competition The Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition The Conrad Challenge The Diamond Challenge GENIUS Olympiad NFTE’s World Series of Innovation The Technovation Challenge Wharton Global High School Investment Competition
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