Many entrepreneurs and business owners, though sometimes stubbornly independent and spontaneous, acknowledge that planning and teamwork are necessary for success. ETSU’s Entrepreneurs Club “team” members met at the Innovation Laboratory Monday and started on a plan.
“There are a lot of different activities we discussed in the past,” said MBA student Edward Talyshinskiy, vice president of the Entrepreneurs Club. “We hope to partner with different groups on campus such as the College of Medicine and the College of Business.
Talyshinskiy added that the Entrepreneurs Club is seeking to partner with the other student business organizations on campus during the semester.
“We’ve talked about working with (College of Business) Dean [Linda] Garceau about hosting a panel discussion featuring maybe three women entrepreneurs,” Talyshinskiy said. “They could answer questions and give advice to students.”
Bringing in guest speakers is a topic of discussion as well, said Everson, a senior who owns his own computer repair business.
“We will have at least two speakers this term,” Everson said. “We usually have entrepreneurs or small business owners come in. They tell their stories and let us know about things they have encountered. Last year we had Pal Barger, who owns Pal’s restaurants.”
Dr. Andy Czuchry, chairholder of the AFG Industries Chair of Excellence in Business and Technology, advises the Entrepreneurs Club. “Often our speakers are friends with Dr. Czuchry,” Everson said. “He really knows a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners.”
In fact, Talyshinskiy said he is working with Czuchry to develop a local network of “angel” investors that entrepreneurs can potentially interact with. “That won’t come together until later on in the semester,” Talyshinskiy said.
Although many of the members of the Entrepreneurs Club are business students, being a business major is not a requirement.
The organization is open to all students, faculty and professionals who are interested in entrepreneurship or self-employment.
Everson said some of last year’s activities that the club would like to repeat are selling tickets for ETSU’s “Relay for Life” campaign and working with SIFE to offer a pancake breakfast to students.
Additional student suggestions are encouraged, he said. With Everson and Talyshinskiy graduating in May, underclassmen are especially welcome, both said.
The Entrepreneurs Club focuses on self-employment.
The Entrepreneurs Club web site says that its mission “is to provide a forum of interaction between business entrepreneurs, students, faculty and other professionals who are interested in exploring various self-employment opportunities.” The ETSU club works closely with the College of Business and Technology.
For more information call Mitzi Brookshear at 439-7444 or e-mail ericeverson@hotmail.com.
You may also visit http://business.etsu.edu/StudentOrgentrepreneur/index.htm. This is the web site for ETSU’s Entrepreneurs’ Club. Any information you may need is there.

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