by Toh Yue Lin (Singapore)
Time seemed to have crawled by during the first several weeks of the course, but after the midterm break, it simply whizzed by and the term is now drawing to a close. So here I am, now, reflecting upon the journey of this Technical Entrepreneurship course and the knowledge and skills that I have picked up along the way.
One of the first things that struck me about this course was my fellow classmates’ display of entrepreneurialism! Throughout the course, I have seen and heard many great ideas, suggestions and comments, all of which are very interesting. Some of the business ideas and in-class breakout sessions really set me thinking about how powerful and valuable technological innovation is, and how we can leverage on technology to either help in our business, or generate new business ideas using technology or creating new technology. I found that I always had something to learn from my classmates every lesson.
The second observation I had was about how hands-on and practical this Technical Entrepreneurship course was. It was nothing like most other courses here at SMU which were more class-room based, but rather, this course required us to really execute an actual business. The execution of business is where I really learnt the most, ranging from technical aspects like setting up a website, and sourcing and negotiating with suppliers, to soft-skills such as teamwork and people management. Besides sourcing for suppliers, facing technical difficulties while launching our website and online platform, we also had to juggle the schedules of a large group of eight and our other commitments such as school work too. I suppose it really gave us a preview of what it is really like to be an entrepreneur – the amount of hard work required, and the sacrifices to be made in order to run a successful business.
Thirdly, it was the valuable insights gained throughout the term that also enriched me as a student and potential entrepreneur. By sharing her own insights and experiences as a successful technical entrepreneur, Professor Pamela Lim has allowed me (and my fellow classmates) to gain invaluable insights about entrepreneurship. Prof Pam Lim shared with us tips and practical advice regarding setting up a business and entrepreneurship in general, which would come in very valuable if we decide to embark on an entrepreneurial path. We also had the privilege of having a guest speaker session, where 4 successful entrepreneurs shared with us their experiences and advice, which were intangibles that can never be found in textbooks. A former student of Prof Pam Lim, Hong Zhuang, also came to class and shared his entrepreneurial experiences. I felt that we could relate well to him as he was only a recent graduate, and therefore, his insights and advice were also very useful.
Finally, I would like to wish all my classmates that are budding entrepreneurs success in their all their entrepreneurial endeavors! Before I end off, here?s an interesting quote about entrepreneurs that I?d like to share:
“Entrepreneurs need to search purposefully for the sources of innovation, the changes and their symptoms that indicate opportunities for successful innovation. And they need to know and to apply the principles of successful innovation.”
– Peter F. Drucker, “The Father of Modern Management”
