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What on Earth is a Reality Bridge? 3/16/2009

Ever think about how hard it is to go from good idea to good business?

The Reality Bridge is a new co-curricular program offered by the Muldoon Center for Entrepreneurship conjunction with the John Carroll Entrepreneurs Association. The program engages students interested in entrepreneurship in a business idea feasibility project where, if the project is deemed economically feasible and our partner wants to move forward; the proposed business will be launched either in the partner’s company, or as an independent entity.

The Reality Bridge teams top students with experienced business owners in teams to qualify appropriate business opportunities with the intention of creating operating businesses for Northeast Ohio. Each team has three students, who are assisted by two Master Members of the association as their coaches. Their task is to develop a feasibility study of preapproved business ideas. The teams will present their findings to an outstanding panel of judges on Wednesday, April 22nd at 4:30 p.m. The three judges from the association are: Chris Mizer of Lake Erie Capital; Steve Owendoff of Hahn Loesser and Mike Gordon of Tendon Manufacturing. They will be joined by Dr. Karen Schuele, association Master and Dean of the Boler School of Business and Dr. Linda Eisenmann, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Reality Bridge program is truly unique. Reflecting the latest thought in entrepreneurship education nationally, the program does not rely on the “business plan” as the principal decision vehicle. This approach targets Arts and Science students, who are unfamiliar with business plans, and allows them to participate, thus bringing their unique skill sets to the process. We are very interested in non-business students because recent studies suggest that 75% of all entrepreneurs are trained in the Arts and Sciences.¹ Our business idea does not end with a study but rather the “end game” of the process is an operating business. Congratulations to our students, who really have the entrepreneur bug, and to all of our Master Members whose support makes this program possible.

1. Amar Bhide, The Origin and Evolution of New Businesses, Oxford, 2000.