Entrepreneurship is the most appealing specialization option to me, yet I’m apprehensive in considering it. This apprehensiveness is primarily due to my fear of failure, and fear of the unknown.

The New York Times article linked below outlines the conference called FailCon, which is dedicated towards celebrating failure. The article presents some staggering stats (gathered by HBS): 30 to 40 percent of venture-backed startups blow through most or all of their investors’ money, and 70 to 80 percent do not achieve their expected return on investment. However, despite the bleak outlook, innovators continue to innovate, and create value where it previously wasn’t perceived to exist.

Pictured above are 2 entrepreneurial alumni, Paul Davidescu and Paul Gill, along with professor Paul Cubbon. I found the interactive class session with these entrepreneurs to be immensely informative, and also found that it gave me more insight into the idea of failure. When Paul Davidescu of Tangoo spoke about the failure of his company, and the subsequent restructuring and rethinking of his business plan, I was reminded of my love of the dynamic, intense, and rewarding nature of entrepreneurship. His ability to turn failure into a learning experience followed the same ideals as the FailCon conference. Ultimately, I believe that this lecture will significantly impact my decision to specialize towards the end of second year.

Sources Used

Comm101 at The UBC Sauder School of Business Facebook Page:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t31.0-8/10380237_888472844497560_7255868019600428509_o.jpg