High Point, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HIGH POINT, N.C., Feb. 19, 2019 – High Point University students got another chance to network and learn from Netflix Co-Founder and HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence Marc Randolph on Feb. 18.
During an interactive Q&A session moderated by Dr. Angela Bauer, chair of the Department of Biology, Randolph discussed how having a growth mindset is essential to success and how to be a risk-taker.
“Let’s say you’re mentoring a young entrepreneur now, and they have a little resistance going into the risk-taking exploration of their personal growth,” said Bauer. “How do you advise them to engage in an opportunity, to seek out, expand and grow in that respect?”
“Every single person here probably has some dream in their head,” said Randolph. “But when they think about what it takes to try something or take that risk, they’re thinking of this big problem. They’re thinking, ‘I don’t know how to raise money for it, or ‘I don’t know how to get distribution.’ Scale the risk back to something you’re comfortable taking. I’ve found that is the real skill of being a risk-taker.”
“At first, do something that doesn’t require programming, money or anyone to help you,” Randolph added. “You can do five minutes of work by going up to someone and doing social research. That’s scaling the risk down to something you can try. Then you can go to the next risk, and eventually you get to a point where you’re comfortable taking much bigger risks.”
HPU freshman Hannah Kennedy, a music and marketing major, benefited from Randolph’s talk and enjoyed hearing about the risks he has taken during his time with the six different companies he’s started, including Netflix.
“I think it’s great that we have the opportunity to meet industry leaders in the business profession, which is what I want to pursue,” said Kennedy. “I think it’s good to learn about the failures Randolph experienced and the setbacks he faced. I think a lot of students, myself included, have a vision of what they want to do, but sometimes that doesn’t always happen. Marc mentioned he didn’t know what he wanted to do and found his interests through failures and his natural passion of being curious.”
Randolph worked with other student groups throughout the day.
In Cottrell Hall, Randolph took questions from HPU’s Business Fellows, a scholarship program that provides students a four-year, experiential, team-based scholastic, business experience with like-minded students.
Derek Kucharski, a freshman entrepreneur and sales major, is currently working on his own business idea. Kucharski says the opportunities at HPU, such as having Randolph as HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence, will help him succeed in many ways.
“This opportunity is highly unique, and you can’t get this anywhere else,” said Kucharski. “To hear from somebody who has the experience, knowledge and insight that he has is so impactful. Especially because I’m trying to build my own business one day and I’m currently producing a product, it’s hard to keep my eye on the prize. To hear from somebody who has done it and has gone through those hardships. It gives me the hope to succeed.”
HPU’s Entrepreneurs Club inducted Randolph into the Honor Society for Entrepreneurship, Sigma Nu Tau. The program fosters and recognizes academic excellence in entrepreneurship.
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