Real Business Experience
In just one year, students form teams, create a business idea,
apply for funding (to a group of real business executives) - and if
they receive funding, start and run their real business.
The class is facilitated by a team of faculty and professional
mentors who coach the businesses. The mentors have impressive
professional experience and include business owners, consultants,
doctors, lawyers and executives in fields such as life sciences,
manufacturing, and human resources. The result is an amazing,
interactive experience in which the facilitators learn as much as
the students. Past student businesses have included a travel
agency, screen printer, asphalt company, food importer, photo
booth, advertising agency, ticket broker, calendar printer,
transportation company, consulting service and more.
Each business is looked at as a process, how the students
will behave and react in that business. Their grades are not
determined by whether they make the largest net income or highest
sales. We're looking at how the students actually run the business
and what lessons they learn from that business.
Dick Halstead
Lecturer in Management
Coordinator of Real Business
Experience
The Zotec Business Competition
Zotec Partners
(Zotec), who provide specialized billing services to the
hospital-based specialty market, is a new 2012 COB REAL Partner. As
part of their partnership, Zotec has created the Zotec Business
Competition. All Real Business Experience (RBE) teams enrolled
in the MG 202 are eligible to compete.
Awards will be given to the RBE business that captures the true
entrepreneurial spirit of risk taking, innovation and success.
Zotec will specifically be looking for how well each team
demonstrates the Five P's: Passion, Persistence, Perspective,
Predictability, and People.
Teams will be vying for cash awards
There will be three top cash awards where teams can decide to
re-invest in their business or use as a cash bonus for a job well
done. Awards will be split evenly among each team member.
- First Place: $4,000
- Second Place: $2,500
- Third Place: $1,500
Teams will also be evaluated on the
following:
RBE Teams will be reviewed throughout the semester not only on
their presentation skills and their execution of the Five P's but
also on their:
- REAL business process management
- Sales/marketing success
- The hiring of quality employees
- Growth/partnering
- Use of technology
- Social responsibility and
- Business valuation.
Spring 2012 Competition Winners
First Place: Dawg Bytes
Second Place: Social Instructables
Third Place (tie): BU Entertainment and Enviro Nuts
Read
the press release.
Fall 2012 Competition Winners
First Place: Nom Nom Cart
Second Place: Butler Storage Squad
Third Place: Fitness First
Library Guide on Entrepreneurship and
Innovation
Click
here to access the Butler Library Guide on Entrepreneurship and
Innovation.