Applications in Entrepreneurship

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DURHAM CAMPUS

About Applications in Entrepreneurship

Applications in Entrepreneurship offers students a rare opportunity to experience the startup process under the direction of a seasoned and successful entrepreneur. Throughout the semester, students develop the entrepreneurial mindset while gaining the knowledge necessary to start and scale a proposed new venture. While the course is anchored by a series of seemingly linear steps, emphasis is placed on the dynamic and iterative process of early-stage startup. Students explore the complexities of value proposition design, customer discovery, and market analysis as they attempt to substantiate the viability of their ideas.

In addition, students design a go-to-market strategy and business model to effectively create, deliver, and capture value. As students build and refine their new ventures, they also design and deliver a weekly pitch to the class to receive frank and constructive feedback on their current assumptions. The weekly pitch is a foundational experience in the course, offering invaluable insight and advice from both the entrepreneur-instructor and other guest entrepreneurs. As a unique culminating experience, students enter a “shark tank” of sorts to deliver an expanded pitch deck presentation to potential investors.

FAST FACTS

COMMON QUESTIONS

What would I do in the program?

Students develop the entrepreneurial mindset as they build a startup from zero. Along the way, students create value propositions, conduct extensive market research, build business models, and deliver an expanded pitch deck to real-world entrepreneurs and investors.

How do I know this program is a good fit for me?

This program is ideal for students who want to innovate, discover, and build. The experience is iterative, non-linear, and deals in the intersection of various disciplines. Students who are excited by complexity and messiness particularly enjoy the journey.

What projects have past / current students worked on?

Student startups have created ventures around AI Fitness Coaching, Financial Literacy Software, Pizza-Making Robots, and a host of other wide-ranging value propositions.

COURSE INFORMATION

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Contact the Instructor

DURHAM CAMPUS

Chad Keister, Instructor of Economics and Social Science

chad.keister@ncssm.edu

Chad Keister is a Pennsylvania native, but Tar Heel at heart. As a four-year member of the humanities faculty, he has taught a variety of residential courses including AP Economics, Contemporary Challenges in Economics, International Relations, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and Applications in Entrepreneurship. As a member of DEEP, Chad has taught International Relations, Western Political Thought, and AP Economics in the online program. Chad is passionate about teaching, collaborating with colleagues, and working with students on projects related to creativity and innovation. He has developed the J-Term course Walden Redux or How I Learned to Love Life More, Screen-Less—an adventure into the woods sans screens (or any technology for that matter). Before NCSSM, Chad was a faculty member of what some consider a friendly rival, Enloe Magnet High School. While at Enloe, he served as department chair and taught IB Theory of Knowledge, AP Economics, AP US Government and Politics, and various other social science courses. Prior to teaching, Chad was a social worker in Pittsburgh helping people transition from welfare to work. He earned degrees from the University of Pittsburgh (BA) and Duquesne University (MS). Chad is a serious Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

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