Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Founders and Program Directors
Alison, Founder and Program Director at Treats, believes entry-level entrepreneurship is accessible to anyone with a good idea, emphasizing the importance of "breaking it down into micro steps." The process involves defining the product, understanding the market, and learning from others through internships or immersion in relevant environments, gaining valuable experience and ultimately refining their vision.
Entrepreneurship, Networking, Idea Development, Market Research, Self-Motivation
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alison Griffin
Founder and Program Director
Treats.
University of Southern California, 2012
N/A
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Start by identifying your product, service, or idea and defining your target audience.
2. Educate yourself about entrepreneurship by learning from others and seeking out relevant internships or fellowships.
3. Immerse yourself in environments related to your interests to gain practical experience and discover what aspects you enjoy or dislike, even if it means working in a seemingly unrelated field at first to gain valuable skills and insights
Transcript
When launching your first venture, we're all essentially entry-level entrepreneurs. I believe everyone has the capacity to start a business at any age.
It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking you lack the experience or are too young or unqualified. I've certainly done this to myself, speaking from experience.
However, even college students with a good idea can put it into action. I've gone through what I imagine the entry-level process to be.
Ultimately, entrepreneurship is largely self-propelled. The key is breaking down the process into small, manageable steps.
For me, it was like putting a word out. With your network, gather your network and see, "What's my audience?" First of all, what's your product? What's your service? What's your idea?
How do you think that fits into a market or will help people? That's the first thing: getting really clear on what the thing is and thinking through why you're doing it. These are the early steps. It's entry-level.
One thing I started doing is getting educated on what entrepreneurship means. I learned from other people doing what I'm trying to do. It's like putting yourself through baby school again.
If you're a young college student with an idea, or you like the style of someone who started a business, see if they have internships or fellowships. A lot of it, when you're starting out in the workforce, is being in an environment you're curious about.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to be in physical production, but being on set every day taught me so much about what I did or didn't like. I learned I didn't want that specific role, but I liked the art department. I didn't want to be a camera person, but working with writers was fun.
Putting yourself in an environment where you can learn and get those tidbits by osmosis is important. If you have your own idea, it's important to get granular.
What's your "why"? What's the actual thing? Really get clear about what it is and why it's needed. As a young person entering the workforce and wanting to push that forward, it doesn't hurt to put yourself in a similar environment.
Being somewhere where a leader inspires you, you like the way they speak, or how they articulate their ideas, is really helpful.