- Mentor workshops from January to March
- Selection of "The Final 16" in March
- Consistent individual hands-on coaching
- The final judging and awards on April 4th & 5th
- Excitement & disappointment at the same time
- Connections and advice everywhere
A continuous learning experience!
Extraordinary entrepreneurs, faculty, alums and mentors all the way through this complex and energizing process that has become the largest and most well attended event on campus, short of graduation. Record attendance this year, but most importantly, this is a yearlong process which brings together extraordinary connections and talent from highly experienced entrepreneurs, service providers and investors and transfers that content to hundreds of entrepreneurs all vying for opportunities to learn, grow and succeed.
I've been involved in this general process of startup competitions for 30 years ever since I chaired the MIT Enterprise Forum years ago, and we ran the first business plan contest ever. Since that time, I've seen hundreds of competitions in Boston alone, and each one is, in its own way, critically important to the entrepreneurs. Maybe it's MIT, maybe TechStars, MassChallenge or MassTLC, and maybe it's our new venture competition at Tufts, but in each case, information and connections are shared with entrepreneurs which greatly increases their opportunities for success.
1. Critical connections to customers and services
2. The right type of funding opportunities
3. Consistent mentoring and frequent call-in support
The "dangling by the rope" picture above is from College Outside founded and grown by the very talented Sarah Lockwood, a gifted entrepreneur and a Tufts alum from my class the Entrepreneurship Center, who did not ever compete for the Tufts $100K because she was just too busy building her company...like hundreds and hundreds of college students every semester. Sarah, a climbing expert and now a self-sustaining business owner, will absolutely succeed through her hard work, her positive energy and her absolute focus on developing her experience. Consistent and continuous learning is at the top of Sarah's list every day!
Greater Boston-and Massachusetts overall-are rated nationally as the best locations in the country to start a business of any kind and especially tech. We believe that there are four basic pillars to incubate successful entrepreneurs, and these abound in Massachusetts and especially in Greater Boston
As you know by now in reading these blogs, I am just a bit fanatical about the process of the sciences of Sales and Marketing. My favorite mantra when I speak of either Sales or Marketing is always...
Process-Tools-Technology-Math
Being successful as an entrepreneur, is very difficult, but, in most cases, the process is also very direct as long as one pays attention to a large numbers of rules and is focused on consistent daily self-improvement...the exact same requirement in becoming a successful salesperson.
Thanks to all of the Tufts entrepreneurs who have presented in the $100K Competition this year!!!
If you are interested, please just email or text me (6175044222), and I will send you the instructions.
Have a great day Selling today!
Coach & Advisor to Derby Management
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies, Tufts University
Cummings Professor of Entrepreneurship