‘Whatever makes you feel the most like you’

Professors’ perspective:

Clark’s entrepreneurship professors encourage students to grow their businesses via the Clark Collective. They believe the hands-on experience of promoting a small business, mixed with the inspiration of learning from one’s peers, is an invaluable resource for learning.

“The Clark Collective pop-up is essential to developing courage and confidence in our student entrepreneurs,” says Professor Tim Hally, who teaches The Art of the Pitch. “Entrepreneurship is learned by iterating, ideating, making mistakes, and having the courage to be seen for all your failures and successes. Partaking in the pop-up is the single most effective way to transform an idea into a viable business. Entrepreneurship is only a concept until you ‘do’ it.”

“We don’t predetermine what you need to start a successful idea,” says Professor John Dobson, who prefers to facilitate entrepreneurship learning experiences rather than lecture. “Instead of telling students, ‘These are marketing strategies,’ we let them brainstorm and then we meet them where they are and grow from there.”

Professor Sabrina Webb, who teaches Community-Based Entrepreneurship, emphasizes the importance of a safe learning space and valuable feedback. “These events give students a safe space to explore customer engagement, manage transactions, and refine their business strategies based on real feedback. This program helps them build not only their business skills but also their confidence and adaptability, shaping them into innovative thinkers ready to make an impact. The pop-up is more than a marketplace; it’s a transformative experience that builds both entrepreneurial acumen and personal growth.”

“It is inspiring to see students launching their ventures and businesses and the growing participation in the Clark Collective pop-ups,” says Professor Andrea Aiello. “I am excited to see what entrepreneurial ideas and solutions our Clarkies come up with next.”