Interviewing an Entrepreneur

Interviewing an Entrepreneur Assignment

• Today – Brainstorming Questions• Tomorrow – Creating Your Own Questions

(computer lab)• Over the next week:

Finding an entrepreneur to interview and executing the interview

• Project Due: Monday, September 24th

Interviewing an Entrepreneur Assignment

You will be handing in a report

AND

You will be presenting your interview to the class

Interviewing an Entrepreneur

• Step 1: Contact person selected and make an appointment, Be sure to explain why you want the appointment and to give a realistic estimate of how much time you will need.

Finding an Entrepreneur• People you know

– Parents, Relatives, Family Friends, Friends’ Parents– Ask these people for help finding an entrepreneur– A business owner you are comfortable talking to– Brant Business Resource Enterprise Centre (civic

square)– Last Resource: Ask me for help

Creating Questions• Step 2: Identify specific questions you would like to

have answered and the general areas about which you would like information.. Using a combination of open-ended and closed-ended questions– Open Ended Questions – there are a wide variety of

answers. The question could lead to a story. Example: How did you get started?

– Closed Ended Questions – Specific questions that will lead to short answers. Example: How many years has the store been open?

• We will brainstorm some questions as a class in a bit• You will identify and type your questions tomorrow in

the computer lab

Conducting the Interview

• Step 3: Conduct the interview. – If both you and the person you are interviewing

are comfortable, using a small tape recorder during the interview can be of great help to you later. (many of your phones have one)

– You will learn more if you are an “interested listener”

Evaluating Your Findings

• Step 4: Evaluate what you have learned. • You MUST record the answers to

your questions in some form (audio, video, writing)

• Be as specific as you can. Jotting down correct quotes is more successful than writing vague statements like “highly motivated individual”

Thank You

• Step 5: Write a thank-you note. • This is more than courtesy • It will also help the entrepreneur to

remember you favourably if you want to follow up in any way in the future

• Networking

The Report

• Step 6: Completing a written report on your findings

• This is to be typed and handed in• This will include– Your questions & the

answers from your interview – A 2-3 paragraph reflection of

what you learned about entrepreneurship/entrepreneurs/starting your own business from your interview

The Presentation

• Step 7: Preparing a Presentation– Everyone will do a 5-10 minute presentation on

their chosen entrepreneur– Students will sign up for time slots next week– Presentations will be ENGAGING (not boring)• Use Video, PowerPoint, Skits, Pictures, Audio, other

visuals– Teach the class about your entrepreneur and

unique lessons about entrepreneurship that you have learned

Entrepreneurship Speaker Profile Sheet

• Step 8: Fill Out a Summary Sheet– You will be given a short summary sheet for my

records– This will ensure you have received lessons from

the interviewing process– Will also help students in the future think of

possible interviewees

GET INTO 5 GROUPS

In Your Groups

• You will be given one of the 5 topics that you are to interview the entrepreneurs

• The members’ task is to generate as many questions in that category as they possibly can

• As a group you will then select the best 5-10• We will take these up tomorrow and come up

with a lot of good questions• Each student is to write down these questions

The Interview Questions

• You must have at least 25 questions (5-10 for each category)

• The questions should be a mix of open and closed-ended questions

• To end the interview you will ask one “BIG QUESTION” that will sum up the interview

The Interview Topics• Background (family, education, job experience)• Idea Generation and Evaluation (start-up + how

they are adapting now)• Planning and Finance (plans made and financial

resources utilized for start up – and current considerations)

• Operations ( how their business was organized at the beginning and now, problems they encountered, etc)

• Personal Attitudes and Characteristics (both at the beginning of the venture and now)