Florida is home to more than 2.3 million small businesses, employing more than 3 million people. The federal Small Business Administration found 43 percent of Florida jobs came from entrepreneurs employing anywhere from a handful to dozens of people. But can entrepreneurship be taught?
This fall Florida Gulf Coast University is attempting to do just that, ramping up its "Runway" small business incubator program into a full-fledged major: a bachelor of arts degree in interdisciplinary entrepreneurship.
Dr Sandra Kauanui, director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and FGCU Professor of Management, joins Gulf Coast Live to talk about the new degree program and why she thinks students will be able to tap in to Southwest Florida's "entrepreneurial ecosystem" to spark news business endeavors, while also helping diversify the region's economy beyond tourism.
Also joining the program is FGCU alum Greg Gottfried, president of the drone photography company ATA Imaging. He'll share his experiences with FGCU's "Runway" incubator, and discuss how working alongside small business owners in Southwest Florida during his time as a student helped him kick start his own company.