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Christian King may not be an entrepreneur. Still, as a student, he recognizes the value of bringing a business mindset to problem solving, to his studies, and more. The Bernard Series for Entrepreneurship, a new initiative ��������, aims to spark creativity in students like King and instill innovative thinking across the USG community and its programs. 

The series’ launch saw King join roughly 100 students, faculty members, and program directors to hear from a panel of prominent entrepreneurs on the topic “Developing the Entrepreneurial Mindset.” Entrepreneurs revealed their life lessons on how to create opportunities, navigate setbacks, and stay curious, both in business and in life. Students peppered panelists with questions ranging from overcoming hurdles to managing supplier relationships. Many said they felt energized by the entrepreneurs’ candid stories of grit and wins, and some stayed afterward to network.

“They said you really needed to know yourself,” said King, a University of Maryland, College Park marketing major ��������. “That’s a hard thing for young people -- getting to know themselves. It helped me reflect on myself.”

Over the course of the academic year, the series will include interactive workshops, networking, and discussions with leading business professionals. The Bernard Series for Entrepreneurship is made possible through a generous donation from business person and philanthropist Cathy Bernard.

USG Executive Director Dr. Anne Khademian kicked off the event with Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea and co-founder and CEO of Just Ice Tea. Later, UMCP Robert H. Smith School of Business Prof. Henry C. Boyd III moderated a discussion between Goldman, Mike Hoffmeyer, managing director, UMCP Dingman-Lamone Center for Entrepreneurship; Shaun Taylor, founder, Black Viking Brewery; and Karen Maschi, CEO of Veza Innovations and a previous winner of a USG Equity Incubator pitch competition. 

From making home-brewed tea and labeling over an empty Snapple bottle to meet a potential distributor, to creating an early prototype out of pipe cleaners, each panelist spoke about learning from failures, and leading with resilience, persistence and with their values.

“You need the ability to regenerate optimism when things don’t work out,” Goldman said. 

One of the hallmarks of Goldman’s three-decade journey in the consumer packaged goods industry has been creating a sustainable business model and gaining fair trade certification. 

“Most of the countries where tea is grown are poor countries,” Goldman said. “We have a chance to invest in these countries that can be very meaningful.”

Being willing to acknowledge one’s strengths and weaknesses and to pull in people who can help is key,

 Shaun Taylor said. 

“There’s a tremendous amount of growth,” Taylor said. “You can never really actualize that growth if you’re not honest with yourself and say, ‘I’m strong here; I’m terrible here.’”

That resonated with Christopher Williams, a UMD R.H. Smith School of Business �������� student studying accounting.  Williams runs a clothing business, an on-demand print model utilizing pre-set and customized designs.

“The importance of resilience and to continue going, even after small failures and finding the right people to help you,” Williams said. “It really drove home the idea that I should be looking at it from the customer’s perspective rather than mine.”

Panelists encouraged students to experiment before they graduate and to use their time for testing and bringing an idea to life, well before taking steps to seek capital to fund their ideas.  

“Identify a problem you want to solve,” Hoffmeyer, of University of Maryland, College Park’s entrepreneurship center, advised. “Take stock of your assets that you can monetize. Brainstorm solutions and test your solutions and talk to who you think your customers are.”

Future topics in The Bernard Series for Entrepreneurship will include, among others, design thinking, entrepreneurial leadership, developing a business plan, managing finances, and addressing legal considerations while growing a business. Keep an eye on USG Weekly, the website, and social media for information about upcoming events and ways to get involved in the new initiative.