Q: What is your approach to teaching Business Planning?

Jean Morris: Business Planning, a senior elective, has been offered in some form or another since the BPS program's inception. Currently it's taught either in the 8th or 9th semester. I teach the class as if it were a capstone class, meaning that nearly all of the preceding classes taken, both AOS and BPS, are referred back to during class. There's a tremendous amount of individual work required to be successful in the class as the focus is on the student producing a complete business plan, including a marketing plan, an operational plan and a financial plan. In addition, I spend a great deal of time conferencing with the students individually on their plans. We meet at least four times during the semester to go over their work. I think it's critical to their success to work with me on an individual basis, as the focus is put on them and their ideas.

Q: What key learning would you like your students to take away from your class?

JM: As I explain the class to the students, to me, the value of the class is learning the process of developing a complete business plan. As most of the students aren't necessarily going to go into business as soon as they graduate, they need to understand what it takes to write a plan if their dreams are to one day open their own businesses. It's not necessarily about the grade, though of course that too is important. I think they need to understand the good, the bad, and the ugly realities of starting and operating a business. I'm not shy about telling them stories based on my own experience or the experience of others that I've come across during my years consulting with small businesses.

Three of my students have won awards through the Dutchess County Economic Development Department's Business Planning Competition (which is only for students of local colleges whose plans are to open businesses here in Dutchess County). This award comes with a top prize of $1,000, plus the possibility of discussing the student's idea with someone from the investment community. It's been a win-win for our students; recognition of their hard work and a little bit of financial assistance to help them pursue their dreams.