Amy Erickson |
Innovation Studio Director of Rhode Island programs
A few weeks ago, my former academic adviser reached out on LinkedIn to catch up. He was curious about my work and asked if I was using my hard-won master’s in history in my work with Innovation Studio. “Of course!” I replied. After all, academic history and business are very similar despite being on opposite ends of most college campuses.
Starting a business is a lot like studying history. You obsess for weeks, months, even years about the problem, you do all the research, and then you start telling your story. In the business world we say “validating the business model” but in academia it’s “research.”
Once you’ve validated your business or done your research, you start putting together the story. You have to explain to your customer/reader the unique solution you’ve discovered and why you are the one to solve the problem. Everyone loves a good storyteller. In business we use marketing and branding. It might not look like the master’s thesis that sits on my bookshelf collecting dust, but the skills I gained in writing my thesis have informed my approach to coaching business owners.
At Innovation Studio, we walk you through the research and storytelling of starting a business without judgment. And no matter what business stage you are in, from ideation through problem-solving to scaling your business, we support all with free and low-cost programs.