Beedie profs engage with next generation of entrepreneurs

Beedie School of Business Professor Eric Gedajlovic teaches students from Citadel Middle School in Coquitlam about entrepreneurship.

A group of middle school students engaged with leading business professors from the Beedie School of Business this week to showcase some innovative new products – made entirely from duct tape, paper clips and popsicle sticks.

The students – from Citadel Middle School in Coquitlam’s Middle Age Cluster Class program – visited SFU’s Segal Graduate School in downtown Vancouver to pitch their creations to a panel of guest judges, including Beedie professor Eric Gedajlovic and Andrew Gemino, Beedie School Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs.

The project was inspired by an assignment Gedajlovic set for the SFU MBA students earlier this year. Citadel Middle School teachers Marcia McInnes and Tara Elie set the students the task, which also required them to be aware of production costs, pricing structures and profit margins, as well as decide upon a charity to which they would donate a percentage of their profits.

“The quality of presentation from the students was extremely impressive, and they can be proud of what they have accomplished,” said Gedajlovic. “At the Beedie School of Business we are passionate about the teaching of entrepreneurship, and I was pleased to be able to impart some knowledge onto the next generation of our nation’s entrepreneurs.”

After an introduction from Gedajlovic about the nature of entrepreneurship, the students presented their products, which included designer rings and purses; a waterproof cover to keep backpacks dry while children walk to school; an innovative new type of iPhone cover; laptop and tablet bumpers; a remedy to a wobbly chair; fashionable bookmarks; a cutlery organizer for restaurants; a motion-sickness inhibitor; a utility belt with pockets; and waterproof shopping bags available in a variety of different colours.

“We had an amazing day and the inspiration and mentorship provided by Professor Gedajlovic is very much appreciated,” said McInnes. “The opportunity for the students to present their products in front of a panel of professors at the Beedie School of Business was invaluable. It is experiences like these that make learning truly relevant and memorable.”

The collaboration highlights the Beedie School’s commitment to the teaching of entrepreneurship and innovation in British Columbia.