What exactly are your plans? Are you considering working for "The Man" after you graduate? Or wouldn’t it be better to become your own boss? If you’re a student who has studied marketing then you know that being an entrepreneur calls for an ambitious leader who isn’t scared to take risks. They are able to combine land, labor, and capital to often create and market new goods or services. However, entrepreneurship is often difficult and tricky, resulting in many new ventures failing.

The reason for this article was that I found myself at a standstill with a current business plan and decided to contact the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre for some assistance. The centre is there to provide student entrepreneurs with resources as well as a professional atmosphere to grow their own businesses. Fortunately, the staff is well prepared for any situation and before we even got started, they placed a complete guide on how to prepare a business plan in front of me. Mr. Goran Radisic has been stationed at the centre for about two years and also is a commerce alumnus of Saint Mary’s University. During our discussion he impressed me with his managerial skills and proved to me why he was the project manager of the centre. I realized that through the centre it is possible to strengthen relationships with suppliers, find new, less expensive and efficient ways to import products and source potential locations for my business.

The great thing about Saint Mary's University is that students here have the opportunity to increase their awareness of entrepreneurship in so many different ways. We are able to start or even expand our own businesses. The best thing about the services at the Student Entrepreneurship Centre is that they are free to all SMU students. The Student Entrepreneurship Centre is a critical part of the Business Development Centre because it brings a particular expertise in these crucial times.

Around school you always hear students speak of a great business idea or plan that they have, however they never take the necessary steps to pursue these goals. It’s all baby steps; the longer you wait, the longer it takes for your baby to get off the ground. If you have a simple idea but are unfamiliar on how to start, you can drop in and chat with the staff to receive free one-on-one counseling.

Education here at school allows us to receive the necessary foundation for us to be successful in life. The Entrepreneurship Centre however, can polish our natural talents by giving us a better understanding of how to set goals or teaching us the ins and outs of business communication and becoming a better presenter. The Student Entrepreneurship Centre also organizes workshops through other SMU societies on building better business relationship. For example they are currently working with the Saint Mary’s Asian Society on a workshop to prepare individuals for how to approach companies and start networking.

The workshops that are presented encompass a large range of business skills that can open up other career options, compared to simply living the monotonous life of a regular pay check. One of the societies that Mr. Radisic is very enthusiastic about is the SMU Students in Free Enterprise Society (SIFE). This society is an entrepreneurial based society that is located on the 3rd floor of the McNally Main building and tackles a variety of projects. They also compete in several global events each year. This society is also in charge of the famed Trumped Competition, allowing students at SMU to gain hands on experience along with cash while competing with students from other universities in business related challenges. Who really doesn’t want to kick some Dal butt right?

You can sign up for one of the workshops to learn more and they will provide you with a positive guideline to get you where you want to go. Think of the centre as a complete resource hub that helps in business coaching and can either assist with small or large business loans, licensing, and permits or simply point you in the right direction.

Along with the workshops, we can also take advantage of the networking opportunities offered. There is no substitute for building relationships and the centre brings students together with faculty and experienced members of the business community for discussion and learning opportunities. It’s possible to make fantastic connections, meet future employers, and gain good advice from small business financers. Whether it’s running a lemonade stand or a corporation, youth entrepreneurship can be key to engendering social change and must be encouraged.

If any students are interested in receiving more information about the entrepreneurial services, you can join the centre’s Student Entrepreneurship Centre Facebook group for constant updates or simply send your email to entrepreneurship@smu.ca for monthly newsletters. You can also walk in for information at the Student Union Building, room 101, on the main floor near the service informational front desk, email at the organization at entrepreneurship@smu.ca or call 902-420-5026.