Engineer to Entrepreneur

For the last few years, I have been invited to speak with graduating classes of university engineering students. I call my lecture “Engineer to Entrepreneur.”  From my background in teaching management and entrepreneurial mentorship, I focus on the unique challenges engineers face in entering the business world, particularly those who may consider starting their own new business. I discuss a full range of issues, but my personal emphasis from my experience is the “character” issue.  Some excellent engineers have successfully made the transition to entrepreneurship and executive management, but for others, the Odyssey is a bridge too far. Engineers must learn to think differently than when they are solving an engineering problem.  Consequently, I place significant emphasis on honest self-analysis and appreciation of one’s strengths and weaknesses.  Listening is a priceless skill. If you have experienced Google’s Larry Page in public, he is an excellent example of an engineer who has very successfully transitioned into a senior management role. Sergei Brin, on the other hand, opted for a CTO-like role, which I think was the right choice for him. That is the point of my lecture. I hope that many who view my YouTube Channel will find it helpful. You can find the complete lecture on my website.

Remember that my website, mayo615.com has over 400 posts on a wide range of management and technology topics.