Laying the Foundation
At Tiger Ventures, we know not everyone鈥檚 needs are always met on campus. Where there are gaps in a marketplace, there are opportunities to do business. Who would be better to see those gaps in the marketplace than the students themselves? Who is better to open and run those businesses than students? Where better to experiment with the look and feel of business than a Liberal Arts educational institution? Where better to get real world experience within the learning platform, diverse guidance, and abundance of coaches and mentors than Wittenberg?
In partnership with the University鈥檚 Academy for Entrepreneurs, which is built to encourage and grow budding entrepreneurs and new ideas on- and off-campus, new business ideas will be generated and incubated at the Academy. If/when they survive a year (working in tandem with Tiger Ventures), the businesses that have a chance to grow will do just that and then fold under the Tiger Ventures鈥� parent company.
Creating Community
At Tiger Ventures, we seek to create a community within the larger Wittenberg community. Some people don鈥檛 want to or can鈥檛 play sports anymore. We are an outlet for them. Some want to pursue non-business paths but have a solid understanding as they grow their various networks during and after graduation. We provide those connections. Moreover, since we are a liberal arts college, many students don鈥檛 focus on learning business only by majoring or minoring in the subject, which is why we welcome all majors to participate in a venture or two.
Engaging Advisors
Because Tiger Ventures is intent on operating like a well-run business, we plan to have an advisory board that convenes quarterly, with monthly updates being electronically sent out to advisory board members. This is not an executive board, so the board itself will be present to give advice, not direction.
To keep a good flow of communication, the senior leadership for Tiger Ventures will need to prepare the monthly communication and be prepared to answer/handle any questions as a result. Quarterly, in-person board meetings, will require an additional level of preparedness.
We expect to have five advisory board positions, with a two-year term limit. In order to hear all voices across campus, the Board members will be comprised of a mix of perspectives from all facets of campus. Its composition will likely look like this:
1 Student (Student Senate or other student organization)
1 Administration (Student Affairs, or Career Services)
2 Faculty (Humanities, Science, Art)
1 Wittenberg Board (Executive or Alumni Board Member)
The total time commitment will be one hour per month and a half day every quarter.