Entrepreneurship at Graziadio
We train students to deal with uncertainty, take control of their destiny - of their own future. Within the Graziadio entrepreneurship concentration, you will learn fundamental skills in ideation creation, marketing, business plan development, pitching and product development. Upon completion of this program you will have gained the confidence and the knowledge to start your own business.
of students are working on a
startup during their MBA
of MBA students are
hoping to start a business
Most Competitive Students
Princeton Review
Student & Alumni Profiles
Kayla Eber, '22
Frustrated with the quality, price, and murky origins of the jewelry she was purchasing, Kayla Eber set out to create a sustainable product with a purpose. After endless hours of researching and creating mockup designs, Victori Jewelry was born. Through her entrepreneurship classes, Eber has been able to develop and build foundational parts of her business such as a website, financial structure, board of advisors, and brand strategy.
Ece Er, '18
Growing up, Ece Er learned from her family that extra virgin olive oil is a miracle. This influence, along with Er's background in industrial engineering and love of food, inspired her to create a business and innovate a product that serves as both a food and a remedy. She attributes the birth of her company name, "Olizzi Olive Oil & Superfood" to her classmates and the topics she learned in her MBA classes.
Michael Lucarelli, '16
With the goal to develop a rental process to empower renters, landlords, and agents to work better together, Michael Lucarelli bridged the gap by inventing an online platform called Rentspree. Not only did Lucarelli obtain invaluable practice and guidance on pitching and presenting information to others but he met his co-founder sitting next to him in their entrepreneurship classes.
Ask An Entrepreneur
What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur?
Mark Miller, Co-Chair the Entrepreneurship sub-committee of the Graziadio Board gives his advice:
Entrepreneurship Committee - Graziadio Board
- Mark Miller, Co-Chair, CEO Miller Family Holdings
- Vince Monteparte, Co-Chair, Partner, Sway Ventures
- Mark Bowles, Co-Founder, Truvian Sciences
- Stevan Calvillo, Partner, Calvillo & Meyer, LLP
- Morgan Christen, CEO/CIO Spinnaker Investment Group, LLC
- Denise Roberson, President/CEO, Jadi Communications
- Paul Smucker, Co-Founder, Embassy Park LLC