Ignacio Rodriguez, MBA '22

Principal, IROD Consulting

 

What was the inspiration to start this business?

"I've always had a strong inclination to help my community. I just didn't know how I would do that. But in one of my entrepreneurship classes, I was really able to explore this area further. I realized that a lot of my family and friends had their own small businesses and maybe they weren't as successful as they could be. I found that although they had great ideas to sell products or services, many of them lacked business knowledge, specifically, anything to do with small business finance. Essentially, it was difficult for them to convey how their businesses were doing using financial metrics because frankly, they just didn't have that knowledge. So my business focuses on addressing this gap. I aim to consult small businesses using small business financial models. Ultimately, I help them by providing the tools to assess their current financial position and uncover new revenue streams."

How did your entrepreneurship classes help to move your business forward?

"My entrepreneurship classes have been instrumental in helping me find this area in which I have a passion. Not only was I able to learn methodical processes to find new business opportunities that are aligned with my values and passions, but also I learned how to launch new business ventures. Essentially, my entrepreneurship classes have taught me what business models are and how to do business. These classes have been the most applicable in my MBA education. Out of all my MBA courses, I found that my entrepreneurship classes provided me with the most relevant tools and concepts that I applied during my internship at JPMorgan Chase last summer."

What have been the challenges you’ve faced so far?

"One of the biggest challenges I have faced has been overcoming the idea that I'm not creative. When I started my first entrepreneurship class, I thought that I wasn't going to like it and that I wasn't going to do well because I perceived myself as not being creative. I had this notion that entrepreneurship was only for those creative types that come up with brilliant ideas. But Dr. Cox has completely subverted that notion. Dr. Cox taught us methods that anyone can apply to find new business opportunities. In short, I went from seeing entrepreneurship as my least favorite class to concentrating in entrepreneurship"

What is your hope for the future of your business?

"I already have potential clients, specifically, those in the Latinx community. As I work with them, I really hope that my ideas and concepts lead to adding value to these businesses because sometimes resources are difficult to attain in these communities. Once this happens, I'm hoping that my business grows and that it expands beyond the Latinx community."