Employment in an Existing, Young, or Growing Venture
Work with a company as a project manager, or in financial, business, or sales positions. In many cases, this might result in an early equity participation within a high growth, high technology venture or a smaller and more stable venture. This is a great career path for EBD students with a minor or double major.
Starting Your Own Business
A few entrepreneurship students start their own enterprises directly after graduation. However, many entrepreneur students will wait 4 to 6 years before starting a business, allowing them to gain valuable experience in an industry or profession prior to starting their own business. Such an extended apprenticeship model has become the cornerstone of a successful entrepreneurship for generations. This concentration adds value in all areas of a business as well as the logistics of a venture.
Employment With a Larger Corporation
Many entrepreneurship graduates go on to use their unique skillset within a corporate for-profit or non-profit venture. Often these graduates work in technology commercialization, sales, or finance positions adding value through their unique understanding of changing industries, innovation and problem solving abilities.
Returning to a Family Business
Small businesses are the foundation of the United States, and many entrepreneurship and business development graduates will return to their family business with the skills to expand and grow the business not only domestically but also into global markets.
Consulting as a Professional Advisor to Small Businesses
Our graduates have been successful as service providers providing consulting services, in areas such as insurance, real estate, accounting, public relations, and import/export management. In addition commercial real estate, insurance, bookkeeping and business brokerage services are natural areas for our graduates.
Hospitality Entrepreneurship
The coastal North Carolina region boosts a thriving hospitality industry. Our graduates find employment in small to mid-sized 'hospitality' industries such as restaurants, hotels, travel agencies, and sport fishing. Students are well skilled in this area of entrepreneurship.
Social Entrepreneurship
Employment in "social entrepreneurship" such as not-for-profits, economic development agencies, government and planning departments is becoming even more popular for our graduates. This concentration develops invaluable skills for helping these businesses thrive.
Continued Education
Students can choose to further their education to bring even more value to their small business pursuing advanced education in various areas such as law, entrepreneurship or the UNCW M.S. Accounting master's degree. There are a growing number of Ph.D. programs in entrepreneurship nationwide. Students can also choose an MBA. UNCW's MBA offers a specialization in entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship in the Arts, Music, or Film
UNCW has diverse and excellent degree offerings in the creative sectors, such as film, music, and art. By their very nature, these fields are very entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurship students with a strong background in the creative fields are well-suited to pursue entrepreneurial activities in these areas. Wilmington's cultural arts sector is booming, offering a natural venue for internships and apprenticeships.
