Brian Conry, Executive Director, Penn State Entrepreneurs Network, MBA Class of 2010

I entered into the program with the expectation that I would be working for a Fortune 50 firm or a bank upon graduation. Over the course of the first year, something changed. I took a class offered called the Garber Practicum, a venture capital class that invests real money in start-up organizations. But it wasn’t just the VC aspect of the class that I was interested in – it was the entrepreneurs’ side of the deal. Could I pitch an idea to a VC? Would it be good enough to get funded? The questions continued and I had to learn more.

I spent the summer working for a virtual start-up solar company. The experience was very different from my days working for one of the world’s largest insurance firms. Plus, I worked out of my house! I had to both learn a brand new industry and help drive the company toward its goals. I don’t think I could have had a better experience or a better internship.

So now what? I learned that I loved working in a small, entrepreneurial organization. I also want to get into solar energy, but I don’t have an energy business idea that is worth investing in….yet.

I have changed my job search strategy to focus on smaller, venture capital-funded companies in the solar and renewable energy world. At the same time, I have been absorbing all I can about what it takes to create a company from scratch and growth into a viable business. While I may not have a ground breaking idea just yet, I believe that I will and I am preparing myself for the opportunity now.