The Syracuse University Libraries, the Blackstone LaunchPad and the School of Information Studies are hosting an author’s talk and book signing with Carl Schramm, author of “Burn the Business Plan,” University Professor and former president of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The event will be Wednesday, April 4, from 3-4 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library. A networking reception follows at 4 p.m. in the Blackstone LaunchPad. The event is open to the community.
Carl Schramm
Published in January by Simon & Schuster, Schramm’s book turns conventional wisdom on its head. He dispels the “myth of the software kid genius,” noting that the average entrepreneur is 39 years old and has worked in corporate America for at least a decade. He discusses the perils of creating a business plan for an entrepreneurial venture, noting that Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Google launched without one. Based on stories of successful entrepreneurs in a variety of fields, he suggests that knowledge, passion, determination and a willingness to experiment and innovate are vastly more important than financial skill. Along the way, he also offers great practical tips, such as how to “Build Your Company as Your Life.”
The book has received positive acclaim, and was named to Inc. Magazine’s “Need to Read” list for 2018. It received five-star reviews on Amazon, and praise from Publishers Weekly, Google Books and Good Reads, as well as from many successful founders and entrepreneurs.
“New businesses are about great ideas, not great plans. Schramm tells it as it really happens,” says Mitch Lowe, co-founder of Netflix and CEO of MoviePass.
“While encouraging aspirants toward launch, the book is mercifully free of Silicon Valley fairy tales,” writes Leigh Buchanan, editor-at-large of Inc. Magazine. “Schramm is interested in real people starting real companies. Readers will find most of his cases gratifyingly unfamiliar and generally relatable. ‘Burn’ is a solid roundup of the current best thinking on startups, guiding new entrepreneurs in both introspection and execution.”
Once dubbed the “evangelist of entrepreneurship” by The Economist, Schramm was appointed Syracuse University Professor in the School of Information Studies in 2012 after serving for nearly a decade as president of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the world’s premier organization dedicated to encouraging entrepreneurship and understanding the role innovation and new firm formation play in economic growth. A $2 billion endowment, Kauffman is the world’s largest philanthropy dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship.
At Syracuse, Schramm has taught courses in entrepreneurship and innovation, and the decline and future of U.S. cities. His research work focuses on entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth. He has advised major corporations as well as city, state and national governments around the world on accelerating innovation, expanding entrepreneurial activity and achieving economic growth.
One of the co-founders of Global Entrepreneurship Week, now observed in 170 countries, he is recognized internationally as a leading authority on innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth. His academic career began at Johns Hopkins, where he founded the nation’s first research center on healthcare finance. He has founded or co-founded five companies, including HCIA and Greenspring Advisors, a merchant bank. Schramm also has served in major corporate roles including EVP of Fortis (now Assurant) and CEO of Fortis Healthcare. He has advised major corporations including Ford, Johnson & Johnson and Apple. He chaired the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Measuring Innovation in the 21st Century Economy Advisory Committee during the Bush Administration and was a member of President Obama’s National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
He has authored, coauthored, or edited several books including “Better Capitalism,” “Good Capitalism/Bad Capitalism,” “Inside Real Innovation,” “The Entrepreneurial Imperative” and “Controlling Healthcare Costs.”
If you need an accommodation in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Linda Dickerson Hartsock at launchpad@syr.edu
About Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit www.syracuse.edu.
