NEWS FROM THE LAS POSITAS COLLEGE BUSINESS STUDIES PROGRAM:
Las Positas College will host business leader Les Schmidt who will present a talk, “Five Keys to Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset,” as part of the 5th Annual Business and Entrepreneurship Speaker Series. The event will be held at 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, in the Multi-Disciplinary Building Lecture Hall, Room 2420. Presented by the college’s Business Studies Program, the series is free and open to the public. Parking is $2.
Schmidt is founder and executive director of the Bishop Ranch Intelligence Innovation Accelerator in San Ramon, which starts and grows companies that rely on machine learning and artificial intelligence to solve big problems. He will share five keys about developing an entrepreneurial mindset, the ability to turn ideas into action—a quality supporting academic and career success.
A serial entrepreneur and top-level executive, he has led startups and middle stage and public companies. He specializes in leading businesses through the search for strategic direction, product iterations and financing. His résumé includes taking two companies public, managing many mergers and acquisitions and raising capital and other financing. He also served as chief operating officer for the San Francisco 49ers.
Most recently, Schmidt was the executive director of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership, a business accelerator in Concord. More than 200 participants graduated from the institute’s programs and the resulting companies collectively generated $1.7 billion in revenue in 2015 and employed more than 4,000 people.
The Business and Entrepreneurship Speaker Series brings Bay Area business leaders to campus to share their expertise with students and the community. Business Studies, one of the most popular majors at Las Positas College, offers degree and certificate programs, career and workforce training and transfer preparation to four-year colleges and universities. Programs include Business Administration, Marketing, Accounting, Administrative Medical Assistant, Bookkeeping, Business Entrepreneurship, Retailing, Retail Management and Supervisory Management.
Las Positas College also offers a Work-Based Learning Program with courses in Work Experience and Internship. Students earn college credit for working, while learning about 21st century work skills and career paths. Additionally, the college offers a website for internships and jobs, College Central Network, which is linked on its homepage. On the website, employers can post internships and jobs for free and connect with Las Positas College students and alumni. For information, please email [email protected].
