“No matter what the entrepreneur is telling you at the front of the room, it probably won’t be the same going forward,” says Joe Sinsheimer, managing director of the Wolfpack Investor Network (WIN), with offices in the James B. Hunt Library on Centennial Campus.
His statement comes from experience. In his role with WIN and prior roles in investment organizations, Sinsheimer has seen many startups pivot from their initial plan. “There are always variables; the world changes,” he said. That requires the entrepreneur to be flexible and open to taking a venture in a new direction. It also requires a supportive network that provides not only funding but also mentorship and coaching.
Sinsheimer cites Tethis as a prime example of a startup making that pivot well. The company was co-founded by Scott Bolin (MBA ’12) based on work he and fellow students did in their technology, entrepreneurship and commercialization (TEC) concentration team project while in the NC State Jenkins MBA program. Bolin now is Tethis’ chief executive officer.
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