Rice educates local entrepreneurs
Glasscock School reaches out to small business owners

BY CAROL HOPKINS
Special to the Rice News

Entrepreneurs in the Houston area can now take advantage of a series of courses at Rice University designed to provide the education they need to keep their businesses thriving in any economy.

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	The Glasscock School of Continuing Studies is introducing a new series of courses designed for entrepreneurs. Whether starting a new business, growing an existing one or preparing a business for sale, students will learn from experienced business owners and advisers how to ensure their success.

The entrepreneurship series, offered this fall by the Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, consists of four courses designed to assist the entrepreneur from concept through exit strategy.

According to a recent study published in Monthly Labor Review, less than half of all new businesses in the U.S. survive more than four years and less than a third survive more than seven years.

Carroll Scherer, director of professional programs at the Glasscock School, said she created the series to teach entrepreneurs “how not to be on the wrong side of that statistic. An educated entrepreneur will have an advantage over someone who hasn’t taken time to learn what he or she can about running a business.”

Given that small business owners employ about half of the nation’s private sector workforce, entrepreneurs are vital to the country’s economy, Scherer said.

The four courses in the series are: