Girls, ladies, chickas, have you ever had a great business idea that you knew had potential to succeed, but no one took your idea seriously? Well, if that has ever happened to you, you are not alone. Women—compared to men—are far less likely to have resources, support, and funding which are necessary to turn a business idea into a reality. I know so many amazing women on this campus whose ideas have sadly become nothing more than ideas. This is needs to change. The women at Augustana need to know that their ideas matter, that people believe in them, and that there are resources available to help them succeed; which is why I want to bring Enactus to Augustana’s campus.
Enactus stands for Entrepreneurial, Action, Us. The premise of Enactus is to better the world by using entrepreneurial ideas from students like you. Enactus students all over the world have come up with amazing business plans with the help of faculty advisors, Enactus donors, and community organizations. Enactus students in Nashville realized that 80% of a mattress could be recycled and decided to start a mattress recycling facility where they employed homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals. These students were able to turn their idea into a reality through the help of Enactus.
By bringing Enactus to Augustana, we will be able to break the pattern of women’s ideas not being taken seriously. We will educate Enactus members on the alarming reality that men tend to start their businesses with nearly twice as much financial capital than women (NWBC). We will hear from women who have beat the odds and started their own businesses and receive advice from them. We will use the resources, support system, and funding available to us to come up with an amazing business plan that helps people in need.
Interested in being a part of or helping start Enactus? Feel free to contact me at alexapedersen16@augustana.edu.