The Entrepreneurial Mindset Imperative

Im-per-a-tive (Noun): An essential or urgent thing; of vital importance

Life today is filled with imperatives. Everything seems urgent and critically important in vying for our attention daily. Between the pandemic, political strife, social strain, and massive changes in the workplace, the world has changed in ways that now require everyone to be more innovative regardless of their chosen field.

Entrepreneurship is more than an academic discipline and reaches far beyond the concept of traditional business creation and small business management. Entrepreneurship is a mindset; a framework for thinking and acting that can empower anyone to succeed. And, embodies the 21st Century Skills that every person needs.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:

Gary Schoeniger
FOUNDER & CEO
The Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative

Author and Entrepreneur Gary Schoeniger is an internationally recognized thought leader in the field of
entrepreneurial mindset education. His message has influenced a broad audience from academic institutions and
economic development organizations to government and non-profit clients worldwide including the Ewing Marion
Kauffman Foundation, the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute, the Colombian Ministry of Education, the U.S. State
Department, and the European Commission.

As the Founder and CEO of the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative, Gary led the development of the Ice House
Entrepreneurship Program, which has been recognized by the Kauffman Foundation as “redefining entrepreneurship
education in classrooms and communities around the world.” The Ice House Program has been featured at the
United Nations General Assembly, the Papal Council for Peace and Justice at the Vatican, and the European
Commission in Brussels. Schoeniger, along with Pulitzer nominee Clifton Taulbert, is also the co-author of Who
Owns the Ice House? Eight Life Lessons from an Unlikely Entrepreneur, an international bestseller described as
“required reading for humanity.”

With his focus on the entrepreneurial mindset, Gary has presented numerous keynotes, workshops, and training
programs throughout the U.S. and abroad, including the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Rio de Janeiro and
Moscow as well as speaking and training programs in Cape Town, Athens, London, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Mexico
City, Sofia, Santiago, Aberdeen, Nicosia, Zagreb, Tbilisi, and Baku.

Gary is currently a member of the Forbes Business Council. He also formerly served on the Dean’s Council at
Purdue Polytechnic Institute, and an advisory council member for Tecnologico de Monterrey’s Tec21 model to
produce graduates in Mexico with an entrepreneurial spirit and humanistic outlook for
the 21st Century. Gary also served as a past board member for the Hershey Montessori
School in Concord, Ohio.

ABOUT ONWARD EUGENE:

Onward Eugene unites regional partners — mobilizing rebuilding efforts to fully realize our regions shared potential for expansive and inclusive prosperity. Bringing together support for startups, business expansion, regional marketing and business recruiting initiatives. Onward Eugene is a force multiplier in the creation of economic resilience. A 501(c)3 nonprofit.

Onward’s entrepreneurial programs are made possible with the support of EDA funding and Comcast Business.