Inside the Mind of an Entrepreneur
Learn How to Think Like an Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs see the world differently. Everywhere they look they see opportunity. Dr Owen O'Brien is a successful entrepreneur who has studied and taught Entrepreneurship at university level. "Entrepreneurship is a discipline that can be learned and practised", he says. In this course you will learn how to see the world like they do, and spot opportunity at every turn.
Your Instructor
Dr. Owen O’Brien: Biography December 2020
Owen O’Brien has had a successful entrepreneurial career. Starting from home in the early 1980’s, he set up an import/distribution business in the plumbing and heating sector, acquiring unique agencies and selling and distributing to the retail sector.
This business was sold to a multinational company in 2007. He also started and ran a distribution business in London from 1999 to 2007. Owen got involved in the commercial property sector, making a timely exit in 2006/7. He has assisted and invested in several startups during his career.
During 2004/5 Owen completed an MBA in University College Cork. He subsequently went on to complete a DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) in UCC in 2012 on The Teaching of Entrepreneurship at University level. He taught innovation and entrepreneurship to postgraduates at University College Cork for 10 years. He also attended Entrepreneurship Teaching training courses at Harvard, Babson, M.I.T. and Cranfield.
Owen’s research revolves around economic and pedagogical theories of entrepreneurship. He plans to publish a manual for practitioners turning to teaching entrepreneurship in universities. Owen has also presented at various conferences on the theme “Principles of Entrepreneurship” based on his own experience linked to the theories and frameworks of entrepreneurship thought and action.
Teaching Experience:
Owen taught entrepreneurship on the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Economics Practice in UCC for 10 years from 2007 to 2017.. This involvedcoaching students in setting up and running start-up businesses while learning the theory in class, learning by doing. Owen has taught more than 200 postgraduates during this period and developed a very successful teaching method which he documented in his doctorate.
The teaching programme was commended at the Gradireland awards for the best business postgraduate programme in 2010/11. Together with Professors Eoin O’Leary and Eleanor Doyle, Owen also helped run a series of Business Executive workshops in West Cork for the West Cork Development Partnership and did follow on mentoring with over 20 businesses.
Owen believes that Entrepreneurship should we widely introduced in universities across multiple disciplines to “open the door” to entrepreneurial thinking and action among undergraduates and postgraduates.
For more information see: www.owenobrien.com.
Publications:
O’Brien O ,The University Teaching of Entrepreneurship: A Practitioners Analysis. University College Cork.