My Entrepreneurship Story

Like the title of this post implies, entrepreneurship is not new to me so why am I taking this class?  More on that later but first let's start at the beginning of my entrepreneurship story.

I was inspired towards entrepreneurship oddly by listening to sports radio.  A great lifelong friend and I used to listen to Jody Mac on sports radio 610 out of Philadelphia (still on the air during the weekends).  He had a very distinctive style and seemed to really have fun online so of course we figured why not try it ourselves.  We launched our own show but focused on Bollywood music out of India.  We were able to secure a 2-hour Saturday morning slot on a local college FM station and off we went bantering with each other, having lots of fun, and playing great music.  We took requests, showcased local musicians, and quickly built up a following as the first show of its kind in the area.

Before we knew it, we were producing our own radio commercials for AT&T, Western Union, and local community businesses.  A hobby had become a small business.  The enterprise grew to the point where we became the first to play Bollywood movies in local theaters.  The pinnacle, before I moved out of town sadly ending the show, occurred when we drew over a 1,000 people to a midnight showing of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (English: Who am I to You) running simultaneously on multiple screens.

This initial taste of entrepreneurship left a lasting impression so when I got an opportunity to start a niche financial services business with a couple of partners a decade or so later, I jumped at it.  But that's a story for another day.  Let me finish by speaking to why I am taking this class.

I am an entrepreneur today not only because I run a small insurance brokerage but also because I have a vision for developing a framework for socially responsible financial services.  The one handicap I am overcoming, in the interim, is completing my education.  Having some practical knowledge does not mean I know anything about entrepreneurship so when a chance to take this class materialized, I figured it would only help to learn what I don't know, unlearn what I don't do well, and affirm what does work.

I have declared in this blog that I aspire to be an impact sociologist but how does that connect to socially responsible financial services?  Something else we will have to leave for another day.  For now, I am thrilled to be here and am very much intrigued by the format that Professor Pryor has instituted.