CIE at George Mason University School of Business

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CIE at George Mason University School of Business

Providing Mason students, alumni & community members opportunities to explore & experience entrepreneurship & innovation regardless of experience or field.

The center is dedicated to providing experiential learning through academic programs, research and extensive extra-curricular programming for Mason students and alumni interested in innovation, entrepreneurship, and value creation. Learn & explore, experiment... startup!

10/27/2021

I said goodbye to Pop-tarts a few weeks ago; making it the second processed food in my regular diet that I let go of recently (Funyuns were first).
Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon was always my favorite, but I bought a few Frosted Strawberry (now at the center of a lawsuit) and Frosted Chocolate Fudge. I do not toast and I eat both pastries. Milk ideally, but the drink is secondary to the Pop-tart. What are your favorite flavors and how do you consume?
The variety of flavors that were available, even at a midsized grocery store in Bethesda MD, is quite fascinating and disgusting - Frosted Lemon Crème Pie, Fruit Loops, Peach Cobbler, Frosted Hot Fudge Sunday & Frosted Confetti Cake to name a few). The experience of really seeing the Pop-tarts wall reminded me of one of my favorite phrases - just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
So I ate my 3 boxes of Pop-tarts and now that four decades old relationship is over. Poor me.

06/16/2021

‘Never do something that a thousand other people are doing.’
From p.46 of The Code Breaker: “Szostak had a guiding principle: Never do something that a thousand other people are doing. That appealed to Doudna.” by Walter Isaacson.
This quote is from the early part of the book as Isaacson describes Doudna’s doctoral career. As so many others were focused on DNA, Szostak and Doudna zagged. Szostak and Doudna knew it was a risky choice but their curiosity and instincts allowed them to make the decision and head off as pioneers rather than joining the herd of leading researchers focusing on DNA.
So excited to discuss this book with the Mason nation at our Smart People Still Read Books Book Club.

11/16/2020

Our first Innovation & Entrepreneurship movie club is this Wednesday 11.18.20 at 12 pm est. we will cover The Social Network and The Social Dilemma
This program builds off of our success of using movies and podcasts in our classroom and our super successful Smart People Still Read Books Book Club.
If you want to join us 11.18.20 at 12 pm est email CIEMason (@) GMU.edu.

09/11/2020

Reviewing edits on my Peloton book while waiting for CEO John Foley to appear on to discuss their amazing Q4 2020 results! $PTON

09/10/2020

Blowout numbers for Peloton. 1.09 million connected subscribers, 24.7 workouts per sub per month is bonkers, bananas, and more. 3.1 million members!! Income for the quarter and $1.8 billion in revenue for the year with expectations for $3.5 or more in 2021!!!

09/01/2020

Well-being is big business - $4.5 trillion a year if you accept some studies. It’s broad & deep & there are some seriously smart, aggressive, strong and well capitalized organizations circling the space and charging in.
I am impressed by Walmart’s declaration, though I was in a store yesterday (8/31) and it did not reek of health and well-being. I did by some organic petit carrots, but also Hostess cupcakes and one of the biggest boxes of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes ever (I have 3 kids at home - sorry, not sorry). I’ll be sure to visit on September and “see what I see” and focus on my well-being while shopping. Perhaps there will be signage and specials?
For those who are following my Peloton research, you may know Peloton clone / copycat Echelon has models available at Walmart.
At our Business of Well-being Initiative is pushing hard to better understand the marketplace, strategies and innovators in the space. As well as the giants getting in such as Walmart, Apple, Google and others.
.fit

08/20/2020

Our Smart People Still Read Books Book Club hosts a session on living icon Elon Musk through the prism of Ashlee Vance’s Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
So many lessons in Musk’s rise and impact on the world. Countless singular instances and approaches in his life this far. So much better than fiction and so readable. The community is going to get into some big topics during this session.

08/13/2020

The Founder (2016) might be my favorite teaching movie. There are so many amazing entrepreneurship and innovation lessons in the film. Some lessons are technical, others human, all fascinating.
“We’re an overnight sensation. Thirty years in the making. ” Mac McDonald. One of my favorite lines from the film. I’ve got about 10 more - many in the learning resources I am creating with my colleague Jim Wolfe.
#2016 @ George Mason University

08/07/2020

to open first stand alone drive thru in Pennsylvania in December 2020. Does this make WaWa a fast food venture?
This marks an important and needed shift by Wawa - what I consider the best convenience store operator I’ve experienced as a customer. The company has nearly 1000 stores and I think I’ve been to 10% of them (due to kids travel sports in PA, NJ, DE, VA). I recently visited a new store in Vienna, VA near the campus in Fairfax. I could not resist stopping in. (Second pic) Unfortunate I will not be on a campus as often during the fall semester. I love making WaWa runs. It takes business from Starbucks when it’s an option.
Trend is clear; drive thru, convenience, smaller footprint, self-serve, apps, etc.

08/06/2020

While the stock market is booming - driven by the largest tech firms, the debt markets are also hitting all kinds of records. parent company Alphabet just issued the lowest priced corporate debt on record.
So many of us get so enamored by the stock markets, the day to day swings and the stories of massive capital gains on high flying stocks like and that we forget that US debt markets are larger than equities markets and fortunes are made an lost there daily.

Regarding the Alphabet sale of debt yielding almost zero. From the article: The deal garnered more than $31 billion in demand, according to Refinitiv IFR. Previously, Alphabet’s lowest coupon was 1.25% on a $1 billion May 2014 note.”
Lots of capital out there. Assuming others are also issuing. Bankers making money too.
Oh, but it’s not so easy for many many small businesses in the US to get money (don’t want to forget that), their balance sheets, cash flows and prospects don’t look like google’s. These are challenging times.
$amzn $goog

08/03/2020

Awesome coverage of on ; Chekmate is a dating app with a range of innovative features that move users beyond texting and closer to healthy relationships.
Really well researched and written article by
Chekmate’s founder Jimi Tele is graduate that I’ve been working with for a few years. He is a true entrepreneur and has been working so hard building this venture. Jimi has filled out his team with great talent, including a load of graduates.
Chekmate is participating in our business of well-being collaborative where teams building ventures that improve well-being meet, work with mentors, receive stipends and more.
Go download and experience a new approach to building healthy relationships
@ George Mason University

07/31/2020

Truly mind boggling results from the largest tech firms.
While dramatic challenges claw at our society and economy, it’s clear there is incredible innovation and and growth taking place simultaneously.
Hard to believe that is our new neighbor here in Washington DC

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4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA
22030

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http://business.gmu.edu/innovation/

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