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10 steps to achieve AI implementation in your business

how to implement ai in your business

AI continuously proves to be an asset for businesses and has been revolutionizing the way they operate. It goes a long way in helping to cut operational costs, automate and simplify business processes, improve customer communications and secure customer data. Although artificial intelligence has been around for decades in one form or another, it has not yet found its way into the technical mainstream.

how to implement ai in your business

There are many potential downfalls to consider when implementing intelligent automation and AI. The security aspect of AI has been the primary concern among the business community. As the CMO of a business automation platform, I’ve witnessed the evolution of intelligent automation and AI firsthand. The interest in digital channels increased even more when the iPhone launched in 2007.

Now you know the difference between Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, it’s time to consider what you’re looking to achieve, alongside how these two technologies can help you with that. Monitoring thousands of transactions simultaneously can become problematic if you don’t have the proper structure. These models of AI are customizable to a business as long as you find the right product or service company in the market. Regularly reassess your data strategy and make adjustments to your AI solution so you can continue to deliver value and drive growth. Be prepared to make adjustments and improvements to your AI model as your business needs evolve. Stay informed about advancements in AI technologies and methodologies, and consider how they can be applied to your organization.

Step 4: Evaluate your internal capabilities

With eyes wide open to both profound opportunities and risks, thoughtful adoption of AI promises to shape tomorrow’s data-driven enterprises. The most transformative organizations view AI not as a one-time project but rather as an engine to drive an intelligent, data-driven culture focused on perpetual improvement. Unless there are deep pre-existing capabilities, most organizations find it optimal to at least complement internal teams through external partnerships. With the strategy and roadmap defined, deciding the right AI implementation process and methodology is the next key step.

As a result, businesses can make more informed decisions based on data-driven insights. This can help businesses identify potential risks and opportunities—for example, identifying customers who are likely to churn, which allows companies to take proactive measures to retain these customers. This comprehensive guide aims to empower organizations and show them how to successfully implement AI into their business. With the right framework in place, AI can help automate mundane tasks, uncover actionable insights, and take your organization into the future.

  • AI models can degrade over time or in response to rapid changes caused by disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • But successfully implementing AI can be a challenging task that requires strategic planning, adequate resources, and a commitment to innovation.
  • While concerns exist, such as technology dependence and potential workforce reduction, most business owners foresee a positive impact from AI implementation.
  • Improved productivity through AI can also boost employee morale, as they no longer have to endure long-winded tasks like data entry.
  • Unless there are deep pre-existing capabilities, most organizations find it optimal to at least complement internal teams through external partnerships.

One of the benefits of sales forecasting is that it can help businesses to identify potential sales opportunities. Companies can identify areas to increase sales and improve revenue by analyzing sales data and market trends. By predicting future sales trends, companies can ensure they have the right products in stock to meet demand.

Step 7: You’re ready to start, but start small.

For the moment, this is good news for those companies still experimenting with or piloting AI (41 percent). Our results suggest there’s still time to climb the learning curve and compete using AI. “AI capability can only mature as fast as your overall Chat PG data management maturity,” Wand advised, “so create and execute a roadmap to move these capabilities in parallel.” The answers to these questions will help you to define your business needs, then step towards the best solution for your company.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, refers to software and machines designed to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. This includes skills like visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. Now that we’ve explored both the benefits and challenges of implementing AI into your business, let’s discuss exactly how you can integrate the technology into your workflow with minimal friction. By carefully assessing your business needs and identifying key areas where AI can help your small business, you can create a firm base for AI implementation.

Additionally, privacy concerns are prevalent, with 31% of businesses expressing apprehensions about data security and privacy in the age of AI. Most business owners think artificial intelligence will benefit their businesses. A substantial number of respondents (64%) anticipate AI will improve customer relationships and increase productivity, while 60% expect AI to drive sales growth. Once the overall system is in place, business teams need to identify opportunities for continuous  improvement in AI models and processes. AI models can degrade over time or in response to rapid changes caused by disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams also need to monitor feedback and resistance to an AI deployment from employees, customers and partners.

Join the AI Revolution and Transform Your Small Business – AllBusiness.com

Join the AI Revolution and Transform Your Small Business.

Posted: Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:39:49 GMT [source]

AI-powered tools can help companies automate time-consuming tasks, gain insights from vast data and make informed decisions. We have a team of experienced AI and enterprise software developers dedicated to elevating your business with artificial intelligence, and are more than happy to guide you through the process of implementation. So, if you’re interested in taking advantage of AI technology, schedule a free consultation with us today to learn more. Artificial intelligence can enable better data-driven decisions by analyzing datasets, identifying trends, and, crucially, interpreting the data. There are many applications available that are capable of identifying basic trends in data, but AI, with its contextual understanding of your data, can provide interpretations akin to that of human analysts.

The results revealed AI’s impact on areas such as cybersecurity, fraud management, content production and customer support, including the use of top chatbots. In many cases, the change-management challenges of incorporating AI into employee processes and decision making far outweigh technical AI implementation challenges. As leaders determine the tasks that machines should handle, versus those that humans perform, both new and traditional, it will be critical to implement programs that allow for constant reskilling of the workforce. AI tools such as ChatGPT are becoming increasingly significant in the business landscape. Survey results indicate that businesses are adopting AI for a variety of applications such as customer service, customer relationship management (CRM) and cybersecurity. They are also focusing on improving customer experience through personalized services, instant messaging and tailored advertising.

how to implement ai in your business

Creating and implementing your own artificial intelligence enterprise software is no easy feat. In fact, AI development is a highly complex field that requires expert knowledge. With 60% of people  believing that AI could threaten the future of civilization, it’s likely that your employees will have some concerns about implementing the technology into your business. And who can blame them when so many jobs have already been replaced by AI, like the 4,000 in May alone? This means, as a business owner, it’s critical to reassure employees that their jobs are safe and that artificial intelligence is being implemented to assist their daily working lives, not replace them as workers.

Successful AI adopters have strong executive-leadership support for the new technology. Survey respondents from firms that have successfully deployed an AI technology at scale tend to rate C-suite support as being nearly twice as high as that at those companies that have not adopted any AI technology. They add that strong support comes not only from the CEO and IT executives but also from all other C-level officers and the board of directors. Business owners expressed concern over technology dependence, with 43% of respondents worrying about becoming too reliant on AI.

We see a lot of our clients use these tools for things like invoice processing, data entry and contract management, which allows them to save time and resources. With a data-driven understanding of the current state through AI readiness assessments, organizations can define a robust strategic plan to guide implementation. When adopting AI in your business, you need to consider the end goals to be achieved and the software programs that will make it easier to reach your ideal customer. An end-first process is important to refine the specific features or capabilities that align with your organization’s goals and to identify the metrics that will be used to determine success. As a result, the technology comes with many benefits, including cost savings and strategic advantages.

To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. If you already have a highly-skilled developer team, then just maybe they can build your AI project off their own back. Only once you understand this difference can you know which technology to use — so, we’ve given you a little head start below. On the other, an increase in consumer demand, driven by better quality and increasingly personalized AI-enhanced products.

And we expect at least a portion of current AI piloters to fully integrate AI in the near term. Finally, adoption appears poised to spread, albeit at different rates, across sectors and domains. While concerns exist, such as technology dependence and potential workforce reduction, most business owners foresee a positive impact from AI implementation. The anticipated benefits of ChatGPT, such as generating content quickly, personalizing customer experiences and streamlining job processes, demonstrate the transformative potential of AI in various aspects of business. Predictive analytics use AI-powered tools to analyze data and predict future events.

Using this software, you should be able to uncover the power of data in your business with advanced predictive modeling applications and to make use of data flow graphs for building the data models. Although artificial intelligence is a highly powerful tool for enhancing your business, it does come with several challenges. Let’s begin by exploring some of the top reasons why you should implement artificial intelligence into your business.

Would you like to learn more about our Analytics Practice?

Half of respondents believe ChatGPT will contribute to improved decision-making (50%) and enable the creation of content in different languages (44%). Businesses also leverage AI for long-form written content, such as website copy (42%) and personalized advertising (46%). AI has made inroads into phone-call handling, as 36% of respondents use or plan to use AI in this domain, and 49% utilize AI for text message optimization.

With foundational data, infrastructure, talent and an overarching adoption roadmap established, the hands-on work of embedding machine learning into business processes can begin through well-orchestrated integration. Idea Maker is an Orange County-based software development company specializing in building custom mobile apps, complex web applications, and AI solutions for clients across many industries. Established in 2016, Idea Maker has a proven track record with over 100 successfully delivered projects. Did you know that over 50% of businesses plan to implement AI into their business this year? As you’ll discover in this article, there are many excellent reasons to implement artificial intelligence into your business.

Preparing your business for AI integration is a strategic process that involves both technical and organizational readiness. You can foun additiona information about ai customer service and artificial intelligence and NLP. By ensuring your data is primed for AI and assembling a team equipped to tackle AI challenges, you set a solid foundation for the successful adoption of AI technologies. This proactive approach not only facilitates smoother implementation but also enhances the likelihood of achieving your AI objectives, driving your business forward in an increasingly competitive landscape. Starting an AI journey requires a comprehensive assessment of your business’s unique needs and challenges.

Businesses are turning to AI to a greater degree to improve and perfect their operations. According to the Forbes Advisor survey, businesses are using AI across a wide range of areas. The most popular applications include customer service, with 56% of respondents using AI for this purpose, and cybersecurity and fraud management, adopted by 51% of businesses.

In fact, there are only just over 28,000 “AI experts” in America, meaning that, compared to the number of businesses utilizing AI, expertise is in short supply. As a result, when your business encounters issues with AI software, you may be hard-pressed to find someone with the skills to fix the issues–that is unless you work with a dedicated AI agency throughout a long-term period. As humans, we are error-prone, especially when it comes to working on data-driven tasks like data entry; oftentimes, however, these mistakes can be both expensive and time-consuming to rectify.

Key Takeaways

Evaluating fit-for-purpose along both technical and business dimensions is key before committing long-term. Katherine Haan, MBA is a former financial advisor-turned-writer and business coach. When she’s not trying out the latest tech or travel blogging with her family, you can find her curling up with a good novel.

One such concern is the potential impact of AI on website traffic from search engines. According to the survey, 24% of respondents worry AI might affect their business’s visibility on search engines. Once use cases are identified and prioritized, business teams need to map out how these applications align with their company’s existing technology and human resources. Education and training can help bridge the technical skills gap internally while corporate partners can facilitate on-the-job training. AI technologies are quickly maturing as a viable means of enabling and supporting essential business functions. But creating business value from artificial intelligence requires a thoughtful approach that balances people, processes and technology.

By automating repetitive tasks such as answering FAQs, chatbots can also help businesses reduce the workload on their customer service teams by freeing up agents to focus on more complex tasks. Consider using AI to automate repetitive or time-consuming tasks, improve decision-making, increase accuracy, or enhance customer experiences. Once you have a clear understanding of your business goals, you can align them with the potential benefits of AI so you can have a successful implementation. For insights into overcoming common implementation challenges, McKinsey’s Overcoming AI Implementation Challenges offers practical advice.

how to implement ai in your business

For example, the AI techniques implemented to improve customer-call-center performance could be very different from the technology used to identify credit-card-payments fraud. It’s critical to look for the right tool to solve each value-creating business problem at a particular stage in an organization’s digital and AI journey. One of the benefits of chatbots is that they can provide 24/7 customer support, which can help businesses improve their customer service experience and reduce response times.

With AI increasingly integrated into diverse customer interaction channels, the overall customer experience is becoming more efficient and personalized. “The harder challenges are the human ones, which has always been the case with technology,” Wand said. Focus on business areas with high variability and significant payoff, said Suketu Gandhi, a partner at digital transformation consultancy Kearney. Teams comprising business stakeholders who have technology and data expertise should use metrics to measure the effect of an AI implementation on the organization and its people. Forrester Research further reported that the gap between recognizing the importance of insights and actually applying them is largely due to a lack of the advanced analytics skills necessary to drive business outcomes. “Executive understanding and support,” Wand noted, “will be required to understand this maturation process and drive sustained change.”

Additionally, AI is enhancing internal business processes such as data aggregation, process automation and SEO tasks. Discover how AI in business operations is revolutionizing efficiency and innovation, from predictive analytics enhancing supply chain management to AI-driven tools transforming customer experiences. Explore the transformative power of artificial intelligence as it reshapes decision-making, operational streamlining, and customer engagement across industries.

This definitive guide to AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) explains how businesses of all sizes can now leverage enterprise-grade AI capabilities without massive investments. I am Volodymyr Zhukov, a Ukraine-born serial entrepreneur, consultant, and advisor specializing in a wide array of advanced https://chat.openai.com/ technologies. My expertise includes AI/ML, Crypto and NFT markets, Blockchain development, AR/VR, Web3, Metaverses, Online Education startups, CRM, and ERP system development, among others. Shift from always custom building to remixing and fine-tuning existing components.

It’s important to narrow a broad opportunity to a practical AI deployment — for example, invoice matching, IoT-based facial recognition, predictive maintenance on legacy systems, or customer buying habits. “Be experimental,” Carey said, “and include as many people [in the process] as you can.” If you want to ensure this solution is for you, download our free step-by-step guide on how to implement AI in your company. Then, with the support and experience of a domain specialist, you can put your ideas to work and create long-term value using the demanding field that is artificial intelligence. Start with a small sample dataset and use artificial intelligence to prove the value that lies within. Then, with a few wins behind you, roll out the solution strategically and with full stakeholder support.

Take a step-by-step tour through the entire Artificial Intelligence implementation process, learning how to get the best results. This can help businesses identify potential fraud in real time and protect themselves from financial losses and reputational damage. The future will undoubtedly bring unforeseen advances in artificial intelligence.

Ok… so now you know the difference between artificial intelligence and machine learning — it’s time to answer two related questions before we dive into actual implementation. With natural language processing (NLP), companies can analyze the content of documents to identify patterns, trends and anomalies, which can help with making better data-driven decisions. With a clear understanding of where AI can benefit your business, the next step is strategically planning its implementation. This involves choosing the right AI solutions and developing a comprehensive plan to integrate these technologies into your operations.

We found that industries leading in AI adoption—such as high tech, telecom, and automotive—are also the ones that are the most digitized. Likewise, within any industry, the companies that are early adopters of AI have already invested in digital capabilities, including cloud infrastructure and big data. In fact, it appears that companies can’t easily leapfrog to AI without digital-transformation experience. Using a battery of statistics, we found that the odds of generating profit from using AI are 50 percent higher for companies that have strong experience in digitization. Additionally, businesses foresee AI streamlining communication with colleagues via email (46%), generating website copy (30%), fixing coding errors (41%), translating information (47%) and summarizing information (53%).

Constructing an effective AI implementation strategy requires aligning on vision, governance, resourcing, and sequencing to ensure efforts stay targeted on business priorities rather than just chasing technology trends. Equipped with an understanding of AI’s potential, a clear roadmap to adoption, and insights from those pioneering this technology, your organization will gain confidence in unlocking AI’s possibilities. By journey’s end, you will have the knowledge to make AI a core competitive advantage. By using AI in your business, you can automate repetitive, low-quality, and mundane tasks that would otherwise have to be handled by a human. This means your employees can turn their focus to more important operations and high-priority tasks, enabling them to better optimize their time. Improved productivity through AI can also boost employee morale, as they no longer have to endure long-winded tasks like data entry.

  • Most business owners think artificial intelligence will benefit their businesses.
  • Fifty-eight percent believe ChatGPT will create a personalized customer experience, while 70% believe that ChatGPT will help generate content quickly.
  • For the moment, this is good news for those companies still experimenting with or piloting AI (41 percent).
  • Now that we’ve explored both the benefits and challenges of implementing AI into your business, let’s discuss exactly how you can integrate the technology into your workflow with minimal friction.

A little more than a decade later, we are now using digital tools and systems deeper into business operations. This is where AI and intelligent automation play a significant how to implement ai in your business role in business development. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your business objectives, so you can measure the impact of AI on your organization.

Fifty-eight percent believe ChatGPT will create a personalized customer experience, while 70% believe that ChatGPT will help generate content quickly. If you have any doubts, you may simply choose to outsource your AI development to an agency specialized in big data, AI, and machine learning. AI agencies not only have the knowledge and experience to maximize your chance for success, but they also have a process that could help avoid any mistakes, both in planning and production. AI is embedding itself into the products and processes of virtually every industry.

It is believed to have the potential to make a transformation in any industry and offer a promising future for businesses with its learning algorithms. The global technology intelligence organization ABI Research predicts the number of businesses that will adopt AI worldwide will scale up to 900,000 this year, with a compound annual growth rate of 162%. This revolutionary technology helps improve customer decision management, forecasting, QA manufacturing and writing software code, increasing revenue with the data it generates every day. But while machine learning has many applications, it is just one of many AI-related technologies capable of solving business problems.…

2018 Purpose Pitch Competition

2018 Purpose Pitch Competition

2018 Purpose Pitch Competition – The Coleman Entrepreneurship Center held the Second Purpose Pitch Competition, a  new venture competition on May 3, 2018.

This competition sets itself apart from others because we are promoting entrepreneurs to build what they believe with a purpose-driven business idea.

We believe the purpose is innate wishing any company and has to be accessed to reach its full potential.

Current DePaul University undergraduate and graduate students, as well as alumni, were eligible to compete.

After a competitive process, 4 startups were accepted to do a 5-minute pitch their business and purpose.

Startups focused their presentations not only on the business model but the overarching purpose and problem they are solving in society.

A total of $25,000 in prize money was awarded to contestants.

This year’s purpose pitch winner was Ann Foley, Founder of 10th Avenue Tea.

The first runner-up was Adero Knott, Founder of AK Prosthetics, followed by Estaban Perez, Founder of Universala Esports.

The finalists were rounded out by Savy Leiser, Founder of the Furever Home Friends.

Pictures by Kathy Hillegonds/ DePaul University:

Special thank you to all of the sponsors that made the Purpose Pitch possible: Cedar Hill and Sheikh Faisal Center for Entrepreneurship in the Middle East.…

Startup Intern Profile: Sharon Lavin

Startup Intern Profile: Sharon Lavin

Startup Intern Profile: Sharon Lavin – Sharon Lavin is a Public Relations and Advertising & IO Psychology student interning with Evolve, a member organization that helps entrepreneurs transition from business owners to their next phase.

Sharon has been working on email campaigns for Evolve’s late summer and fall events, and learning the ropes of Salesforce as a customer relationship management tool.

When asked about her favorite part of the ongoing internship, Sharon said “I appreciate getting the one-on-one experience of guidance and mentorship.

I have found that I get to know more about how the company was started, why it is important to the industry, and where my roll is in assisting.”…

Are You Up for the Challenge?

Are You Up for the Challenge?

Are You Up for the Challenge? – If you’re a member of the DePaul community, Launch DePaul is your opportunity to submit and pitch a new business idea.

Win cash prizes and in-kind services to help you launch your new venture!

A series of workshops will assist participants in preparation for the submission deadline on April 21, 2014.

Current DePaul University undergraduate and graduate students, as well as alumni of 2013 are eligible to compete.

To participate, a team must have at least two and no more than six members.

Fifty percent of the team must consist of current DePaul students or 2013 graduates.

Teams will compete for a pool of $10,000 in cash and additional awards of in-kind services.

The prize pool will be distributed among finalist teams based on evaluations from our team of judges, as well as audience votes, at the Launch DePaul Awards Ceremony on May 21, 2014.

Launch DePaul is a major event of the Center in Spring 2014, and we are looking for individuals to be involved in many ways–

as participants, sponsors, judges, and more.

Please keep updated with more information as it becomes available.…

Launch DePaul Awards Night 2014

Launch DePaul Awards Night 2014

Launch DePaul Awards Night 2014 – At the Launch DePaul Awards Event on May 21, six final teams pitched their new, creative ventures to a judging panel comprised of four distinguished entrepreneurs from the Chicago business community.

They were competing for a prize pool of $10,000. Audience members also contributed to the final team scores by casting their votes with blue chips in the respective teams’ boxes.

Joining us as VIP judges were Michael Arndt, Editor of Crain’s Chicago Business; John Hoesley, Managing Director of Silicon Valley Bank;

Suzanne Reade, President of Chicago ArchAngels; and Shawn Riegsecker, Founder and CEO of Centro. Jason Jacobsohn, Chicago Director of Founder Institute, served as our Honorary Emcee.

The winners of the competition placed as follows:

First Place ($5,000): PlanMatcher (online healthcare exchange), Christian Wells
Second Place ($2,500): Making Connections (autism therapy toolkits), Elizabeth Ames
Third Place ($1,000): Bbands (non-slip headband production), Bianca Perry

Honorable Mentions ($500 each):
Felicks, (student-to-student online exchange), Shaza Loutfi
Hashtagr (hashtag search engine), Khoa Nguyen
Jam City, (online platform for musical instruction and collaboration), Ian Stellmach

All winners also received Elance credits to hire freelance talent for their new companies.

Click here to see photos from the Launch DePaul Awards Night 2014. (Photos taken by Kathy Hillegonds.)

Thank You!

We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the many individuals and organizations who have made Launch DePaul 2014 possible.

From those who contributed their time and efforts in the months leading up to the competition, to those who played active roles in the Awards Night event, our efforts would not have been possible without their support.

Launch DePaul Sponsors

Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond, Ltd. and Allen Kutchins
QUEsocial and Greg Silich
Elance and Kyle Joseph

Reception Wine

CaliVista Wines and David Kalainoff

Launch DePaul Judges

Our thanks to these individuals who served as our first-round judges for Launch DePaul 2014. They reviewed dozens of submissions, and offered valuable feedback to every team that entered the competition.

Bob Achettu
Brian Bauer
G. Deon Bradley
Mason Cole
Tim Cole
Neil Feuling
Glenn Gottfried
Bill Griffin
Aksh Gupta
Marc Grens
Lori Igleski
Jason Jacobsohn
Greg Jaros
Kyle Joseph
Teddy Kekstadt
Ron Kirschner
April Lane
John Lump
Tricia Meyer
Tony Mirchandani
RJ Pahura
Mona Pearl
Matt Ragas
Brian Rosen
Greg Silich
Jared Steffes
Kevin Turner
Alex White
Drew Whiting

Launch DePaul Coaching Workshop Leaders

Rania El-Sorrogy, Executive Director, Hatch Valley
Leo Friedman, CEO & Founder, iPromo
Scott Issen, President and CEO, Future Founders Foundation
Brian Bauer, Startup Leadership Program Chicago
Sion Owen, PitchCircus
Libo (Bob) Hou, School of Accountancy, DePaul University

DePaul Entrepreneurship Faculty

Raman Chadha
Daniel Gillespie, JD
Lisa Gundry, PhD
Laurie LaMantia
Terri Lonier, PhD
John Lump
Javier Monllor, PhD
Patrick J. Murphy, PhD
Edward Papabathini
Remo Picchietti
Sondra Simpson, EdD
Harold Welsch, PhD…

Launch DePaul 2014 Sponsors

Launch DePaul 2014 Sponsors

Launch DePaul 2014 Sponsors – We would like to extend a sincere thank you to our Launch DePaul 2014 sponsors:

Kutchins Robbins & Diamond, LTD

Helping Our Clients Achieve Financial Success
Through Sound Financial Advice

Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond, Ltd. (KRD) is a Chicago-based public accounting firm. We have been servicing clients for over two decades.  We take a proactive approach to the accounting and financial services we offer, which includes accounting, auditing, taxes, consulting and financial planning.  We focus on creating long-term relationships, emphasizing integrity and personal service. www.krdcpas.com

QueSocial

QUEsocial is a premier social talent acquisition solution for recruiters and employee ambassadors to reach, engage and convert quality talent in the social media channel. Our social solution uniquely blends content distribution to employee fingertips for one-touch sharing, gamification, and powerful analytics into a scalable, easy-to-use SaaS platform. www.quesocial.com

New Startup Lab to Grow Student Businesses

New Startup Lab to Grow Student Businesses – As we look to the future of entrepreneurship at DePaul, the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center is pleased to announce a fundraising effort to support the creation of a highly visible suite of offices and open workspaces on the seventh floor of the DePaul Center on Depaul’s Loop Campus.

This 4,038-sq.ft. space will serve as a physical hub of entrepreneurial activity for the university, and will include a Startup Lab for students to work on new business ventures.

Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the space will bring together co-working space, the Center’s administrative offices, advisors and training to support student entrepreneurs, recent alumni, faculty and staff.

The Startup Lab will also host dynamic programs with members of the greater Chicago business community, many of whom will serve as advisors, mentors and entrepreneurs-in-residence.

The Startup Lab’s flexible structure — with movable worktables and chairs — will allow the space to be easily transformed from a co-working environment into an event space for workshops, seminars and other gatherings.

An 18-person training room, 10-person conference room and private advising room will also be housed in the space.…

Alumni Profile: Bob Achettu

Alumni Profile: Bob Achettu

Alumni Profile: Bob AchettuMost entrepreneurial journeys follow a winding path, and Bob Achettu’s route to Founder and Managing Partner of Accelerated Growth Advisors is no different. 

After spending the first decade of his career at some of the largest organizations in the world, a role in the world of private equity transformed his view of what he wanted to do with his life. 

Bob and his team now spend their days on the front lines of Chicago’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene, working to help companies manage through various stages of growth. 

A graduate of DePaul’s College of Commerce (now known as the Driehaus College of Business), he is a true believer in the servant leadership philosophy espoused by the University.

Can you explain what your business does?

Accelerated Growth Advisors (AGA) helps entrepreneurial companies build strategic, financial, and operational infrastructure to scale. 

We’ve found that early on (the first several million in revenue) startups often focus heavily on building products and driving sales. 

They often don’t spend the time and resources needed to build a strong foundation in other parts of their business. 

AGA works with companies as they move into their second stage of growth (typically $3-$100 million in revenue). 

We ensure that these organizations have the right foundation for long-term success.

What do you enjoy most about being an entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurship means different things to different people. 

For me, it means freedom of thought.  I have the ability to think through and execute any idea, and the flexibility to allow my team to do the same. 

I don’t believe you need to be the founder of a company to be entrepreneurial. 

It’s about having the courage to think freely, and to be OK with, and in fact embrace, failure. 

Having worked in organizations of many sizes, my perspective is that professional development tends to occur faster and deeper at smaller companies. 

You are constantly put in situations where you are challenged and must think creatively.  You spend most of your time outside your comfort zone. 

I know, because I do every day.  Having worked for several global “blue-chip” advisory firms in the past, it gives me great pride knowing AGA provides a better learning environment for my team than companies a thousand times our size. 

That’s a good feeling as an entrepreneur.

How did your DePaul experience impact your career?

Like many DePaul students, I was a commuter and worked quite a bit during my years at the University. 

At the time, it was frustrating that I was not able to have the “typical” college experience. 

I look back now, and am grateful for the path I took. 

The core relationships I built during my time at DePaul still last to this day. 

The time management skills I learned juggling priorities became a crucial component of managing both my professional and personal life. 

Interestingly, my relationship with DePaul actually got stronger after starting my company five years ago. 

I began connecting with the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center and have built many great, new DePaul connections along the way.

What advice do you have for student entrepreneurs?

At AGA, we partner with some of the most accomplished entrepreneurs and investors in Chicago. 

We are also a high-growth company ourselves. 

There is a lot of learning that happens in between, so it’s hard to crystalize those experiences into one piece of advice. 

That being said, I’ll try for two:  1) Things move fast in entrepreneurial environment and there are many highs and lows. 

You shouldn’t bask too much in your successes, or harp too much on your failures.  Learn, adapt, and move on quickly. 

2) No matter what your service or product, all organizations big and small are about people. 

Focus first and foremost on selecting and developing the right people.  If you’ve got that component right, everything else will fall into place.…

Free Access to lynda.com for DePaul Community

Free Access to lynda.com for DePaul Community – Effective this fall, DePaul is pleased to announce its partnership with lynda.com to provide free access to its online training video library.

Whether you are looking to get up-to-speed with the latest software, creative, or business skills, lynda.com offers hundreds of high-quality instructional videos and courses at all levels.

Lynda Campus is now available for all DePaul faculty, staff and students.

Lynda Campus provides unlimited access to a vast online library of instructional videos covering the latest software, creative, and business skills.

Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, social media, web design, animation, photography, audio and video production, project management, and a wide range of other topics are covered.

With Lynda campus, you can watch full courses or short segments of courses at your own pace.

For more information about Lynda Campus, please visit http://software.depaul.edu/training.…

Alumni Profile: Miss Alex White

Alumni Profile: Miss Alex White

Alumni Profile: Miss Alex WhiteFrom booking agent to performer to manager, Miss Alex White is leading the way for musicians and entrepreneurs alike.

In June 2007, Alex graduated from DePaul University’s College of Commerce (now Driehaus College of Business) with a degree in Business Management and focus in Entrepreneurship.

Immediately after graduation, Alex began working hard as the Operations Manager for Busy Beaver Button Company while managing and touring the world with her band, White Mystery.

Alex’s passion for music and creativity are what continue to drive her entrepreneurial spirit every day.

Looking back, who is one professor or staff member who had a significant impact on your DePaul experience?

One DePaul staff member who had a significant impact on my experience at DePaul is Raman Chadha.

During my freshman year, Raman learned from one of my other DePaul professors that I started my own record label after I had used it as a case study for a class project.

After Raman heard about this, he sought me out, introduced himself, and invited me to come talk to him.

Raman quickly became my mentor; he guided me as I began to explore entrepreneurship, introduced me to the William G. McGowan scholarship, which I won my senior year,

and invited me to become an Advisory Board Member of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center.

Raman and I continued to work with one another on the direction and outreach of the Coleman Center after I graduated from DePaul.

What was your first job out of college?

My first job out of college was very cool!

I was the Operations Manager for Busy Beaver Button Company.

Busy Beaver is a woman-owned, independent business in Chicago that makes custom buttons for bands, companies like IBM, Microsoft, and more.

I remember that I was on a plane to Europe with my band on Graduation Day, and the day I returned, I started working as the Operations Manager.

During my time at Busy Beaver, I was profiled in DePaul Magazine for my work and for contributing to the growth of the company from a small business to a profitable company.

That sounds like a great entrepreneurial experience! What is your current job, and is it related to entrepreneurship as well?

Yes, I call myself a Musician Entrepreneur.

I play guitar and sing in a band, White Mystery, with my brother, Francis White.

I also manage the licensing of music, movies, and commercials, booking tours world-wide, social media outreach, finances, accounting, and marketing for the band.

I get to play the part of the performer and the entrepreneur!

How did you get the idea to expand your band into a business?

I played in bands for many years – since high school – and at the time major record labels were pursuing me.

Although that sounds cool, I decided it would be a lot cooler to start my own label.

That way, I would have control over the music and the image, rather than having a major label dictate the direction of creativity for me.

So, in 2002, I started a record label in reaction to the changing music industry, which was being majorly affected by technology and the Internet at the time.

The way that I manage my label’s consistency is through releasing vinyl and making desirable releases that are musical and artistic.

Do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

One very important piece of advice is to act on impulse.

If you have an idea and a plan, there is no use in waiting.

Pursue your idea, run with it, and don’t wait!

If you are in the workforce, and you have an idea for a new software or product, and you are the kind of person who can develop it – go for it!

Don’t wait for someone else to do it for you. As an entrepreneur, you must live in the moment.

Another piece of advice that I have is to follow up and always say thank you.

Following up is a key to success. Someone who rejects you today might have a willing ear in 6 months – or less!

People who have ideas, advice, or money are people you should always continue to follow up with.

It is very important to develop relationships with people who can help your idea prosper.

Thanking is another very important key to success.

This idea really follows the DePaul philosophy of Vincentian Service, being a good citizen, and being ethical.

I believe that in finding success in entrepreneurship, it is essential to be thankful for everything.

For example, my band, White Mystery, is currently the face of a new Levi’s campaign, which we are really enjoying!

This opportunity did not come out of the blue, however; it was the result of many conversations—many of which were following up and thanking.…

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