"Entrepreneurial Thinking - the Catalyst for Business Growth", was kicked off with an outstanding, insightful presentation by Alan Webber, co-founder of Fast Company magazine. According to Webber, the two most important qualities of entrepreneurship are innovation and leadership - innovation is where "a great idea meets an unmet need" and leadership is the ability to "create positive change" and master it.

Webber proposes an enormous power shift in the future, due to the Internet and the emergence of several countries:  Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC). Urging companies to hire the best people to outperform and outthink other companies, he concludes there is no such thing as "business as usual."

Kawasaki advised entrepreneurs to "jump to the next curve" by doing things ten times better and to carve a marketing niche where people are polarized - they either love or hate the firm’s product. Kawasaki described the successful products of the future as DICEE (Deep, Indulgent, Complete, Elegant and Emotive).  Driving this vision requires the entrepreneur to disregard the "bozos" who insist "it can't be done."  The audience responded to Kawasaki's remarks with a standing ovation.

The Dallas-Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership also premiered a short clip from a new, innovative pilot television program entitled "The Entrepreneurial Spirit: An American Treasure," produced by WBGU-TV, which will benefit entrepreneurial education and awareness regionally and nationally. Once the project is complete, entrepreneurial topics will be searchable by students and academic resources through the University's digital archives, known as DVSS (Digital Video Streaming System). The principal sponsor for event was J. Robert Sebo, ('58), a BGSU Board of Trustee member, with additional support from Sky Bank.