FAQ

Got questions? We have the answers. Our mission is to equip students and entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills to awaken their entrepreneurial spirit, explore opportunities, launch and grow ventures, and make successful transitions.

General Questions

What does the Center for Entrepreneurship do?

The Center is an entrepreneurship support organization and outreach center at CSUF that offers consulting services, educational programs, and resources for students, businesses, and entrepreneurs throughout Southern California. It is a part of CSUF’s highly acclaimed CSUF College of Business and Economics, consistently ranked among the top academic programs in the U.S.

What is the purpose of the Center for Entrepreneurship?

Our mission is to equip students and entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills to awaken their entrepreneurial spirit, explore opportunities, launch and grow ventures, and make successful transitions.

What are your hours?

The Center is open Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5:00 pm.

Contact us at (657) 278-3464 or by email at entrepreneurship@fullerton.edu.

Where are you located?

We are on the third floor in room 3280. Our address:

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON
CSUF College of Business and Economics
Center for Entrepreneurship, SGMH-3280
800 N. State College Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92831

Prospective Undergraduate Students

Does CSUF offer a major or a minor in Entrepreneurship?

CSUF offers a concentration in Entrepreneurship to MBA and undergraduate students who major in Management. We also offer a minor in Entrepreneurship. For more information, please consult your academic advisor or drop by the Center.

Do you write business plans?

If you are a current CSUF student, we will coach you through the process of writing a business plan.

Can you introduce me to investors?

The Center has relationships within the angel investor community and offers events, programs, and services to help prepare for and meet angel investors. Contact the Center.

Can you help with copywriting and trademark laws?

Please visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark office or an intellectual property attorney for more information about copywriting, trademarks, or patent information.

It appears that there is only one or two Entrepreneurship courses offered each semester, what should I take?

Since Entrepreneurship courses do not have their own prefix, the courses are sometimes hard to find in the schedule. But if you look in the right departments, you’ll see that we offer all six of the Entrepreneurship courses. The six courses are:

  • Management 460 - Lean Startup
  • Management 461 - New Venture Management
    Marketing 462 - Marketing for Entrepreneurs
    Accounting 463 - Financial Controls for New Ventures
    Management 464 - New Venture leadership
    Management 465-A - New Venture Creation and Funding
    Management 465-B - New Venture Launch

I still have to complete several CBE core courses. Which core courses should I take early so that I can start the Entrepreneurship concentration courses sooner?

If you plan to begin or continue course work for an Entrepreneurship concentration, please note that five of the business administration core courses are prerequisites for Entrepreneurship concentration courses. To give yourself maximum registration flexibility in the future, try to complete the five prerequisite courses ASAP. Here is the list of prerequisites:

Management 460 - Lean Startup

Prerequisites: 

Management 461 - New Venture Management
Prerequisites: ACCTG 201B and MGMT 339

Marketing 462 - Marketing for Entrepreneurs
Prerequisites: ACCTG 201B and MKTG 351

Accounting 463 - Financial Controls for New Ventures
Prerequisites: ACCTG 201B and FIN 320

Management 464 - New Venture leadership
Prerequisites: MGMT 340

How can I complete the Entrepreneurship concentration in two semesters?

CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT IS THE SOLUTION. Concurrent enrollment is OK if you receive the consent of the Entrepreneurship concentration advisor and the instructor for Management 465-A. Currently, Professor John Bradley Jackson (e-mail: jjackson@fullerton.edu) concentration advisor and the instructor for Management 465-A.

Concurrent enrollment works as follows. Management 465-A, New Venture Creation and Funding, has four prerequisites listed in the catalog, "MGMT 460, MGMT 461, MKTG 462, ACCTG 463, MGMT 464; or consent of instructor." The words "or consent of instructor" are key to planning your class schedule. Professor Jackson may give their consent to concurrent enrollment if he assesses that you can handle the challenge. If so, you may take Management 465-A if you are concurrently enrolled in two other Entrepreneurship courses (MGMT 460, MGMT 461, MKTG 462, ACCTG 463, or MGMT 464). You still must take Management 465-A before you take Management 465-B.

How can I enroll to complete the concentration in two semesters?

For example, assume you wish to start your Entrepreneurship concentration in fall semester and finish your concentration in time to walk at the following spring graduation ceremony. To do so, talk to Professor Jackson about consent to register for Management 465-A in the fall, concurrently with two other entrepreneurship courses (MGMT 461, MKTG 462, ACCTG 463, or MGMT 464). If he gives his consent and you successfully complete the fall program, in spring, you can then register for Management 465-B and the remaining two Entrepreneurship courses.

When should I ask for advice?

Be early! There is much more to the entrepreneurship concentration than the required coursework. Once Professor Jackson and/or Dr. Teckchandani get to know you, opportunities include: networking with fellow students, alumni and successful entrepreneurs; matching to mentors and advisors; avenues for adding value and making a difference in your community; and help finding funding for your new ventures.

Is the Entrepreneurship concentration right for you?

If you are not sure and want to learn how the Entrepreneurship concentration will benefit you, contact Professor John Bradley Jackson and/or Dr. Atul Teckchandani, career path advisers for the Entrepreneurship concentration at: jjackson@fullerton.edu or ateckchandani@fullerton.edu

Prospective Graduate student

Does CSUF offer a major in Entrepreneurship?

CSUF offers a concentration in Entrepreneurship to MBA and undergraduate students who major in Management. For more information, please consult your academic advisor or drop by the Center.

Current Graduate student

Does CSUF offer a major in Entrepreneurship?

CSUF offers a concentration in Entrepreneurship to MBA and undergraduate students who major in Management. For more information, please consult your academic advisor or drop by the Center.

Do you write business plans?

If you are a current CSUF student, we will coach you through the process of writing a business plan

Can you introduce me to investors?

The Center has relationships within the angel investor community and offers events, programs, and services to help prepare for and meet angel investors. Contact the Center.

Can you help with copywriting and trademark laws?

Please visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark office or an intellectual property attorney for more information about copywriting, trademarks, or patent information.

Student Consulting Help for Small Businesses

What is the Small Business Institute and how is it related to Cal State Fullerton?

The Small Business Institute (SBI) is a national program. The SBI began as a program funded by the Small Business Administration in 1972. More than 500 universities and colleges have participated in the SBI program. In 1996, the program became independent of the SBA and is currently administered by the Small Business Institute. The CSUF SBI resides within the Center for Entrepreneurship.

How does the Small Business Institute assist businesses?

The Small Business Institute is designed to strengthen the small business sector of Orange County’s free enterprise system through increasing the effectiveness and impact of small business teaching, consultation, and research. The principal way the SBI does this is by offering student consulting to smaller, fast growth businesses.

How long have you been consulting and how many companies has it served?

The Small Business Institute has been consulting businesses from Cal State Fullerton for 30 years, since 1977. To date, Cal State Fullerton’s student consulting program has served over 1,712 Orange County firms.

How do students apply the current business practices and philosophies?

The Small Business Institute program bridges the gap between subject competencies provided by business courses and real-world business needs. The student consultants provide innovative recommendations practical for today’s savvy business environment.

Why do you boast “Award-Winning” program?

With the consent of the business owner, the top consulting work from each class is sent to Small Business Institute judges that critique student work for innovative, practical recommendations. (If desired, all names and references to the business can be disguised.) Winning projects receive awards locally and nationally. Cal State Fullerton projects have been consistent winners. Many past winners have been featured in the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times.

As a business owner, what is my time commitment to the student teams & where do they consult?

Your business comes first! Student teams meet at your place of business for your convenience. The initial consulting meeting is typically 1-2 hours. Subsequent meetings average one hour. Students are required to meet with you or your key employees a minimum of 6 times during a 12-week period.

How many students perform the consulting and what is the typical student background?

Student Teams average five students from a diversity of business disciplines such as: Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Management, Economics, Entertainment and Tourism, Management Science, and Information Systems. The student consulting teams are composed of graduating seniors or MBA candidates. They work under the close supervision of their experienced faculty expert.

What is meant by an “Application Process?”

An application form, called a Request for Consulting, must be sent to the Small Business Institute. Once you submit the Request for Consulting, you will be contacted by an experienced interviewer who you will brief on your business and its needs. Your needs will then be matched with appropriate classes.

I submitted my application, what next?

An associate of the Small Business Institute will contact your business and interview you to obtain a brief description of your company’s background & needs. Your interview information plus your application will then be submitted to a class for selection by a student consulting team. In the interim, a status update will be faxed or emailed to you before the semester begins. The team leader will contact you directly when your business has been selected.

Who should use the Student Consulting?

Any business or organization facing a particular strategic challenge can benefit from Student Consulting.

When is it appropriate to hire a Student Consulting team?

Student Consulting is appropriate at any stage of business.

What is involved with the Student Consulting?

  1. Discuss the potential project with the Center staff and complete an application to determine whether it is a good fit with the program and with the students’ abilities.

  2. Client signs and returns the Request for Consulting and project fee to secure a space in the class

  3. Student teams reach out to their client and schedule an informational interview to gather project details and goals

  4. The client and team communicate on a regular basis, through meetings, email, or telephone contact

  5. Client is provided with a final document at the end of the semester.

  6. Students perform a final presentation to the client.

Volunteers

How can I get involved with the Center for Entrepreneurship?

There are many ways to “Get Involved” with the Center: become a sponsor, attend events, speak in class, receive consulting services, make a gift, or be a mentor/advisor. Contact the Center.

I am an entrepreneur and would like to speak at one of your events.

Speaking opportunities may periodically become available for Center events, panel discussions, Professor for a Day, and in the classroom. Contact the Center.

Donors

Where does my donation go?

Our non-profit program is fully self-supported and we are not subsidized in any manner. Our program was originally funded by a Small Business Administration (SBA) grant which ended in 1995 (see History of Small Business Institute for details).

How are Foundation scholarships named and how is the selection criteria established?

The major benefactor of a scholarship establishes the scholarship name. You can establish a scholarship in your own name or choose to name it for a friend, family member, or a favorite faculty member. You also aid in establishing the criteria by expressing your intentions for the award. The Foundation will draft the criteria according to your specifications and present it to you for your approval.

How are Foundation scholarships awarded?

Foundation scholarships for current students are advertised on the website and applications are collected online. Typically, a selection committee carefully reviews each application and selects the most deserving recipient(s) based on the established criteria.

Will I receive notification when a student is awarded the scholarship?

You will be notified annually when the scholarship recipient(s) has been selected. You will be informed of the name and hometown of the recipient, as well as the amount of the award and status of the fund.