Accelerator University

Unemployment rates are still high and graduating with a college degree guarantees you nothing...but what's the alternative?

The current 20 something workforce has abandoned their hope in corporate America and turned to entrepreneurship. The learning curve is steep and the risk factors are high, but you do have more control than if you worked for someone else. 

When starting a business, experience is what you need. If it's your first company, you need mentors to help you avoid mistakes and advice to help you succeed. Where can you find that?

First, turn to your network. If you don't have a strong network, you better start building one. Success in your career depends on who you know, not what you know. 

If your idea has the potential to scale, now you can turn to investors. If accepted, one of the greatest learning environments in business is to be a part of an accelerator. 

An accelerator is usually a 3 - 4 month business incubator where you receive a free shared workspace and initial financial investment in exchange for a small percentage of equity in your company. Where the real value lies is with the accelerator's owners/sponsors who become your mentors. Their experience and guidance is invaluable. 

The concept of mentoring is what is lacking from the traditional education system. Listening to a professor lecture isn't how we learn. Visual or hands-on training is the best way to retain information and learn new skills. 

How much more effective would education be if mentors were assigned to each student?

It's something to seriously think about...