Welcome! As a guest panelist for Jackson's BUS 477 Dragon Panel, this page is especially for you.

Preparation

Bio and Introduction

Your time and words of wisdom mean a lot to the class. Students are very curious about your background. I like to take up to 5 minutes before we get into student pitches to introduce our guest panelists. I would also like to share your bio on this class website.

Here are the questions I like to answer:

• name, job title, employer and a bit on what you do professionally (e.g.angel investor, VC, entrepreneur, etc.)
• some of your key career accomplishments, especially as they relate to evaluating early stage technology ideas
• your academic background
• something personal to remember you by (e.g. has sailed across the Atlantic, loves to helicopter ski, has 14 children, etc.)
• best email for future contact

Please send me a short email with the key elements of your bio so I make you shine when I introduce you!

Here is the panel for 2009.

Panel Format

I aim to have 4-5 panelists. Panelists sit together at the front of the class. The student business teams go to the front of the class and present their pitch to the panel. Panelists then provide a bit of "real world" feedback to the students. Your feedback is valuable to the students as 5/12 teams that present to this panel will be nominated to present at the Ken Spencer SFU Business Plan competition for cash awards. Many of the teams enter other business plan competitons.

Students have 7 minutes for their pitch. (8 minutes including setup time.) They are given a 1 minute warning. If they go overtime, they lose grades.

Panelists have about 5 minutes in total to offer feedback. I recommend each panelist offer 2-3 points of feedback and take no more than 1 minute. If panelists go overtime, I will bark.

I am hoping to have the pitches and the feedback filmed so the students can see how they look and show Mom and Dad when they are home at Christmas. Here are last years videos.

Preparation

Panelists are selected for their professional accomplishments and community spirit. You are not expected to have read any executive summaries or have any idea of what the ventures are other than what you hear and see. It is assumed is that all you bring is an open mind and a willingness to offer a few words of adice to some budding entrepreneurs.

Your comments don't contribute to the student's presentation grade, but your feedback will help and encourage the the teams that are nominated to the business plan competiton finals.

I will give you $1,000,000 in Jackson dollars to invest. You can cut up to 5 checks or keep the money if you don't see anything you like. (If you don't invest anything, you can redeem your $1M for a beer after class!) I will collect your checks at the end of the day or you can email me your votes. I will post the names of the top 5 team presentations as you voted them on this website.

Presentation Agenda

We have structured an agenda that assumes two (2) blocks of presentations separated by a bio break. I encourage panelists and presenters to get togehter at the pub afterwards to socialize. Who knows, maybe you will want to invest in some of the ventures or hire some of the students?

Notes and suggestions:

• There is a Tim Horton's one floor down from the class.  If you arrive before 4:30, you might want to stock up on coffee

Class Demographics

The term project for this class is a business plan. During the first class, students of BUS477 and ENSC201 are required to form teams of roughly 2 business student and 4 engineering students. The technical idea must be introduced by the engineers and be approved by their instructor.

BUS477 has 24 students. All are in their 3rd or 4th year of undergraduate business studies. They have a good academic understanding of the key elements of business. This elevator pitch is worth 10% and the accompanying business plan is worth 40% of their final grade.

Directions to the Class

BUS 477 is held at the main campus of Simon Fraser University on Burnaby Mountain.  Download a detailed pdf map.

The Business School is in the West Mall Centre. Your best bet for parking is the covered West Mall Visitor parkade (M22 on the detailed map). The outdoor "N" lot (G27 on the detailed map) is also very close, but there aren't many parking spots. The lecture room is about a 5-minute walk from either parking lot.

Please aim to be at the class 10-15 minutes before your time slot. There is a Tim Horton's just opposite and down one floor from my class where you can pick up a coffee or a sandwich and catch up on some work if you arrive early.

Thank you! I look forward to seeing you in class.

Ean Jackson

Instructor, BUS 477