2007.09.24: September 24, 2007: Headlines: COS - Iran: Business: Entrepreneurship: The Indianapolis Star: For more than two decades, Iran RPCV Larry Farrell has traveled the globe spreading his message of entrepreneurship
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2007.09.24: September 24, 2007: Headlines: COS - Iran: Business: Entrepreneurship: The Indianapolis Star: For more than two decades, Iran RPCV Larry Farrell has traveled the globe spreading his message of entrepreneurship
For more than two decades, Iran RPCV Larry Farrell has traveled the globe spreading his message of entrepreneurship
That passion has placed him before government audiences in China, Brazil and elsewhere, in the halls of major corporations such as Citibank and Coca-Cola, and even in humbler places such as the Yavapai-Apache reservation in central Arizona. The former American Express vice president and Peace Corps volunteer spoke proudly last week of his efforts to help American Indian entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.
For more than two decades, Iran RPCV Larry Farrell has traveled the globe spreading his message of entrepreneurship
He wrote the book on entrepreneurship
Larry Farrell to share tips on starting a business at awards event for Indy's 'Best and Brightest'
By Dwight Adams
For more than two decades, Larry Farrell has traveled the globe spreading his message of entrepreneurship.
That passion has placed him before government audiences in China, Brazil and elsewhere, in the halls of major corporations such as Citibank and Coca-Cola, and even in humbler places such as the Yavapai-Apache reservation in central Arizona.
The former American Express vice president and Peace Corps volunteer spoke proudly last week of his efforts to help American Indian entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.
"They are looking for ways to invest their money," Farrell said of his latest clients. "The idea of creating tribal-based enterprises is very appealing to them."
The author of "Entrepreneurial Age," Farrell will bring his homespun knowledge and inspirational message to Indianapolis on Thursday, when he serves as the keynote speaker at the fourth annual Indy's Best and Brightest awards sponsored by Junior Achievement of Central Indiana.
"We were really impressed with his message and excited to bring him here," said Jeff Miller, president and chief executive of the local JA chapter. He noted that billionaire entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban spoke last year.
The event has grown from 500 attendees in 2004 to more than 800 signed up so far this year. Instead of being held Downtown, however, Thursday's event will be at the One West building, part of Duke Realty's Parkwood West complex at 96th and Meridian streets.
The event honors 100 of the region's top young professionals age 40 or younger -- 10 finalists from each of 10 key regional industries -- who are nominated by peers based on their professional accomplishments, leadership qualities and strength of character.
One winner is chosen from each industry category. Those winners can participate in the Lacey Leadership Program and also are invited to attend the induction ceremony for the Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame on Feb. 21.
"We want to find the next generation of business leaders and encourage them to get involved," Miller said of the rationale behind the awards program. "We want people to look at community service in a different way."
One person who certainly has "gotten the message" is Ron Brumbarger.
The president and chief executive of Bitwise Solutions, a Carmel-based Web services company, was a Best and Brightest winner in the technology category last year. This year he's the event chairman.
"Whether you win or not, for the finalists to be recognized as one of the brightest in their community is a big deal," Brumbarger said. "It's good for their careers and good for their organizations to have someone who has gotten that kind of notice."
As the chief organizer, Brumbarger said he has enjoyed meeting some of the youths participating in Junior Achievement programs, which benefit from the event.
Last year, 80,000 students in Indiana experienced some contact with JA programs, Miller said, and 1.6 million instructional hours were provided.
It's that kind of success that persuaded Larry Farrell to get involved with Junior Achievement in a big way late in 2004, when the national organization asked him to help rewrite its curriculum to focus more on entrepreneurialism. Some of his ideas now are being taught to middle school and high school students nationwide.
Farrell likes to share his wisdom with students, including his belief that entrepreneurship is the "ultimate meritocracy" that can take someone's business idea and allow him or her to become a success regardless of parentage or start in life.
He also makes the point that to run a successful business any entrepreneur, big or small, needs to have a passion for his or her chosen work beyond just the money-making and learn to create a product or deliver a service that the world wants to buy.
"The two most respected words to any entrepreneur are customer and product," Farrell said. "You've got to first put something of value on the table. Then you can commercialize it."
Call Business Special Pages Editor Dwight Adams at (317) 444-6532.
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Headlines: September, 2007; Peace Corps Iran; Directory of Iran RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Iran RPCVs; Business; Entrepreneurship
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Story Source: The Indianapolis Star
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Iran; Business; Entrepreneurship
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