In the News

Below is a sampling of articles and news from the print media and Internet about entrepreneurship, featuring Chicago GSB faculty, alumni, and students.

For more entrepreneurship news, check out Event Coverage and our newsletter, the New Venture News.

Tiny Detergent Maker Scores Big as U.S. Sponsor
The Wall Street Journal, August 11, 2008
Mark Konjevod, '07 (XP-76), founder of WIN Products Inc. talks about the growth of his company and how it became the official detergent of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Read article.

Picking Winners
Economist.com, May 27, 2008
Research from Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance, is featured in this article about whether investors should bet on the jockey (the management team) or the horse (the business). Read article.

Leaving Kraft Singles Behind, She's Doing it Her Whey
BusinessWeek Chicago, May 2008
Daphne Mazarakis, '99, who recently left Kraft Foods to start her own line of yogurt with whey protein, is featured in the Fresh Entrepreneurs section of the magazine. Her Evanston-based start-up Tula Foods plans to launch its Better Whey products this summer in Chicago. Read article.

Tolan's Way
Crain's Chicago Business, March 3, 2008
Mary Tolan, '92, CEO of Accretive Health, is featured in this cover story about her efforts to grow Accretive into a $250 million company from scratch over four years. Read article.

Have 2 firms? Make sure they relate
Chicago Tribune, February 11, 2008
Linda Darragh, Polsky Center director of entrepreneurship programs and adjunct associate professor of entrepreneurship, and Scott Meadow, clinical professor of entrepreneurship, offer their advice to anyone contemplating taking on two start-up ventures. Read article.

When opportunity calls
Crains, February 11, 2008
Ellen Rudnick, '73, Polsky Center executive director and clinical professor of entrepreneurship, provides helpful input to those looking to sell their business. Read article.

LiquidTalk makes solid gains
Chicago Tribune, February 3, 2008
2006 New Venture Challenge participating company LiquidTalk, co-founded by Dan Anderson, '94, is featured for its growth and recent milestones. Read article.

Kauffman Foundation Announces 2008 Entrepreneurship Dissertation Fellows
Kauffman Foundation Press Release, January 2, 2008
GSB doctoral student Erez Yoeli was one of 16 recipients of the 2007-08 Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship and will receive $20,000 for his dissertation "Business Networking in Silicon Valley." Read press release.

Deciding how to grow through acquisition
Fortune Small Business, December 21, 2007
Ellen Rudnick, '73, Polsky Center executive director and clinical professor of entrepreneurship, offers helpful suggestions to a real estate business owner who wants to grow by buying. Read article.

Midwest firms looking to ride the wave of VC investment in clean tech
Medill Reports, December 4, 2007
The Polsky Center's highly successful Midwest Alternative Energy Venture Forum is featured in this article about the growth of the clean technology industry throughout the Midwest. Read article.

U. of C.'s Kaplan helps boost entrepreneurs
Chicago Sun-Times, November 30, 2007
Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance, received the 2007 Richard J. Daley Medal from the Illinois Venture Capital Association.

Putting the wind in Windy City
Crain's Chicago Business, November 19, 2007
Michael P. Polsky's, '87 company Invenergy LLC is featured for its investments in renewable energy resources. Read article.

Tough CEOs often most successful, a study finds
Wall Street Journal, November 19, 2007
Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance, talks about his research along with Morten Sorensen, assistant professor of finance and Mark Klebanov, PhD candidate in finance, about the most successful traits for CEOs. Read article.

Is it too good to be true? Start-ups find first pitch of improved technology hard sell
Chicago Tribune, November 12, 2007
Linda Darragh, Polsky Center director of entrepreneurship programs and adjunct associate professor of entrepreneurship, comments on the challenges and opportunities faced by tech-based start-ups. Read article.

Look to outsiders to help you steer
Chicago Tribune, November 5, 2007
James E. Schrager, clinical professor of entrepreneurship and strategic management, provides insight into the benefits of an advisory board to small businesses.

Illinois Venture Capital Association Q&A with Steve Kaplan
IVCA Newsletter, October 24, 2007
Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance is interviewed about venture capital and private equity. Read newsletter article.

Cash is king, survey confirms
Wall Street Journal, September 27, 2007
Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance, talks about his research along with KPMG regarding the use of cash to finance acquisitions versus stock transactions. Read article.

Steven Kaplan Testifies Before House Financial Services Committee
Wall Street Journal, March 8, 2007
Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance, testified on The "Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act." Read GSBnews.

Chicago GSB Team Wins Regional VCIC
Venture Capital Investment Competition, February 10, 2007
Chicago GSB students Mark Buchanan, Sam Kruger, Richard McCormack, Jason Starr, and Vineeth Subramanyam won the prestigious VCIC central regional competition that puts business school students in the shoes of venture capitalists. The team will compete in the international finals April 12-14.

A Startup that Puts Teenagers to the Test
Financial Times, October 26, 2006
Alumnus Karan Goel, '06, on the founding of his college prep company, PrepMe.com. Read article.

Austin Ventures Expands Partner Team
Austin Ventures Press Release, Business Wire, October 24, 2006
Alumnus Phillip Siegel, '88, promoted to partner at Austin Ventures.

Listen to Criticism--That Is if You Find It
Chicago Tribune, October 16, 2006
Alumnus Russ Rosenzweig, '00, CEO of the Roundtable Group Inc., discusses at the end of the article the importance of joining peer-to-peer entrepreneurial groups.

Big School Experience
Crain's Chicago Business, October 16, 2006
Alumnus Sol Kanthack, '00, CEO of Brightroom Inc., answers questions about the reputation of the University of Chicago and how it has positively affected his career. Read article.

Second Acts: From High Finance to Ravioli
US News & World Report, October 1, 2006
Alumnus Timothy Sheerer, '88, former Merrill Lynch executive, gave up his high-paying career in New York City to open a family restaurant in Pittsburgh.
Read article.

Form Follows Function:
What's the Best Way to Structure Your Small Business?
Crain's Chicago Business, August 29, 2006
Waverly Deutsch, clinical professor of entrepreneurship, proposes several ideas for small business owners to consider when they set up their companies, including exit strategy, investors, and control.

Time to Get Plugged In?
Crain's Chicago Business, August 14, 2006
Alumnus Jon Morris, '05, founder of Internet Marketing Initiative, and a New Venture Challenge finalist, comments on the importance of small businesses to be web savvy.

Private Equity's Barbarians Are on Top - for Now
Fortune magazine, August 8, 2006
Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance, comments on the cyclical state of the private equity industry. Read article.

Their Deal Is Meals on Wheels
Chicago Reader, August 4, 2006
Evening student Matthew Maloney and his partner Mike Evans from GrubHub.com talk about their New Venture Challenge win and how their new company is taking off. Read article.

Biz U: Game Plans
Entrepreneur magazine, August 2006
Waverly Deutsch, clinical professor of entrepreneurship, comments on the game that she developed to simulate real-life business situations. Deutsch also is pictured in the magazine.

Steven C. Preston Is Sworn in as Administrator of SBA
U.S. Small Business Administration press release, July 11, 2006
Alumnus Steven C. Preston, '85, was sworn in July 10, 2006, and is the 22nd administrator of the SBA.

Where New Thinking Is the Only Option
Crain’s Chicago, June 12, 2006
Linda Darragh, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, comments on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), a leader in the futures trading industry, in an article about the CME’s entrepreneurial nature.

Turning a Good Idea into Business
Chicago Sun-Times, May 16, 2006
Waverly Deutsch, clinical professor of entrepreneurship, cites three mistakes entrepreneurs make when marketing their products: letting someone else do the selling; sticking with the same distribution channels throughout a product’s lifecycle; and underestimating the role of luck.

For the Little Guy, Internet Is Leveling the Field
Chicago Sun-Times, May 16, 2006
James E. Schrager, clinical professor of entrepreneurship and strategic management, says “technology has broken down the barriers” for small businesses competing with larger ones.

We’ve got the Horses; it’s Jockeys We Need
Chicago Sun-Times, April 3, 2006
Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance, discusses with columnist Michael Krauss, AB ’75, MBA ’76, research Kaplan conducted and will present to the National Venture Capital Association luncheon.

Private Inequity
Forbes magazine, March 13, 2006
Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Professor of entrepreneurship and finance, cites research statistics about buyout funds from 1980 to 2001.