Very Short Interview No. 1

The entrepreneur I interviewed is Joe Runk. He is one of the two Principals of Mission Capital, which is one of the leading boutique financial advisory firms in the country.


1. What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

"Being an entrepreneur means to be someone who is constantly creating something and thinking on your feet. As an entrepreneur, you have to have a vision and be dedicated to it. Entrepreneurship is about finding a problem or a way your business can improve a situation."

2. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? 

"I have always been someone who likes to think outside of the box and even when I was younger I knew I wanted to create something. I also wanted to work for myself doing something I love that is not always so monotonous."

3. Do you think becoming an entrepreneur is something you can learn in class?

"I think some qualities can be learned in a classroom but not all. A class can teach you how to think in a certain way and learn avenues of how to target a dream business. But I don't think all aspects of entrepreneurship can be learned in class."


I thought the interview was a very interesting experience. I enjoyed hearing about what made Joe want to become an entrepreneur and at what stage in his life he decided that. What surprised me was that he didn't think all qualities of entrepreneurship can be learned in a classroom, but he also thought that other aspects can be learned in class.