Profile: Tim Holcomb

Name: Tim Holcomb

Current Jobs: Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship at Miami University; Board Member at Cerkl, OROS, LockDown, Apex Sports, Akinda Co., and ReliaQuest; and Faculty Managing Director of RedHawk Ventures

City: Greater Cincinnati

Q: What is it that you do at Miami University?

Established in 1992 and ranked among the “Top 10 Public Schools for Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Studies” for 12 consecutive years by Entrepreneur Magazine and The Princeton Review®, the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship combines strong academic research and scholarship with immersive, practice-based learning opportunities for undergraduates in the areas of startup and venture capital, social entrepreneurship and impact investing, corporate innovation and technology commercialization, and creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.

Distinguishing features include small class sizes and instructors that deliver personalized learning, curricular/co-curricular programs that integrate with leading entrepreneurial ecosystems across the nation to gain practical, hands-on experience, and an interdisciplinary focus that provides students the opportunity to work in diverse teams. In short, we embed entrepreneurial thinking in every major—from business, science, engineering, and technology to the humanities and the arts.

Q: What’s a problem that you are working to solve?

One priority for the State of Ohio is to train and prepare the workforce for the challenges of the 21st century. At Miami University, we prepare graduates to be "job ready, day one" when they enter the entrepreneurial workforce. Central to the design of our undergraduate educational programs in entrepreneurship is a belief in the transformative power of “learning by doing.” Our why? To unleash the entrepreneurial mindset and ignite students’ imaginations about what’s possible, so they can find the motivation to create more entrepreneurial value and elevate their impact on society.

Q: What’s a lesson you’ve learned that has helped shaped your work?

Classical models of classroom training fall short of preparing students for a world where technology is changing at an increasing rate. At Miami, we don’t simply teach students ‘about’ entrepreneurship, we teach them to ‘do it.’ Doing requires practice, and practice requires curricular and co-curricular programs that provide experiential learning opportunities, opportunities that move students out of the classroom and into the “real world.”

We design programs that get students out of the classroom, off Miami’s campus and fully immersed in the problems they wish to solve, the innovative companies they seek to join, and the entrepreneurial ecosystems they aspire to build.

Q: What’s a trend in technology or innovation that you believe doesn’t get enough attention?

Outside of the commercialization of new technologies like AI, machine learning, AR, and VR, two marketplace advances that hold the potential for dramatic change are the rise of the gig economy and the acceptance of the on-demand marketplace by consumers. Both offer a window into how consumers will buy/sell products and services and how workers will broker and trade their talents and services in a marketplace reshaped by these trends.

Q: What’s a recent book, podcast or news story that you found interesting?

I am a big fan of Simon Sinek’s book, “Start with Why.” It’s a must-read for any entrepreneur. Sinek describes in detail how consumers think about the products and services they purchase in the marketplace, arguing that, “People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”

Q: What is your favorite place in Ohio?

The rooftop terrace at our home in Mt. Adams, which overlooks the Ohio River and downtown Cincinnati.

Q: What makes Ohio special to you?

I am a big fan of Ohio’s strong, blue collar work ethic; the open, collaborative approach to business; and a powerful, and yet not fully tapped, economy with tremendous upside potential for innovation and economic growth.

You may connect with Tim on LinkedIn here.