The Ain Team – a group of active, dedicated, and diverse student entrepreneurs – have begun to curate an accessible list of resources for fellow innovators, people just finding their interest in entrepreneurship, and anyone else who wishes to think outside the box.
Build your knowledge and find new resources.
Retire Young Retire Rich
by Robert T. Kiyosaki
recommended by Maxwell A.
Maxwell: “Want to learn about investing, borrowing, or do you want to retire early? Robert Kiyosaki lays it out for you in this book, which is part of the Rich Dad Poor Dad series.”
Tech Boss Lady
by Adriana Gascoigne
recommended by Thalia C.
Thalia: “It is empowering to read about how other women have entered and built their companies in the tech industry. This book provides a glimpse of the challenges and learnings entrepreneurs undergo while starting and running a new company.”
Rich Dad Poor Dad
by Robert T. Kiyosaki
recommended by Mazen M.
Mazen: “The Rat Race is a concept that most people are stuck in without realizing it. I highly recommend this book to people who are looking to build up the amount of money they have, especially people who are stuck in a cycle of living paycheck to paycheck.”
The 48 Laws of Power
by Robert Greene
recommended by Maxwell A.
Maxwell: “Everyone wants some level of power (some people not so much, but others grow into it). But, very few people know there are laws to attaining and/or keeping such power. Read the book!”
The Innovator’s Dilemma
by Clayton M. Christensen
recommended by Thalia C.
Thalia: “In business there is never a right answer. Read about how some companies that were industry leaders had to shift their strategy or face bankruptcy.”
Platform Revolution
by Geoffrey G. Parker, Marshall W. Van Alstyne, and Sangeet Paul Choudary
recommended by Guru P.
Guru: “The book mainly aims at understanding the various aspects of online product marketing and product growth management. It analyses different platforms to extract the key differentiators that helped them succeed. As every one of us is now moving into an ever-evolving online platform, this is a good read for those who want to work on online product management.”
7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
by Sean Covey
recommended by Lakeya C.
Lakeya: “We are people of habit. Our habits are what make us successful or keep us in a position we desire to move from. This book talks about seven ways we can improve our habits to be more successful in life. (I have applied these steps in my life and I’ve seen a significant change for the better.)”
Hit Refresh
by Satya Nadella
recommended by Guru P.
Guru: “The book Hit Refresh is an autobiography of the current CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella. In this, he talks about his life experiences growing up in India, and how aspects of playing sports such as cricket really helped his get in shape as a leader. At each obstacle he faces, he ‘hits refresh’ and moves on. It is surely a must read for those who want to understand an immigrant’s journey to running a trillion dollar company!”
The GaryVee Audio Experience
hosted by Gary Vaynerchuk
recommended by Lila B.
Lila: “The GaryVee Audio Experience, hosted by Gary Vaynerchuk (entrepreneur, CEO, investor, vlogger, and public speaker), is one of the most popular marketing and management podcasts on many podcast streaming services. Episodes vary in format and style. Listeners will hear episodes composed of #AskGaryVee Q&A with his social media followers, as well as keynote speeches on marketing and business, and segments from his DailyVee video series. Some episodes also include interviews with business leaders and ‘fireside chats’ that cover Vaynerchuck’s thoughts on new and current trends in marketing and management.”
Stanford Innovation Lab eCorner
hosted by Tina Seelig
recommended by Lila B.
Lila: “This series supplies practical tips on innovation regarding design thinking strategies and originality mined from Stanford Professor of the Practice Tina Seelig (an alum of UR!) and other experts on experimentation and creativity. Stanford Innovation Lab is particularly useful for business students in search of challenging their creativity and gaining an understanding of advanced planning.”
Women at Work (HBR)
hosted by Amy Bernstein, Amy Gallo, and Nicole Torres
recommended by Lila B.
Lila: “Women at work is a series that contains conversations directed toward women in the workplace. Episodes advise businesswomen on how to relieve stress, the importance of joining a sisterhood, and claiming credit for the recognition they deserve. This podcast is unique as it advocates for women’s rights in places of employment. By providing listeners with confidence and support, Women at Work is a podcast that encourages women to lead a business with authenticity.”
Trailblazers.FM
hosted by Stephen A. Hart
recommended by Lila B.
Lila: “Trailblazers explores stories of today’s successful black professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders. The speaker, Stephen A. Hart, is a Brand Alignment Strategist working to guide entrepreneurs through his exclusive process of building a personal brand that is “authentic, impactful and profitable.” Trailblazer’s content is very family-based as Hart puts in the effort to mention his personal life and his own experiences of how he became a millionaire through his career.
Entrepreneurial Mindset
hosted by Anthony Testa ’93
In this showcase, Anthony Testa ’93 (Managing Director at Marginomics LLC and faculty member at RIT) explores the entrepreneurial mindset and looks at the major tenets of entrepreneurship, then shares his recommendations for future reading.
Key Terms
hosted by David Mammano
David Mammano (serial entrepreneur and faculty member at the University of Rochester) shares a bit about his background and entrepreneurship at the U of R, then dives into the key terms that all entrepreneurs should be familiar with.
Networking
hosted by Sharfuz Shifat ’19
Learn about all things networking with Sharfuz Shifat ’19 (Associate Analyst at Hitachi Vantara), who covers why building relationships is so important for entrepreneurs and how to overcome networking anxiety.
UR Founder Story
with Craig Dubitsky ’87 and Fernanda Sesto ’23
Craig Dubitsky ’87 (Chief Innovation Strategist at Colgate-Palmolive) is interviewed by student entrepreneur Fernanda Sesto ’23.
UR Founder Story
with Francis Pellegrino ’22 and Theo Mambu ’20MS
Francis Pellegrino ’22 (Founder of Advanced Growing Resources, or AGR) is interviewed by student entrepreneur Theo Mambu ’20MS.
UR Founder Story
with Anik Agrawal ’14MS and Michael Giardino ’23
Anik Agrawal ’14MS (Co-Founder of BurnCal) is interviewed by student entrepreneur Michael Giardino ’23.
UR Founder Story
with Sharon Samjitsingh ’13MS and Cate Rubin-Tennies ’22S
Sharon Samjitsingh ’13MS (Co-Founder of HealthCare Originals) is interviewed by student entrepreneur Cate Rubin-Tennies ’22S.
International Student Entrepreneurship Workshop (October 2021)
Speakers: Ravi Shankar & Stephanie Krause (UR ISO), Frank Novak & Glenn Schieck (Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP), and Annette Durnack (UR Ain Center)
Resources for URMC Innovators (March 2021)
Speakers: Steven Feldon (Biomedical Research Development Office), Duncan Moore (Ain Center for Entrepreneurship), Scott Catlin (URVentures), Michael Hasselberg (UR Health Lab), Theresa Mazzullo and Rami Katz (Excell Partners), and Jim Senall (NextCorps)
Ain Workshop Series: The Art of Pitching (April 2020)
Speaker: Tom Estad (Simon Business School)
Have a question for an Ain Team member or Ain Center staff? Feel free to reach out via AinCFE@rochester.edu and we’ll be in touch!
