Entrepreneurship Unplugged continued its fourth week of chats with TU faculty entrepreneur Ziying Tang, an Assistant Professor from the Computer Science Department at Towson University.
Tang is the principal inspector on a $40,000 grant to build a mobile application for helping improve the livelihood of stroke survivors. With extensive experience building products, Tang’s biggest advice was, “Protect yourself.”
“You have good ideas,” Tang said, “but they can easily be copied by others, especially the technically related ideas.”
Of her many recommendations, Tang suggested that one way to protect yourself is to have a non-disclosure agreement. Thus, when approaching a big company—or anyone—they sign the nondisclosure agreement, making it illegal for them to steal your idea.
Providing students with personalized advice and encouragement, Tang also touched on the importance of having a strategy when it comes to executing entrepreneurial idea.
“You have to have some kind of business plan,” she explained. Because “you need money” to really get an idea or product commercialized and on the market. A solid business plan will make one more marketable to sponsors and investors as well.
“You have to give them a plan that’s convincing so that you’ll get the money,” said Tang.
Next week’s Entrepreneurial Unplugged event will be held March 7 at Smith Hall in room 420. Serial entrepreneur and Founder of Launch Academy will be talking about “Building Successful Startup Teams.” Get more information about Entrepreneurship Unplugged events here.