Economics Homework Help

Interview an entrepreneur about starting their business. You can interview anyone that started a business, you can interview someone you know, or you can find a start up founder in a field that you are interested in and interview them. The business does not have to have been successful. Do not be shy, most people love to talk about themselves and their work. Also most people are happy to talk to students, it makes them feel young and important.

WHAT TO COVER IN THE INTERVIEW

I want you to hear about starting their business in general, but pay close attention to how the institutions of the US helped or hindered them. For example—

How did their education/ experience help them start the business?

Were they able to find skilled workers?

1. Did they need to borrow money, how easy was it to raise the funds tostart the business?
2. How difficult was the bureaucracy to start the business, how long did ittake to fill out all the forms and deal with the government?
3. Did they have open access to the market or did their competitors haveunfair advantages?
4. Is their idea/product protected or are they concerned someone will stealtheir idea?
5. Why did they start the business? To make money or do they think theirproduct will improve people’s lives?
6. Could they have started the business anywhere or is the US special insome way?
7. Please summarize the business and its origin. Discuss the business from inception to the end/present. At each point in the business’s growth/decline, be sure to identify the institutions that helped or hindered them in that growth/decline. In the end you should conclude whether the institutional framework in the US (or country of origin) on the whole helped or hindered the business.