A Business Idea Started in the Classroom
After years of experience learning and using various languages (including studying Chinese at Thunderbird) Randall Wilson '05 had an idea about an innovative and more effective method of teaching foreign languages. Without his experience at Thunderbird, this idea might have stayed just an idea. Instead, he is working to turn it into a profitable business.


Wilson and Brown

During summer 2005, Wilson and Chris Brown '05 developed the business plan for his product, Native Speaker, in Dr. Stralser's New Venture Class. With this business plan they were able to pursue funding from a personal contact and angel investor. As the fall semester passed, Wilson and Brown, along with Todd McLauchlin '05 and Alex Hume '05 improved the business plan and the investor was able to raise money, but it was not sufficient to launch the business. The team was disappointed, each pursuing other career options, but they did not give up hope that the business would work.

That hope was rekindled when the team was selected by Dr. Stralser to represent Thunderbird at the annual business plan pitch meeting of the Arizona Angels in November 2005. In preparation for the presentation, the team received pro-bono advice from an experienced team of law, finance, and venture capital professionals in Phoenix. Wilson saw that this input was invaluable because "they knew how to see all the weaknesses and holes in our plan, and how to address them so that we could be successful." Wilson then gave a well-rehearsed three-minute presentation to the group of 300 entrepreneurs, angel investors, and venture capital firms. Afterward, the team answered questions at their booth from a steady stream of interested conference attendees, including investors, companies interested in partnerships and potential clients. Wilson described this experience as his best Thunderbird experience.

The knowledge, legitimacy, and exposure provided by this conference have helped to launch the venture. With seed capital secured, Wilson is now pursuing the launch of the business full-time, and the other members of the team are helping as consultants. Wilson's Chinese professor, Dr. Kuo, is also providing her tremendous language expertise to capitalize on the huge language learning possibilities in China. Success has many facets, but Thunderbird played an integral part in launching this business by facilitating the knowledge, relationships, and experience necessary for its success.