Lessons in Entrepreneurship

Scaling a promising idea into a viable business with longevity is no easy feat. And yet, innovation is in the ethos and history of Teachers College — from faculty establishing disciplines like nutrition education to Frank W. Cyr (Ph.D. ’33) developing the yellow school bus in 1939. That spirit for discovery continues to flow through our halls and across our community partnerships, and key variables for success — like problem-solving, persistence and the ability to learn — are deeply embedded in what it means to study and graduate from TC. So it's no surprise that, among the important contributions TC alumni make across education, health, psychology and beyond, a handful of graduates forge their own paths to build something of their own. 

So what makes a successful entrepreneur? Four TC alumni who have surmounted the mountaintop in mission-driven ways across ed tech, food and fashion share their journeys with TC Today.