Helping entrepreneurs turn their lightbulb ideas into a bright light in the world inspires Entrepreneurship Educator Kristin Bell, who works with hundreds of students each year at Oaks Christian School and Cal Lutheran University.
“It’s incredibly inspiring to work with entrepreneurs and see their grit and determination, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to play a role in their journeys,” says Kristin, who mentors students at various stages on their journey to entrepreneurship.
“Sometimes, I meet with entrepreneurs who are on fire and excited about their idea, and their energy is electric and infectious. And other times, I meet with entrepreneurs who are stuck, defeated and pretty burnt out; and then there will be a moment in the program where something clicks, and I see their eyes light up and witness that fire reigniting. It’s such a joy to see them complete their programs having made significant progress not only on their startups, but also on their mindsets and problem-solving skills,” says Kristin, noting the “two-way learning” that takes place.
“As an instructor, my goal is for students to learn; however, the best part of my job is that I’m constantly learning from my students—which is also probably the most challenging aspect,” she says. “In any program, I could be working with an entrepreneur looking to power renewable energy with lithium-ion batteries, another developing a social platform for women over 50 and another tackling crypto self-custody. There’s never a dull or boring moment!”
In her roles as entrepreneurship educator at Oaks Christian School's Institute of Engineering, mentor to startups at Cal Lutheran University’s Executive MBA Program in Europe and program manager at Cal Lu’s Hub101, a coworking space and start-up incubator for entrepreneurs, Kristin aims to help the community flourish.
“I have a deep passion for innovation and entrepreneurship, including working with startups, investors, mentors, organizations and other integral parts. I want to continue to create and implement educational programs that nourish the local start-up community and help entrepreneurs develop their ideas,” says Kristin.
She encourages entrepreneurs to have the courage to take action, even when they don’t have all the answers.
“Be confident in your strengths, and never stop learning,” she says. “Don’t be intimidated by the things you don’t know, but rather feel encouraged by the opportunity to do things you haven’t yet done and excited by the opportunity to learn.”
As an educator, she enjoys helping entrepreneurs succeed.
“My goal is to contribute to the development of a robust start-up community in the Conejo Valley that is driven by collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking, exceptional talent and innovative technologies. It is incredibly exciting and rewarding being a part of a community that is making a significant impact in our world,” she says.
Pointing to the value of connecting with community, Kristin advises entrepreneurs to nurture their relationships.
“Your network is valuable; cultivate it, don’t underestimate it,” she says. “Consider a seed being sowed every time you meet someone, and that seed can blossom into something fruitful at any point. I’ve had connections grow from brief interactions into mentors, community members, students, business partners and other significant relationships.”
With a can-do mindset and a quality education, anyone can become a successful entrepreneur, says Kristin.
“We often hear the same handful of entrepreneurs’ names in the media: the likes of Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates … There is so much more to entrepreneurship than what we hear in the media—it’s crucial for entrepreneurs to have role models with relevant experiences, to be able to look at these success stories and think to themselves, ‘If they can do it, I can do it too.’”
To learn more about student entrepreneurship programs, visit OaksChristian.org and Hub101.org.
