Pointing the way

• By SMILEY ANDERS
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Apr 27, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Mark Weaver is looking for passionate people.

Passionate, that is, about running their own businesses.

“The key word is passion,” said the director of LSU’s Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute. “Are you willing to work 16- to 20-hour days, and be the manager, assistant manager, janitor, delivery person, clerk, etc.? Do you care about the business that much?

“Starting a new business is a tough thing to do. We can help turn your passion into a profitable enterprise — but if it’s not your passion, you won’t make it six months.”

Weaver doesn’t discuss market trends or advise budding entrepreneurs on what kind of business to enter: “Tell me, would you do it for free? Do you love it? Then we can talk about the business.”

And when he talks of businesses, he doesn’t mean just those that occupy a storefront to sell widgets.

“Ten years down the line, musicians, artists and dancers, who never thought about business courses, find themselves in service businesses — running bands, galleries, dance studios — without the training to make them profitable,” he said.

“It takes knowledge of business methods to organize a band and keep it on the road, or to be an independent contractor in the arts.”

Weaver said a minor in entrepreneurship would benefit a student in any field.

He doesn’t have to recruit students — “they’re self-selected, with the entrepreneur’s mindset. They think differently, not seeing barriers but opportunities, ways to solve problems.”

In other words, Weaver said, they think like him.

“I’m a terrible employee. I prefer to do it my way.”

Weaver bristles at the mention of the conventional wisdom that 80 percent of new businesses fail in the first five years.