Successful Entrepreneur and Author Jeff Hoffman Comes to Smith through Dingman Center Speaker Series

The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship is pleased to announce that noted entrepreneur and speaker Jeff Hoffman will be speaking at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business on April 20, 2017, as part of its Dingman Center Speaker Series. The series aims to inspire students by featuring successful business figures who have used an entrepreneurial mindset to advance their careers. Previously, the Dingman Center Speaker Series featured Sean Skelley, the intrapreneur who founded Best Buy’s Geek Squad, and Smith alumnus Andy Enfield, the head coach of the USC Trojan’s men’s basketball team.

Hoffman is a serial entrepreneur (Priceline, uBid, ColorJar). His curious and entrepreneurial way of thinking, outlined in TEDx talks such as “The Power of Wonder,” has given him a framework to traverse multiple industries with ease. In addition to his career as an entrepreneur and CEO, he is the author of Scale: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life Back, and has worked both as a film producer and a music producer.

Dingman Center Executive Director Elana Fine and Associate Director Holly DeArmond connected with Hoffman when he was a keynote speaker at the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers Conference (GCEC) last October. Fine and DeArmond were struck by Hoffman’s ability to distil the essence of an entrepreneurial mindset in a way that is both approachable and inspiring. Fine remarked, “A lot of people come to see a speaker to feel inspired by their success as an entrepreneur, but Jeff will empower our students to solve problems they face every day."

She went on to explain that Hoffman’s approach reframes the notion of entrepreneurship for someone who has not started their journey.

“He will inspire our students to go find an idea in daily life and think like an entrepreneur, even if they aren't an entrepreneur yet,” said Fine.

While Hoffman is asked to speak globally to successful professionals about his experiences in entrepreneurship, he is looking forward to speaking to and connecting with University of Maryland students.

"We can't introduce entrepreneurship early enough to students, because entrepreneurship is a mindset, not a job,” said Hoffman. “It's the skill set of change and self-determination, and entrepreneurial skills enable students to design their own futures and control their destiny."

Hoffman will be speaking on April 20 from 6-7 p.m. in Frank Auditorium located in Van Munching Hall. The speech will be followed by a 10-minute Q&A. Register now to attend the event.