Stories & Updates

Editor's note: this is the second article in a series that  explores how the Horn Team practices entrepreneurship.

Taking stock of experiences over the last two weeks …

… No family spring break vacation in sunny, warm weather.

… Cancelled trip to Las Vegas with close friends I’ve known for more than 35 years.

… Paused daily routine of putting my daughter on the school bus and heading to the office.

… Zero spontaneous, face-to-face interaction with the people with whom I enjoy working.

… makes it clear that COVID-19 has caused stock outs in the kitchen cupboards of my life. The sugar – what I was most looking forward to – is gone. And so is the ketchup – the enjoyable, mundane staples of daily life. You’re no doubt missing similar things, and perhaps even more.

While it’s human nature to notice and feel pain from the things we’ve lost, it’s entrepreneurial nature to persist through such challenging times. Specifically, those with an entrepreneurial mindset know that if they spend enough time looking around the kitchen of their lives and experimenting, then they’ll eventually figure out how to make something great with whatever’s on hand. Here’s a partial list of ingredients I’ve found and begun to experiment with:

Dried fruits – activities that are fresher and better in-person, but can be translated into virtual formats (like meeting via Zoom) - have turned out to be surprisingly palatable (but do seem best in moderation).

Dark, leafy greens – things that are generally good for us mentally and physically – like spending time in nature, (re)connecting with family, engaging in personal care and many other activities that had been lower priorities when there was so much to worry about missing out on – now seem highly desirable, and that’s a good thing.

Frozen foods – persistent, but important items that have remained stuck on long-term to do lists – now seem like they can be taken out of cold storage and consumed thanks to a significant increase in found time (the most valuable resource of all) from not having to drive to work or spend many hours each week shuttling from place to place.

Tumeric, fenugreek and other exotic spices – new and unexplored domains of knowledge, online resources and prospective connections – are now possible to investigate, as time permits, potentially resulting in the discovery of new interests and expanded means for making a positive impact on the world.

As you take stock of the life ingredients on hand and begin to experiment, expect most of the dishes you make to taste pretty bad. The important thing is to simply keep cooking because you’ll eventually experiment and iterate your way to something that’s truly great. As always, the Horn Entrepreneurship team is available and interested in helping you in any way that we can.

Healthy 3-Ingredient Lemonade (from The Busy Baker)

About Horn Entrepreneurship

Horn Entrepreneurship serves as the University of Delaware’s creative engine for entrepreneurship education and advancement. Built and actively supported by successful entrepreneurs and thought leaders, Horn Entrepreneurship empowers aspiring innovators and entrepreneurs as they pursue new ideas for a better world.