Rethinking dentistry from the mind of an entrepreneur

By Walker Flynn, MSE ’18

Can you teach entrepreneurship?

Can you create and inspire a drive in people that lights a fire in them to build something?

These are the questions I kept asking myself last year as I pondered which graduate program I would apply for.

As a member of a small family business with big aspirations, time is money, and anywhere I went to school meant a year away from my business. My family and I own a dental service organization, Flynn Dental Group. My intention has always been to eventually take over, but without a background in business, I questioned how successful could I make our dental service. Could a graduate-level degree really help me with sourcing capital, marketing or figuring out the best way to legally set up a start-up? Probably to an extent, but answering these questions is exactly what the Thomas S. Johnson Master of Science in Entrepreneurship (MSE) program was designed for.

When I stumbled upon the MSE program at University of Florida Warrington College of Business, I knew it was exactly the kind of program I wanted, but I never could have dreamed of all the things I’d be doing or the connections I’d make. The program combines the necessary educational component that you expect from a graduate degree with an arguably more important human component. The core classes cover a great swath of business content and as my graduation date looms, I look back and cannot believe how much my mind has been opened. Things like traveling with my cohort to Silicon Valley to speak with top venture capital firms, providing real life consulting to local businesses, and writing business plans that have gone on to compete in start-up competitions are all things that not only have given me incredible real-world experience, but are almost impossible to replicate in another degree program.

Next year, my company is projected to have its largest expansion since inception, and we hope to bring several new practices on board. This isn’t by accident, but instead by the careful, thoughtful, planning and strategic growth initiatives I’ve set in place and a renewed focus on our core competencies, all of which I accredit to the MSE program. My advice to potential applicants is do it and do it now. The Warrington College of Business Master of Science in Entrepreneurship program is an amazing gateway to your future in business that you don’t want to miss out on.

---

Have additional questions? Request information about the Master of Science in Entrepreneurship program. You can also reach out to Walker to learn more about his experience.