Instructor Resource
Neck, Entrepreneurship, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Case Notes
Chapter 2: Practicing Entrepreneurship
Dr. Jordan Jensen: Writer, Speaker, & Entrepreneur
Summary
The story of Dr. Jordan Jensen provides a portrait of an a-typical entrepreneur, illustrating the
point emphasized in this text that entrepreneurs come in a lot of different “shapes” and “sizes”
to realize their dreams in a variety of ways. While traditional entrepreneurs typically develop
and/or find a way to effectively market and sell a product or service, Jensen found a way to
Analysis
Dr. Jordan Jensen’s personal narrative provides a fascinating vignette into the creation
viewpoint of entrepreneurship. Jensen did not pursue a predictive, much less a proven,
pathway to success. Rather, through self-awareness and a great deal of focus and hard work, he
was able to create a wonderful life and career for himself despite much ambiguity and
uncertainty along the way. And the best part is that his design centered around two of his
favorite professional activities: speaking and writing.
In realizing his goals and obtaining his success, Jensen utilized all five of the most important
skills in the practice of entrepreneurship (play, experimentation, empathy, creativity, and
Jensen’s unorthodox entrepreneurial journey is a good example of method entrepreneurship
over process entrepreneurship. There was no clear “process” that Jensen followed to become a
paid professional speaker and win the heart of his wife. However, by approaching his goals
Instructor Resource
Neck, Entrepreneurship, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Sample Answers to Case Questions
Please include the questions along with the sample answers.
1. What are some ways in which you have already applied an entrepreneurial spirit to
personal or professional activities you have undertaken in the past (whether or not
earning money was involved)?
2. What professional activities do you find most engaging and rewarding?
3. What are some preliminary steps you could start taking to apply an entrepreneurial
spirit to these activities?
4. Jordan Jensen took advantage of opportunities in his life. Can you think of an
opportunity in the past year or so that you chose to pass up? Was passing up this
opportunity a wise decision? Why or why not?
5. What opportunities are presently available to you that taking advantage of might
bolster additional entrepreneurial opportunities in the future?