Self-taught Or By The Book? Dr. John Torrens on Business Education

Self-Taught Or By The Book? Dr. John Torrens on Business Education

Research shows that a majority of the jobs that will exist in the next decade were not even invented five years ago. So if you're a young entrepreneur, how do you know where to start? What skills do you need to get some skin in the game? The future of work will change the nature of business education, so in today’s episode, we’re hitting the books with our guest Dr. John Torrens.

John is an award-winning professor at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management; he has been teaching, mentoring, and coaching entrepreneurs for 15 years. A perfect blend of business and education, John has also built two successful speech therapy practices. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Sprout Therapy Group, a multidisciplinary practice providing speech-language and specialized physical therapy for infants and children.

From his own entrepreneurial path to the core skills that emerging leaders will need today, John takes us on a journey to build the future of entrepreneurship. Together, we answer fundamental questions like: what practices are gaining traction in MBAs across the board? Where should we look for new opportunities? And what can we expect from the next generation of founders?

Take out your notebooks and get ready for a lesson in business education with Ari and John.

Highlights:

John’s background and professional journey (2:43)
Early experiences with talent recruitment (4:27)
“Every course I took, I used my business as the lab experiment.” (6:54)
Business Education: from “doing” to teaching (8:14)
A new growth mindset for entrepreneurship (9:56)
Learning from the next generation of entrepreneurs (11:28)
Current changes in cultural vision (13:52)
Enhancing well-being as a risk-mitigation strategy (16:08)
How ADHD changed John’s approach to leadership (18:03)
Encouraging entrepreneurial ideas inside your company (21:25)
“Entrepreneurship is opportunity driven, not resource constrained” (22:47)
Education through network building (24:17)

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If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, [email protected] or [email protected].

Read the full show transcript.

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Meet the Host

Ari Marin, SVP, Family Enterprise Advisor, Cadence Asset Management & Trust and the new host of Cadence Bank’s In Good Companies (IGC) podcast, says his idea of “good company” is being around creative, insightful people who enjoy sharing personal stories about the things that helped make them successful.

From 9 to 5, Marin is a Cadence Bank senior vice president and family wealth strategist, whose specialty is consulting with family-owned and small businesses. Now, he’s squeezing in IGC hosting duties, bringing in a new voice and fresh perspectives.

As a lawyer with a master’s in taxation from Villanova, Marin holds his own in the business world. But hosting IGC gives him a new way of engaging with entrepreneurs and experts to learn smart ideas and new ways of doing things.

Outside the office, Marin is a history fan and podcast aficionado who loves reading and exercising with his two dogs: Friday–aka “the angel”--and Mahla, the stubborn Shih Tzu with selective hearing.

Meet the Speaker

Dr. John Torrens is an award-winning Professor of Entrepreneurial practice and three-time Inc. 5000 entrepreneur. He is healthcare and education entrepreneur with 25 years leading high-growth companies with experience in developing high-performing teams, raising capital, and both buy/sell side M&A.

Dr. Torrens is a faculty member of the Syracuse University Whitman School of Management’s Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises and President of Sprout Therapy Group. He is also an early-stage investor in companies spanning cannabis to health tech AI. He is a frequent guest speaker and executive education instructor in the areas of entrepreneurship, strategy, and corporate innovation. Dr. Torrens is a TEDx speaker (ADHD as an Entrepreneur’s Superpower), and author of the book Lightning in a Bottle: How Entrepreneurs Can Harness Their ADHD to Win. He is an active member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and served in multiple volunteer leadership positions including a term on the International Board of Directors (2013-2015).

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