An added perk to enrolling in the Cicero-North Syracuse High School’s entrepreneurship class is the hands-on experience the students will acquire, according to Linda Dwyer, C-NS business teacher of 16 years.
One of the more recent field trips for the business students was a visit to the Dinosaur Bar-B-Q, located at 246 W. Willow St., Syracuse. There is also a Dinosaur location in Rochester and New York City.
The Syracuse location, owned by John Stage, has been in business since 1988 at the very same Willow Street location. Stage met with the 80 students in the entrepreneurship class Wednesday morning Nov. 18 at his restaurant to host a question and answer session. The students also enjoyed lunch at the barbecue joint.
This high school class is like no other for a few reasons. Teamed up with Syracuse University, students that complete the course will earn four equivalent college credits that they will receive in an SU transcript at the end of the year. The credits can be transferred to any higher education institution.
C-NS is also the only school in the state to be a part of the Syracuse University Project Advance program that involves college credit earning opportunities, according to Dwyer.
The high school curriculum has recently been reorganized to better reflect that of the university’s. During this past summer, Dwyer said the high school and the university worked together to make sure that the books and materials being used for both classes were the same.
SU professors also visit the high school classes to give added instruction throughout the year.
“The partnership with SU is really great,” Dwyer said.
The only difference is that the high school students have an entire school year to cover the material, while the SU students complete the same entrepreneurship class in one semester.
“They love the class because it’s interactive,” Dwyer said. “It helps them learn that there are a lot of good ideas out there, but not all ideas become viable business ideas.”
Students research and explore all aspects of starting their own business during the class and acquire better understanding of what a real-life business would entail, Dwyer said. The ultimate goal is to create a full-fledged business plan as a final project for the class.
Because of trips like the one made to the Dinosaur Bar-B-Q, Dwyer said the students have told her how much they enjoy the connection to local business owners.
In preparation for the restaurant visit, students were responsible for researching the Syracuse business and compiling possible questions to ask at the Nov. 18 session. The next day, Dwyer said she debriefed the students and answered further questions they had.
The students also chose between writing a report on the visit or creating a video presentation or brochures to fully frame the entrepreneurial process.
While at the Dinosaur, students asked owner Stage what it was like to start his own business and how his job responsibilities have changed over the years.
“I always had a hustle about me and an entrepreneurial spirit,” Stage said.
Stage told the students about how he and a few friends thought of the idea more than 20 years ago. They wanted to start a “motorcycle-barbecue hangout,” and how they woke up the next day and it still in fact sounded like a good idea, Stage said.
Stage admitted to the class that he and his friends didn’t have a “sophisticated business plan” when they first made efforts to make their idea, a reality.
“It was not the best plan…it was a disaster,” Stage said. He laughed about the fact that he never thought of making a plan at the time, but now he plans otherwise.
“Any caper I get involved in now, I have a plan,” Stage said.
Dwyer chimed in and said that she and the class had indeed reviewed well-thought business plans, but that they are all aware of some big names that are out there today that were born on little to no business planning.
Stage said that his role in the business is very different today than it was some 20 years ago. At first, Stage said he was taking the orders, cooking the food, delivering the food and handling money, all at the same time. Today, the Dinosaur employs more than 500 employees within the three New York State locations.
“Now, I delegate a lot better,” Stage said. “I put better people in the jobs I use to do.”
As the years have gone by, Stage said he has grown with the business and keeps going because he “loves the restaurant business.”
Becoming self-employed was an important part of Stage’s career life as he entered the world of entrepreneurship.
“I was never a good employee working for someone else,” Stage said. “I enjoy what I do.”
Next on the class schedule
Students will begin to explore business partnerships as they visit Funk’n Waffles located at 727 S. Crouse Ave. No. 8 in Syracuse. This project is made possible through the C-NS Career Center and Ellie Peavey’s direction.
The class will create a marketing strategy to invite community members to a Jan. 17 event to be hosted by the students at Funk’n Waffles.
Dwyer said the students will meet with the owners a few times before the actual event. They will be responsible for hiring entertainment, alerting the media and running the shop.
Owners Adam Gold and Kyle Corea will show the students how each position at the shop works since it will be their show to run come January.
