FVN’s President John McDonald Featured at St. Leo University

FVN’s President John McDonald Featured at St. Leo University John McDonald, President at Facility Vendor Network, accepted an invitation to speak to an Entrepreneurship class at St. Leo University on 2/12/15. Utilizing the case study of the iRug-Ed business model, McDonald drew a real-life example of how a product or service in the entrepreneurial mind transforms from an idea into a cohesive business plan for consideration and investment.

The overriding theme of McDonald’s lecture was the importance of balancing fluidness and structure in the development of a business plan. A plan with too inflexible of a structure may be unable to adapt to changes that come up along the way. Worse yet, it may fail to recognize when changes in prototypes or financing negate the idea entirely. On the other hand, a plan with too little structure may lack focus and fail to propel the idea forward. As McDonald explained, the challenge for an entrepreneur is striking the right balance between the two. “You have to craft a roadmap to navigate through the opportunity analysis process which has enough structure to stay on track, but enough fluidity to cope with new challenges,” he said.

McDonald, a St. Leo University graduate himself, has worked as an entrepreneur and independent business consultant for over twenty years. His primary focus has been in the sports and entertainment venue industry, where he generates revenue streams through the development of commercial rights and facility sponsorships. However, he also provides outsourced sales and marketing services to a variety of clients, including hospitals, hotels, manufacturers, tech companies, and start-ups. His unique experience gave students a fresh perspective and valuable insight into the mind of an entrepreneur.