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Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship & Business Ethics

»Mentor Programs Entrepreneurs in Residence – EIRs 

The Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship offers a two-tiered Mentorship Program. First, we have hundreds of mentors who have volunteered to be accessible to entrepreneurs on an ad hoc basis. Entrepreneurs may send an email to entrepreneurs@chapman.edu to request a mentor. The Center staff will match you with a mentor who background and experience best match your business needs. 

The other level is a team of volunteer mentors who act as Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) who host ‘office hours’ in the Center to provide you with guidance in an unstructured fashion.  

We have EIR office hours by the most frequently asked questions including: 

Innovative Ideas and Market Validation 

  • Is my business idea viable? 
  • Who is my target market? 
  • How do I validate my business idea? 
  • What problem does my product or service solve? 
  • Who are my competitors, and how can I differentiate my offering? 

Product Design and Development  

  • What are the best practices for designing my product? 
  • Should I build a minimum viable product (MVP) first? 
  • How do I create a product roadmap? 
  • What development methodology (e.g., Agile, Waterfall) should I use? 
  • How do I find and work with product designers and developers? 

Funding and Financial Management 

  • How much capital do I need to start my business? 
  • Where can I find investors or funding sources? 
  • How do I create a financial forecast? 
  • What are the best practices for managing cash flow? 
  • How do I price my products or services? 

Marketing and Branding 

  • How do I create an effective marketing plan? 
  • What are the best channels to reach my target audience? 
  • How do I build a brand? 

Growth and Scaling 

  • How do I acquire and retain customers? 
  • What sales strategies should I use to grow my business? 
  • How do I scale my business effectively? 
  • What strategies can I use to drive sustainable growth? 
  • How do I measure and analyze my business performance? 

 

If you wish to request a mentor, please fill out this form:  

Request a Mentor 

 

Onsite Mentors 


Joseph Choi 
Joseph Choi | LinkedIn 
Mondays 
3–5 pm 
 
Tyler Makin 
Tyler Makin | LinkedIn 
Tuesdays 
10–12 pm 
 
Scott Gale 
 
Darryl Schoen 
 
Duc Huy Tran 
 
Anshuman Sinha 
 
Kevin Meredith 
 

Kristie Bell 
Kristie Bell | LinkedIn 
Thursdays 
3–5 pm 

Ray Chan 
 

Cynthia Kirkby 
Cynthia Kirkeby | LinkedIn 
Fridays 
12–2 pm 

 

The Leatherby Center is an incubator for startups. We offer a structured program guiding entrepreneurs from idea to business plan. Students, staff, and alumni may apply.

Get Involved


Learn about the multiple ways to get involved by visiting our various program pages.