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JU Business Dean Capener’s “Reality over Rainbows” advice focus of Florida Times-Union story

A screen shot of a Florida Times-Union article focusing on JU Business Dean Don Capener's "reality over rainbows" advice to would-be business owners.

JU Davis College of Business Dean Don Capener’s theme of focusing on “Reality over Rainbows” was the focus of a Sunday, Feb. 3, Florida Times-Union article geared toward first-time entrepreneurs.

“Reality is, you’ve got a very good chance of failing,” Capener told T-U business writer Drew Dixon. “As a result, you’ve got to come to the altar of a new company … with a realism that I don’t think a lot of entrepreneurs have.”

The lengthy story discussed some of the common pitfalls to opening a business and featured Capener’s role as the keynote speaker at the recent StartUp Weekend event at the University of North Florida, where he helped guide about 115 small business entrepreneurs in avoiding unforeseen and costly mistakes.

“The struggles are going to happen. It isn’t ‘if.’ Even if you built a better mousetrap, even if you have a great business idea, it’s going to be tough along the way,” Capener told the newspaper.

Capener has entrepreneurial experience of his own, having run and started various businesses, including Above the Rim sports apparel, which was bought by Reebok in the 1990s.

Only serious business plans, strategy and understanding the financial hurdles can help ensure business startup success, Capener said in the story.

“They don’t understand that they not only have to have a business model worked out, but they also need an exit strategy, so to speak,” he told the Times-Union.

To read the entire article, click here.