For Students

WashU Olin offers two mini-courses in the Spring term that focus on the family business and private enterprise with even greater precision.

Ownership Insights: The Competitive Advantage of Family and Employee-Owned Firms

• (MGT 5605; 1.5 credits)
• This course is designed to introduce students to the unique governance and financing issues faced by owners of closely held businesses and family-controlled firms. The core issue addressed in this course is that of sustainability: what actions are required of the current owners to increase the likelihood that the business will last beyond them? What best practices can we learn from successful multi-generational family businesses, some of which have been in existence for 150 years and longer? There are three target audiences for this course: 1) Students who may be or are considering working for a closely held or family-controlled business; 2) entrepreneurs who build successful businesses and want their business to remain privately owned; and 3) students seeking to work in the private equity, investment banking, legal or wealth management industries and who will be calling on this segment of the market. The course will be multi-disciplinary and more qualitative than quantitative. Each class will have a lecture and case component; there will be guest speakers at each session. Students will be required to complete a case study in advance of each class (not more than 2 pages). There will be no final exam. Class attendance and active participation is expected.

Acquisition Through Entrepreneurship

• (MGT 5455; 1.5 credits)
• The purpose of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to explore being an entrepreneur by acquiring a company rather than starting one from scratch. The readings and class discussions will help students understand how to purchase a business, finance an acquisition, and operate and grow a business. The cases and conversations will help students understand what it is like being a young, first-time CEO and what types of challenges and issues will be encountered.

MBA students also have the opportunity to pursue a Specialization in Private Capital and Strategic Ownership to build a skill set that centers around what to own, how to own and manage it, when to buy, and when to exit. Students in this 12-credit specialization are required to take the two courses outlined above as well as two courses on an investment track operations track and can build out their remaining six credits with electives. Dr. Peter Boumgarden serves as the faculty advisor and is an accessible resource as students explore and discern their career path.

The Own-Operate-Invest Fellowship is designed for second-year MBA students interested in pursuing business ownership via business acquisition or an existing family business. It combines education, mentorship, hands-on experience, and networking to prepare students for the skills needed to acquire, manage, or lead these businesses. Applications open in March for the following academic year.

Learn how to apply and find the details here.

The Koch Center supports a $25,000 fellowship for a member of the Executive MBA cohort who is interested in expanding their impact in the private enterprise space—as an owner/operator, investor, or philanthropist. WashU’s Executive MBA program is an in-person experience designed for senior leaders who want more from their careers. The 20-month program starts in the fall and is comprised of concentrated monthly classes and three immersive residency experiences connected by ongoing leadership coaching.

Learn more and apply here.

ETA Club: In 2023, the Koch Center supported students in founding the Entrepreneurship through Acquistion (ETA) Student Club. Entrepreneurship through acquisition means acquiring an existing small business and growing it to its full potential through transaction to a new owner in the free market. An emerging owner and operator must consider the risk involved in the type of capital they seek to support their search, be it an investor, bank loan or their own personal savings. Unlike a start-up, this type of entrepreneur must also own responsibility for an established business and consider the impact of operating an existing company with employees. Identifying a pathway for talented university graduates to buy and grow these enterprises can be a significant win for the free market system. Interested students can reach out to Mike Morrow for more details. Learn more here.

Olin Impact Case Competition: Case competitions bring together faculty, students, and the business community to showcase student talent and business networks while providing our students meaningful and relevant business experience. In 2023–24, the Koch Center designed and hosted Olin’s first national case competition, focused on the balance of purpose and performance of the Taylor family through their investment in the city’s Major League Soccer expansion team and hope for economic development of the region. The second national case competition in 2024-25 focused on the future of long-hold private investment. More than 50 teams from across the country entered, and 10 were invited to present their solutions. Koch Center network partners from Permanent Equity in Columbia, MO, Broadview Group Holdings, and WashU’s Investment Management Company developed the case and judged the competition. These partners got to engage with the next generation of top-tier talent, while the students gained the experience of having financial experts take their ideas seriously and engage rigorously with their work.