Madelyn is a recent transplant from Appalachian State University where they taught entrepreneurship and design thinking. They spent the last seven years running a unique agritourism business called the Valle Crucis Lavender House. In addition to time spent working with nonprofits that support vibrant local food systems, Madelyn has extensive experience in the coffee and wellness industries.
Prior to their academic work, Madelyn provided one-on-one coaching and taught small business planning classes for existing and aspiring local business owners. Their favorite parts about teaching and coaching are demystifying annoyingly complex business concepts, collaboratively brainstorming whimsical solutions to perceived problems, and co-envisioning business models and strategies that defy current trends. Their biggest motivation as an educator is to work toward social justice by giving people who have typically been left out of the business and financial worlds access to fundamental and transformative tools.
With a background in the arts, Madelyn believes that business is infused with creativity. Their current research is centered around deconstructing pervasive entrepreneurial success myths.
Education
M.B.A., Duke University, 2016; B.A., Columbia College Chicago, 2010
Teaching Style
Madelyn's teaching style leans heavily toward facilitation. They believe learning happens slowly and organically through hands-on experience and experimenting. They encourage students to nurture a breadth of interests and passions, inside and outside of their classes and programs, and to work to their own highest standards. When they do lean more into “teaching” as opposed to facilitation it is to share stories of their own business experiments, cultural mishaps, clients they have supported, or cases they have studied.