IIT-Knapp Entrepreneurship Center

March 20th, 2009

A nanotechnologist deals with the ‘butterflies’

From NP Communicator
August 20, 2008

When it comes to spokesperson skills, even the most polished presenters tell us they still get nervous no matter how often they stand up in front of a crowd. Unless of course you have a bar in front of you to hang on to.The bar, at a Green Drinks schmoozefest in Chicago, is where I recently met Nik Rokop, managing director at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Jules F. Knapp Center for Entrepreneurship. Nik, an engineer who came to the Center from business (with a specialization in building teeny-tiny things, nanotechnology) said he loves public speaking and speaking to the newsmedia in particular — very unusual, most folks say they hate it! When I saw how polished a presenter he was during the program that evening, I knew I had to get and share with you his story and insight into how to be great at conveying your message. His tips follow, q and a style:

Q. What role has news media coverage played in your entrepreneurial successes–decisive, didn’t hurt/help significantly, not sure?

A. Media coverage has been an integral part of my entrepreneurial ventures. In the early years, the predominant form was press releases, generally for new contracts and major milestones. Traditional media coverage was a way for our small business to gain international exposure and credibility.

In recent years, we utilize media coverage more broadly: to create awareness, “buzz”, influence, customers. Stories have become very important, particularly human stories related to our activities. We had significant outcomes from coverage for our and others’ ventures due to activities directly a result of media coverage.

Q. Most people are so nervous even if we just bring a camera along to a workshop to practice deliver ng organizational stories. But not you? Why not–or what do you do to channel this nervous energy?

A. I have been a public speaker since early in my career, giving primarily technical papers and presentations. On occasion, I still feel the “butterflies,” but the weight of successful experiences is a strong factor in settling me down. I also interact very informally with the audience and always try to engage them in the “conversation.” Lastly, I have made numerous successful and unsuccessful sales presentations for multi-million dollar contracts – that gives me a different perspective on public speaking!

Q. What if any tips do you like to share with folks about speaking publicly?

A. 1. Know your audience and treat them with respect: they are giving you their time and attention. 2. Provide value to your audience; keep them engaged, entertain them. 3. Be passionate, excited about your presentation; if you’re not, how can you expect your audience to be?

If you want to learn more about Nik or the Center, they sponsor a monthly entrepreneurship social from 5-7 p.m. the last Thursday of every month. Check the calendar for details.

Posted in Staff In the News
By nikhil

March 20th, 2009

David Winkin joins IIT’s Knapp Entrepreneurship Center

David Winkin has recently joined IIT as the Associate Director of the Jules F. Knapp Entrepreneurship Center. He will be working with entrepreneurs from IIT and the surrounding community to help them start and grow their companies.

After receiving his BBA from Loyola, David held various operations management positions and continued his education. Once he had obtained both an MBA and an MS in Financial Markets from the Illinois Institute of Technology, David joined Walgreen Co. and became a Project Manager. As Project Manager, he led process improvement projects and efforts to expand Walgreen’s leading position in the health services market.
Read more…

Posted in Staff In the News
By nikhil