Top 50 Speaker Series event highlights importance of entrepreneurial skills

A recent speaker series event for Ted Rogers School of Management undergraduate students highlighted the importance of entrepreneurial thinking, whether you become a founder, solopreneur, employee or leader within an organization.

The event was in support of the new Top 50 program, which is for Ted Rogers School students ready to test, launch or grow a venture. It was created by the school and Toronto Metropolitan University’s Zone Learning because students were often unaware of available resources, unsure how to navigate them, and uncertain about where to start or what to do next. The program provides clarity on pathways, pairs students with mentorship and advising, and creates a peer community so students don’t have to build their venture in isolation.

The second event in the Top 50 Speaker Series, called “Entrepreneurship as a Career Skill,”  highlighted why entrepreneurial skills matter for all Ted Rogers School students, regardless of venture stage or career path, and demonstrated how students can proactively use the school’s courses and Zone Learning programs to strengthen their future opportunities.

Ted Rogers School Dean Cynthia Holmes gave opening remarks at the event, which was held at the SLC Sandbox on January 20, and discussed how entrepreneurship at the school is not only about starting companies—it’s about developing skills, mindsets and confidence that serve students across many career paths.

The event also featured a panel of TMU graduates and a Ted Rogers School student who have explored the path of entrepreneurship in a variety of industries:

• Shoaib Ahmed (MBA ’17) — Founder of Scooty (incubated at Brampton Venture Zone) who leveraged campus resources and professor relationships to grow his venture.
• Jed Harper (RTA ’03) — Toronto Blue Jays DJ who is a solopreneur in an alternative and creative entrepreneurial pathway.
• Michelle Fedorowich (Social Work ’20) — Founder of LocAlley (incubated at Legal Innovation & Social Venture Zones), and Venture Scout for Clearco.
• Viona Chang (Ted Rogers School BComm student) — Founder for Golden Connections; Slaight New Venture Competition winner. 

The graduates spoke about how they got into entrepreneurship as a TMU student, making use of campus resources and mentors, using entrepreneurial thinking in their careers, and things they would have done differently. The panel was moderated by Ted Rogers School Instructor Ryan Wilock, who is also the Founder of Popular Records, Startup Advisor in Zone Learning and lead student mentor for the Top 50 program, and was followed by a Q&A. 

To learn more about the Top 50 program and how to apply, visit the program webpage. Applications close on January 30, 2026.