Dr. Zira Smith earned her Doctor of Education degree from Northern Illinois University with focuses in Community College Leadership and Adult Continuing Education. She earned both Bachelor and Master degrees from Northeastern Illinois University in K-12 education and Inner-City Studies. Smith held several positions in the City Colleges of Chicago system where she completed research that examines the practical strategies developed by adults with limited reading and education who start and operate their own businesses. She joins Extension after 10 years of promoting entrepreneurship to educators and Illinois citizens, as director of educational outreach at the Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education.
As result of her work and travel throughout Illinois, Dr. Smith concludes that a major reason that small business development has not been widely considered as a potential career option is because it has been and continues to be shrouded in mystery. At all levels of schooling, and in youth and adult career counseling, and even in unemployment agencies for those without jobs, the focus is almost exclusively on "getting a job," which someone else is supposed to take the risk to create and to control. Most business owners report that starting a business was never offered among the career choices at any school they attended.
Today, everyone must know how to "make a job," as well as being prepared to "take a job." Since 98% of jobs in Illinois are created in small businesses, fundamental principles of business development are also essential to workforce training of those who will work in these businesses. A good way to learn to work for someone else is to learn to work for yourself. Employees who understand what a business owner has to do in order to keep the doors of the organization open are more valuable employees, or potential workers.
Smith believes that entrepreneurship education "moves the hope needle" for at-risk populations. Her primary interest is developing entrepreneurial mindset and small business skills among under-represented groups, using multiple educational models and infusion strategies, including oral traditions to accommodate low education skills. Through collaborations with organization staff, community leaders, small business owners, and aspiring business owners, Smith works with those groups to design, develop, coordinate and deliver educational programs to address identified inadequacies, including diverse, high-risk, and limited-resource communities.
