Start Small. Learn Fast. Keep Going.

Everyone has an idea. A new product, a more efficient process, a way to make life a little easier for someone else.  

But, between the spark of inspiration and those real steps lies an intimidating gap, one filled with questions about risk, funding, timing and confidence. Only about one in 10 aspiring entrepreneurs ever take meaningful action on their ideas, according to research from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).  

It’s a tough reminder that the hardest part of entrepreneurship can often be simply starting. But, according to Dr. Chad Saunders, PhD’06, that gap doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems. 

“Good ideas are everywhere,” he says. “The challenge is just getting started.” 

Saunders knows this path well. As director of the Haskayne Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program and an associate professor of entrepreneurship and innovation at the Haskayne School of Business, he has helped hundreds of founders, professionals and researchers move from idea to execution. He also holds an adjunct appointment with the Cumming School of Medicine, where he explores how innovation and entrepreneurship can thrive within health-care systems. 

Beyond his academic roles, Saunders leads the Integrative Innovation Ecosystem Support theme at W21C’s Health Everywhere initiative, is a Senior Fellow with the Centre for Innovation Studies (THECIS), and a co-founder of the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research (ACLMR). Across all of these intersections, his mission is clear: to help people translate good ideas into meaningful impact. 

Start Something 

So now you’re ready. You have an idea, maybe even the start of a plan, but, in your mind, you have no clue how to start a business. 

You’re not alone! For many aspiring entrepreneurs, the biggest challenge is simply knowing where to begin. Saunders says that, for University of Calgary alumni, the best first move is to reconnect with the university ecosystem that helped shape their ideas in the first place. 

“A great starting point for most would be reconnecting with groups like the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking,” he says. “They serve that role in bringing together people from across disciplines who are thinking about how to take ideas forward.” 

It’s a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship at UCalgary isn’t confined to Haskayne graduates. Saunders emphasizes that the city and campus share a unique entrepreneurial DNA, one that is rooted in collaboration and problem solving. 

“Calgary is the most enterprising city, and the University of Calgary is the most entrepreneurial university,” he says. “You don’t have to hide your ideas here; it’s a safe space for entrepreneurship.” 

That sense of openness is what makes the ecosystem unique. It allows an engineer to collaborate with a business student, a health researcher to launch a startup, or an alum to reconnect with mentors and resources years after graduation.  

“It’s kind of a one-stop shop where all the other pillars you might need for your venture are represented in some way,” Saunders says. 

For anyone unsure of where to start, Saunders’s advice is simple: don’t go it alone. “The people who helped you learn can also help you launch,” he says. 

“You don’t need a perfect plan to start — you just need a next step.” 

Start Small, Learn Fast 

Saunders doubles down on the idea that you don’t need a business background to be an entrepreneur. In fact, he believes not having one can sometimes be an advantage. 

“How do you invest the least amount possible to prove the most about your idea?” he says. 

That mindset of “learning before spending” is foundational, regardless of one’s background.  

Saunders recommends starting with what’s known as a minimum viable product (MVP): a simplified version of your idea that allows you to test, learn and adjust before committing major time or resources. 

“It might not be a finished product or service, but it’s a version that lets you test your ideas cheaply and easily,” he says. 

In other words, build something small enough to break. Talk to potential customers, sketch your concept or even make a paper prototype before you get caught up in the “business” of it. 

“A business background can be a distraction,” Saunders adds. “The best entrepreneurs will simply go out and validate.” 

He points to initiatives like Creative Destruction Lab – Rockies as an example of how that validation process works in practice. Programs like these give founders access to mentors, investors and training, not to pitch for funding right away, but to learn how to test assumptions, build credibility and strengthen ideas over time. 

“It’s not like Dragon’s Den,” Saunders says, with a laugh. “There’s a relationship-building process that happens first (that involves) training, observing, getting feedback before you ever get to pitching an idea. It’s all about learning.” 

When the Excitement Fades 

Even with a great idea, there’s often a moment when the excitement and momentum slows. For many founders, that’s when the realty of budgets, operations or responsibilities kick in — all areas which may stray from their passion and idea.  

“Founders often hit parts of the business they’re not as comfortable with,” Saunders says. “They assume they have to lead everything and that’s often the worst possible decision.” 

Instead, he encourages entrepreneurs to see those moments not as failures or shortcomings, but as natural transition points. Those situations may mean bringing in co-founders or mentors with complementary strengths. Other times, it can mean shifting your own role within the venture. 

“When founders hit a wall, they often think they failed,” Saunders says. “But, really, they just need help to find their way around it.” 

Saunders sees this pattern frequently in health-care startups, where academics and researchers take an idea as far as their expertise allows before struggling to scale it.  

“They can only get the venture to a certain point before they tap out their networks or skills,” he explains. “That’s when mentorship or partnerships can make all the difference.” 

It’s a reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t a solo climb, it’s a relay. The goal isn’t to carry the baton forever, but rather to make sure it keeps moving forward. 

Traits That Successful Founders Share 

What separates successful entrepreneurs from the rest isn’t charisma or capital; rather, it’s community and resilience. 

“Without that network to call in favours, it’s almost impossible,” Saunders says. “Any effort spent building a relationship and your network pays off.” 

For UCalgary alumni, that network is already within reach. “People are more willing to take the call when they know you’re a fellow UCalgary (alum),” he says. “They’ll listen. They’ll help.” 

Beyond connections, Saunders emphasizes a second essential trait: the ability to bounce back from setbacks without losing momentum. 

“Good entrepreneurs are comfortable with failure,” he says. “They don’t make the same mistake twice!  They make new ones and learn from them.” 

It’s an attitude grounded as much in mental health as business acumen. Saunders says research is finally catching up to what many founders have known for years: entrepreneurship takes a toll. 

“Even when ventures are going well, there are dips,” he says. “The entrepreneurs who last are the ones who have people around them; mentors, peers, even personal networks that keep them grounded.” 

That perspective, Saunders says, is what turns entrepreneurs into leaders. They understand that resilience doesn’t mean toughness; it means connection and the humility to work with others.  

The Power of Mentorship 

If flexibility is what keeps an idea alive, mentorship is what helps it grow. Programs like UCalgary’s MentorLINC platform make it easy for alumni and students to connect for career conversations, industry insights and professional growth. 

Saunders believes mentorship is the quiet engine of entrepreneurship — not just in the early stages, but throughout a career.  

“There are going to be a lot of mentors, many different people for different challenges,” he says. “You pay it forward and pay it back.” 

Saunders encourages founders to stay connected with mentors, even after they’ve moved on to new projects or roles. A single check-in, he says, can reignite valuable connections. 

“Sometimes the people who once mentored you start sending their mentees your way,” Saunders says. “That’s how ecosystems sustain themselves.” 

For Saunders, that cycle of giving and receiving is what makes UCalgary’s entrepreneurial community so strong, and why mentorship remains one of the most reliable forms of support for anyone building something new. 

Redefining Failure and Staying Flexible 

“Failure isn’t really failure,” he says. “It’s learning … live learning.” 

Saunders says the real goal of entrepreneurship isn’t perfection, but progress. Every setback is really “data gathering” and a chance to refine your idea to get closer to what works. 

“You’re trying to learn as much as possible, as fast as possible, as cheaply as possible,” he says. “If there were shortcuts, your competitors would have already taken them.” 

The willingness to pivot and evolve is what separates lasting ventures from those that stall, he says: “If your idea can never change, it probably won’t go that well.” 

For anyone starting out, that flexibility can be both the hardest and most liberating part. It means recognizing when to let go of what’s not working and having the courage to try again with what you’ve learned.  

Take the Next Step 

Saunders says entrepreneurship isn’t defined by starting a company; it’s about cultivating a mindset of curiosity and action. 

Whether you’re sketching a product idea, exploring a research application or looking to bring innovation into your workplace, his advice remains simple and timeless: 

“You don’t need a perfect plan to start — you just need a next step.”