Leanne Hagarty holds a Master of Education degree as well as an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.  She spent 9 years in the field of commercial finance at two national banks, holding a variety of front-line lending manager positions as well as regional and head office positions. Special projects included developing total quality management practices, re-engineering credit processes as well as delivering sales and marketing training. Hagarty taught Introductory Math and Small Business Management courses at Conestoga College from 1998-2000 and then began teaching at Laurier in 2001.

She teaches undergraduate business and entrepreneurship classes and has a special interest in sustainability, social innovation, academic success strategies and support of the ‘whole’ student. Hagarty is a member of the Sustainable Campuses Committee at Laurier, Chair of the Outstanding Women of Laurier Committee and has been involved in a number of Mental Health initiatives on campus

My experience with Entrepreneur

I have been using Entrepreneur for two years in my undergraduate Entrepreneurship classes.  The integrative and iterative nature of decision making is continually reinforced as students balance internal and external factors.  Business topics come to life in an entirely different way than they can through text and lecture materials alone.

I love the competitive element and so do the students!  They are more motivated to apply their knowledge and make sound decisions when performance grades and pride are at stake.  Participants also develop essential skills of communicating and collaborating with team members, project planning, and time management.

Today’s definition of entrepreneurship is focused on ‘learning through action’ and the Entrepreneur simulation allows student to practice this approach.