Dr. Suresh, U. Kumar

I identify myself as a serial entrepreneur, educator, researcher, collaborator, mentor, mentee, disruptor, collabotator, and evangalist for beneficial change. I am aware that some of the terms may seem contradictory- but that's what makes the field of entrepreneurship so exciting- there are as many unique approaches and viewpoints as there are challenges. In my entrepreneurial journey I am fortunate that my teams and I survived two of the worst economic recessions in recent memory and that two of the firms I cofounded have been ranked among the INC 500 and Deloitte 500 list of fast growing private firms in the U.S. I have learned from my experience that there in a very thin red line betwen success and failure and that apart from some of the stuff taught in classrooms, old school values such as a deep curiosity/concerns for all things around you, willingness to learn, persistence, a stubborn refusal to accept failure, honesty, hard work, nurturing high-trust teams/networks, and luck play critical roles in entrepreneurial outcomes.

To fuel my deep passion and intellectual curiosity, I have pursued and completed a doctoral study on high-growth immigrant entrepreneurs. I have presented my research study/workshops at international academic and practitioner conferences including at the Academy of Management, Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference. I enjoy the process of learning from and sharing my experiences with other entrepreneurs, researchers, students, and policy makers. I am in the process of exploring opportunities at the intersection of Entrepreneurship, Education, Policy, and Social Change. An area of particular interest for me is designing practical grassroots strategies to nurture and grow local entrepreneurial ecosystem. My other interests are Sustainability, Tennis, Politics, History, and Writing. I love to disrupt established norms that are unfair or ineffective, but by nature I am a Collaborator and seek ways to build and leverage high-trust relationships networks in ways that would benefit key stakeholders. My deepest passion is helping usher in beneficial Social Change through Entrepreneurship.

The background photo was taken on a drive from Taos to Los Alamos, NM, when I took a road that was not on the map and got lost. I discovered that sometimes it pays to do spontaneous things. Yes, I have often lost my way, but sometimes I get to see awesome sunsets and discover deeper meaning.