While the best way to learn may be through personal experience, it certainly helps to get advice from someone who’s already successfully navigated themselves down the same path as you. That’s exactly what the students and attendees were treated to when CooperativeMed Founder Dr. Michael O’Neal came to guest lecture at The University of Florida recently.

Dr. O’Neal was offered the opportunity to guest lecture at the University of Florida Hough Graduate School of Business and Department of Entrepreneurship due to his unique path to success starting a niche medical practice.

He was able to lecture the Entrepreneurship Post-Mortem undergraduate class with the topic of “Starting a New Business”, as well as the Dilemmas and Debates in Entrepreneurship graduate class on the topic of “The Dilemma of Adapting Your Business Model”. He also held an open discussion forum on “Defining an Entrepreneur”.

Throughout his lectures, Dr. O’Neal covered the characteristics of an entrepreneur and the path he took to developing a niche business, sharing with the attendees his own experiences in doing so. He also spoke on how to navigate business challenges and the art of evolving a business.

“It was a tremendous honor being asked to speak to such high-quality Business students at one of the best Business Schools in the nation, especially since I don’t have formal business training, and I am still growing as a businessman,” says Dr. O’Neal as he knows how important it is to never stop learning.

In addition to his lecture, Dr. O’Neal reminds business students and budding entrepreneurs alike to embrace obstacles and be patient, as hard work always pays off. He also notes the importance of staying out of debt as a rule to follow when proceeding forward in future business endeavors.

Most of all though Dr. O’Neal reminds students to be humble. “If you believe in yourself wholeheartedly and are willing to sacrifice, then don’t get distracted by negativity. It is just back-ground noise.”