Sometimes, finding the right opportunity starts with walking into the wrong room.
For Delaney Ross, an Economics and Psychology student at the University of Michigan, accidentally joining an EHour discussion section opened the door to entrepreneurship and a new community at the Center for Entrepreneurship.
“I accidentally joined Christine Gordon’s discussion section for EHour and fell in love with the program,” Delaney says.
That happy accident quickly became an important part of her Michigan experience. Delaney now works with Amy Cell as an instructional aide for ENTR 560: Project Management and Consulting. She also supports the EHour Speaker Series as a program assistant every Friday.
“The people are wonderful, and I’ve made so many connections through CFE!” she says.
Finding Inspiration at EHour
Through EHour, Delaney has heard founders share the real stories behind their entrepreneurial journeys. Their experiences have shown her that entrepreneurship is not only about achieving a perfect outcome. There is also value in trying, learning, and growing along the way.
“Meeting entrepreneurs who became successful is such a motivator for me; although most businesses fail, trying is still great for experience and character development.”
Delaney is no longer enrolled in EHour, but she plans to continue attending until she graduates. For her, learning directly from other people adds something important to the lessons she receives in class.
“There is so much to learn, and I find that the best form of learning for me comes from hearing about the direct experiences of others,” she says.
That desire to learn from others has made clubs, departments, and campus communities an important part of Delaney’s Michigan journey. Each conversation introduces her to a new perspective, and possibly a new direction to explore.
Building on a Family Legacy
Delaney’s entrepreneurial interest began long before she arrived at Michigan. Her grandfather created the Digital Couch, a personality testing tool, in the 1980s. Employers and companies used the tool to identify people who aligned with their goals, while sports teams and individuals also found value in it.
Growing up, Delaney heard her grandfather’s stories about the interesting people he met through his work. His experience showed her how entrepreneurship could create variety, connection, and impact.
Now, Delaney is working to bring his idea to a new generation.
“I’ve become inspired by his story and have been working towards revamping the Digital Couch, making a new website for it, and broadening the market outreach.”
The project brings together her interests in psychology, economics, technology, and business. Delaney plans to introduce new features, reach a larger audience, and explore how artificial intelligence could strengthen the Digital Couch.
For her, an entrepreneurial mindset means bringing enough curiosity and energy to keep exploring until an idea takes shape.
“To have an entrepreneurial mindset, you have to have enough energy to bounce around ideas until something sticks,” she says.
Community is another important part of the process. By listening to others, entrepreneurs can better understand what people need while building a network that can help move an idea forward.
Jump In and Explore
Delaney’s path into CFE began with an unplanned experience. That’s why her advice to other students is simple: Start exploring before you have everything figured out.
“I recommend jumping in everywhere you can!”
Students can begin with the opportunities that already interest them, but Delaney also encourages them to move beyond what feels familiar.
“It’s important to go for opportunities that interest you, but also to try ones that may not initially appeal to you because you never know what you might be missing out on.”
Entrepreneurship connects ideas and people from many different fields. Exploring outside your major can help you build new skills, hear different perspectives, and discover opportunities you may not have considered.
That open-minded approach has already taken Delaney from an accidental EHour discussion section to hands-on roles at CFE and a project that continues her grandfather’s entrepreneurial legacy.
Looking ahead, she plans to keep developing the Digital Couch while learning more about business, entrepreneurship, and behavioral consulting.
“I plan to expand the target audience of this psychological testing tool, include new features, and learn much more about the world of business and entrepreneurship through this process.”
Delaney’s story is a reminder that you do not need to arrive at Michigan with a startup or a perfect plan. Sometimes, you just need to enter the room, meet someone new, and see where the experience takes you.
Ready to jump in? Explore ENTR courses, attend an upcoming EHour session, or share your own entrepreneurial story with the CFE community on social media @UMCFE.