Rising ICON #39: Billy Mzenga
What name do you prefer to be called?
Billy Mzenga
What are your pronouns?
He/Him
Where did you grow up?
Woodbury, MN
What city are you currently based in?
Minneapolis, MN
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about you?
Not sure. If you want to know something, just ask!
Who do you help?
Anyone who’s dreaming about how to make the world better through entrepreneurship.
What are you building now?
I am currently, in partnership with many colleagues, building the Institute for Social Innovation at the University of St. Thomas. The mission of the Institute is to “inspire and equip all learners to pursue entrepreneurial solutions to the world’s biggest problems”. So I help people think through, create, validate, and begin building entrepreneurial ventures that seek to push back against negative forces in the world.
What were you building ten years ago today?
10 years ago I had just graduated from college and was extremely confused about who I was and what I wanted to do. One thing I did know, was a regular 9-5 corporate job wasn’t going to be my end all. So, I’d say I was building confidence in myself to pursue the life and career that I wanted and that would feel truly meaningful to me.
What do you predict of yourself 10 years from now?
It’s so hard to say – but I’d simply say that hopefully in 10 years I will still be helping people to dream big and build big.
What’s a fact or statistic you wish everyone knew about your industry?
A lot of the people who work in the entrepreneurship school were not entrepreneurship or business majors. Many of us gained a passion for entrepreneurship later in life. So the “fact”, I’d say, is that entrepreneurship is for everyone and the world needs people with varying lived experiences and educational backgrounds to gain an entrepreneurial mindset and see themselves as uniquely positioned to be problem solvers.
Why do you believe the work you do matters?
Because the world’s problems are big and creating financially sustainable, entrepreneurial solutions to big problems is one important piece of the larger puzzle (in concert with the government, and the nonprofit sector).
Who is your mentor and what is the best advice they’ve given you?
It’s hard to think of specific “mentors”, but the 2 individuals in the entrepreneurship ecosystem that I respect a tremendous amount are Chris Brooks (Brown Venture Group) and Jack Dempsey (Norwest Equity Partners) because they approach their work in a values-based way that I really respect.
Who would you love to be interviewed by?
Michael Barbaro (General/News), Bill Simmons (Sports), Guy Raz (Business) or Van Lathan & Rachel Lindsey (Culture)
If you had to give a TEDTalk tomorrow, what would the title be?
The world is waiting for you to go for it.
What award would mean the most to win?
Boy, that’s a tough question. Something related to making an impact in the Twin Cities.
What makes zero sense to you?
Profit driven vs health outcomes driven health care system.
Where can we follow you online?
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-mzenga-ma-2b54054a/
What’s one thing that makes every leader better?
The best leaders, in my opinion, see those in their care through the lens of what they could be rather than what their current deficiencies are – and push those in their care towards being the best possible version of themselves in their current role to set them up for success in their future career, regardless of what organization that is in.
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We’re grateful to each Rising ICON for their transformative work. Thank you, Billy, for sharing your story!
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“The world’s problems are big and creating financially sustainable, entrepreneurial solutions to big problems is one important piece of the larger puzzle”
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