Marketing Management – Entrepreneurship grad Adrian Duke knows a thing or two about building solid working relationships. During his final year in the diploma program, Adrian and his team of colleagues undertook a practicum project for Make It Business, a local bimonthly publication for small business owners and the entrepreneurially-minded.
Adrian Duke
The BCIT student team was tasked with developing a national expansion plan for the publication, to be implemented in the fall of 2010. Not only did the owners and publishers at Make It Business like what the team recommended, they liked Adrian’s working style and positive outlook so much that they tapped him to lead their sales and marketing efforts, including the national expansion, as their marketing specialist.
After graduating from his program in June 2009, Adrian, who was also a participant in the Ch’nook Scholars program, took on the exciting new role full-time. He now dedicates himself to promoting the publication to potential advertisers, subscribers, and small business owners. Make It Business is currently expanding their resource base for small business owners, starting with the launch of an innovative new book club. Designed to facilitate discussion, relationship building, and resource sharing amongst the small business community, the book club will review selected business books with a facilitator once per month. Meetings will take place at various Blenz coffee house locations around the Lower Mainland.
Adrian credits his mentors, BCIT Entrepreneurship program head Rick Kroetch, Make It Business president Josh Chicher and publisher Victor Chew Wong, for his success in his career thus far. He looks forward to the continual development and challenges at Make It Business, including plans to relocate to Toronto to lead the national expansion in 2010.
