Entrepreneurship@NCSSM

As part of the Colopy Entrepreneurship Program’s lead-up to the Product Realization J-Term, students had the opportunity to hear from product developer Michael Taylor during a Lunch & Learn session at NCSSM Morganton. Drawing from his real-world experience in designing, prototyping, and bringing physical products to market, Michael walked students through the challenges and triumphs of early-stage product development. His talk bridged the gap between creative ideation and the hard realities of manufacturing, sourcing, and customer validation.

Students were especially engaged by Michael’s candid discussion of iteration, failure, and the importance of resilience in the entrepreneurial process. He shared prototypes from his past ventures, explained how he balances functionality with design, and offered practical advice on navigating supply chains, funding production, and listening to users. The session gave students a clear sense of how abstract ideas become concrete solutions and sparked excitement for applying those lessons in the upcoming Product Realization J-Term course.