Five Questions with Brian Anderson
In our Five Questions series, faculty of the University of Kansas School of Business share their insights, experiences and advice for students.
Brian Anderson is a professor of entrepreneurship and the school’s Management and Entrepreneurship academic area director. Anderson earned his bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Colorado, Denver. He received his doctorate in strategic management from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University.
What got you interested in your field, and what is the most rewarding part of being involved in it?
I was an entrepreneur when I was a college student, a long time ago. And like a lot of entrepreneurs, I never hit it big. But I was always interested in the field. It wasn’t until I was working on my master’s that I got exposed to what it would be like to be a faculty member and a professor, and I just fell in love with it. So, I found my way to academia through a little bit of a different path. But now that I’m here, it’s the best job in the world. You get to create new knowledge and share knowledge with others, and that’s pretty special.
What is your favorite part about being a Jayhawk?
Oh, the spirit and the pride. I didn’t appreciate just the special role that KU has in the state of Kansas but also in this region. There is a deep pride and a passion for KU and being a Jayhawk, and it’s really special to be a part of that.
What would you see yourself doing if you weren’t a professor?
I’d be a travel blog writer. With some food thrown in there. My family and I really enjoy traveling. So, I think that’s probably what I’d do. I’d go figure out a way to get somebody else to pay for it.
What advice would you give your college self?
Well, I’d probably say don’t be so dumb all the time. But I think what I would say is give yourself some grace. Life is hard. There’s lots of ups and downs. There are lots of things that are immensely joyful, and lots of things that are immensely painful. And when you’re going through those things, be easier on yourself. Have some grace. And try not to be so stupid.
If you could require students to read one thing before graduation (outside of your class reading), what would it be and why?
“The Strategic Management of Your Life” by Clayton Christensen. He has now passed away. He was a professor at Harvard Business School. The book comes from a lecture that he always gave in his last class session. It was taking concepts from strategy and strategic management, which we often think about as companies and big organizations and really big complex topics. But drilling them down into a set of ideas that each individual can apply in managing their life. By managing their life, I mean adding intentionality to the things that you do and being purposeful. We all have a limited time, and time is the asset that we’re always losing. So being intentional with our time, I think, is a pretty important skill.
By Lauren Hartwig
