Author, Public Speaker, Consultant, and Professor Ray Smilor

By Maria Panagiotidis

Author and Professor Ray Smilor

Ray Smilor is the author of many books, including 'Daring Visionaries: How Entrepreneurs Build Companies, Inspire Allegiance, and Create Wealth' and 'Fire in the Classroom: Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and the Craft of Teaching.' He is currently Emeritus Professor of Professional Practice in Management, Entrepreneurship and Leadership at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Smilor is also an investor, consultant, public speaker, and storyteller. He is considered an expert in the field of entrepreneurship and has written numerous articles on the topic, which have been translated into other languages.  A passionate educator, he has taught at four universities, delivered training programs for entrepreneurs, and spoken to an array of audiences, including business and professional.

In this interview Smilor discusses his love of family, teaching, and writing. You can reach him through his website and email address for further inquiries.

Tell us about yourself.

I grew up on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio, in a working-class neighborhood. I was raised by a village…my mother’s side of an Irish family. She was the oldest daughter and became the heart of the family. She had two brothers and two sisters who were relatively close in age and were more like big brothers and big sisters to me and my brother. They showered me with affection and support.  My Dad worked on the assembly line at Ford Motor Company for 38 years, and he often worked a second job.  I had my first job at 9 as a paper boy delivering the Cleveland Plain Dealer at 6 am each morning, and I have worked ever since.  Together, they gave me a sense of self-confidence, taught me the importance of hard work, and ingrained in me the value of treating others as I would like to be treated, with respect, kindness and honesty. These values became the basis for my approach to the pursuit of opportunity, that has been the defining characteristic of my career. I could never have guessed as a boy that I would travel the world, build a career in entrepreneurship, become an award-winning teacher and an author. But the willingness to pursue opportunity, even when I did not necessarily have the experience or credentials that a new position usually required, took me along the road less travelled, and that has made all the difference for me (as Robert Frost would point out).

What inspired you to start writing books? 

I love to write, and I’m a storyteller.  This is why I write both academic and popular books and why I tell stories in my commentaries on my website.  In a real sense, writing has saved me. By that I mean, at critical points in my personal development and in my career, the ability to write clearly, interestingly, and persuasively has enhanced my value to the people I have worked with and the organizations I have led. For me, there is joy in writing, whether that be a treatise of some sort or a letter or even an email. Writing can influence outcomes. So, writing for me is an important competence in the success of any endeavor. Finding the exact right word or phrase, finding the unconventional analogy, or communicating the excitement of an event or action is, for me, a rewarding experience.

What do you love most about teaching students?

I never say that I “have to teach.”  I “get to teach.” Teaching for me is a way to present something that inspires me, to discuss what I am passionate about, and to influence in a positive way the hoped-for futures of the students in my classes or the audiences in my presentations. It’s fun to recognize light bulbs going off in the minds of others, to challenge pre-conceived notions, and to get others to reflect upon what they are learning. An essential part of my teaching is experiential learning—the ability to learn by doing, by getting engaged in hands-on activities and exercises and then reflecting on what just happened by focusing on how a particular learning experience affects one’s personal and professional lives. Standing in front of a classroom for me combines content with performance, theory with practice, and action with insight.

What has been your most notable achievement to date?

My most notable personal achievement is my family. I am proud to have been married for 56 years to a wonderful woman.  And while the concept of love remains a mystery to me even after all those years, I have come to understand and appreciate the value and importance of devotion, fidelity, and trust.  At the same time, my wife and I have not only raised two fine sons (and now helping to raise two wonderful granddaughters) but also realize that we have at the same time been raised by them.  In terms of a professional accomplishment, I have been proud to help pioneer the start, development, and expansion of a new academic discipline—entrepreneurship. At one time, some academics and practitioners argued that entrepreneurship could not be taught, that one had to be born an entrepreneur. But that’s not true. Successful entrepreneurs are exceptional learners, and now there is an entire academic field devoted to that learning process.

What do you like to do in your spare time? 

I love to fly fish! For me, being on the water is a Zen experience. Standing in cold, clear water, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, having a brown, rainbow, and cutthroat (because of the red coloring on its gills) hit line, seeing the rod bend and hearing the line whiz, and then landing and importantly releasing a beautiful fish is more than a happy experience. It is a rejuvenating and totally consuming opportunity to focus on connecting with something wonderful in nature.  What I especially enjoy is guiding friends and family, especially those who have never fly fished, on the water and having them discover not only the joy of landing a trout but also the happiness of letting it go.

Ray Smilor at a lake fly fishing

What is it about entrepreneurship that fascinates you? 

Entrepreneurship, to me, is not just about starting a business, though that can be one of its outcomes.  Entrepreneurship is about leading a more fulfilling life, tapping the innate creativity and innovation in each one of us, and making a positive difference not only in our own lives but also in the lives of others. One can be entrepreneurial in one’s own enterprise, or in a large company (an intrapreneur), or in a non-profit organization, or even in government.  One can even be an academic entrepreneur in the design and delivery of the courses one may teach. The competencies and mindset of entrepreneurship are applicable to whatever career one chooses to follow.

What do you believe are the top 3 characteristics that an entrepreneur should possess? 

I like to focus on a few critical skills of entrepreneurs that cross disciplines and careers. First, successful entrepreneurs are driven by a worthy purpose. The great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, noted something profound: “This is the true joy in life—the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one.” Being motivated by a worthy purpose, however one defines that, allows the entrepreneur to handle the ups and downs, the twists and turns, of whatever venture they pursue. Second, effective entrepreneurs improvise. There are always unexpected challenges and unanticipated surprises in the opportunities that entrepreneurs pursue. The ability to improvise is essential in dealing with setbacks and problems. Third, talented entrepreneurs are creative. By that I mean, they think “bisociatively.”  That is, they combine things that people have thought a lot about, but they put things together in new and unconventional ways. This is at the heart of technology developments, marketing innovations, and problem-solving.

Tell us more about the books you have written. Which one is your favorite?  

I have written business-related books on topics like creativity and marketing, edited anthologies on developments in entrepreneurship research, and published books on more personal topics like my book on “Daring Visionaries.” My favorite book is always my current one. So, I have really enjoyed writing “Fire in the Classroom: Creativity, Entrepreneurship and the Craft of Teaching.”  It is for anyone who teaches—classroom instructors, parents and grandparents, volunteers to programs, mentors, and advisors. Through stories, unconventional analogies, and practical teaching approaches and techniques, it focuses on the joy of teaching.  The book that I am considering next combines my two passions—entrepreneurship and fly fishing—a bisociative connection! We’ll see where that goes next.

Do you have any projects that you are planning next? Any new books on the horizon? 

My current mission in life is to promote teaching excellence. So, I give presentations to major national and international conferences like the Experiential Classroom, which shows how to teach entrepreneurship specifically to international conferences like the International Teachers’ Program that rotates every two years among business schools in Europe and helps teachers from any discipline improve their teaching skills.

Who do you admire most?

I admire my two sons the most.  They are good, strong, kind, and values-oriented men. I enjoy the adult relationship that we have developed, and I treasure being in their good company. I feel especially fortunate that they genuinely enjoy being in the company of their parents.  Their love and support always hearten me.

If you had to select 5 people to invite to a dinner party, dead or alive, who would they be?

I would enjoy having dinner with the following:

**Abraham Lincoln.  I think he is the most brilliant political leader in American history. His political genius, remarkable human story, deft understanding of human nature, and unfailing sense of humor make him a compelling and fascinating person to me.

**Norman MacLean. He is the author of my two favorite books: “A River Runs Through It” about faith, family, and fly fishing, which to me has the best first and last sentences in literature, and “Young Men and Fire” which addresses life and death and the search for self-awareness.

**Doris Kearns Goodwin. She is a remarkable historian and writer. I would love spending a dinner with her discussing the nature of history and its implications for our own times.

**Mr. Rogers. The children’s television host emphasized his three key rules for a happy life: “Be kind, be kind, be kind.” I agree with him and would like to discuss how he lives those rules.

**Steve Jobs. To me, he is the quintessential entrepreneur of our time. Getting his take on entrepreneurship would be fascinating to me.

What are your social media handles and website address?

My web address is www.raysmilor.com - It is in the process of being updated and expanded. Or contact via email at raysmilor@yahoo.com