Entrepreneurial Mindset and Opportunities Creation

This reflection discusses the fundraising project in Oxfam, Australia and its impact on entrepreneurial mindset and opportunities creation. It explores the research, planning, and execution of the project, as well as the challenges faced and lessons learned. The reflection also highlights the learning objectives achieved through the project.

Running head: ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET AND OPPUTUNITIES CREATION
Reflection on the fundraising project in Oxfam, Australia
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Introduction
Affirming with the arguments of Demil et al. (2015), I can state that opportunities are
milestones for entrepreneurs in terms of displaying their entrepreneurial mind set. Indulging
in various and wide ranging projects enhances their creativity. I think the more the
entrepreneurs indulge in experiments and projects, their imaginative powers attains
improvement and upgradation. According to me, experiments like fundraising projects prove
effective for the entrepreneurs in enhancing their experience regarding the dealing with types
of clients. Moreover, Eftekhari and Bogers (2015) feel that they gain knowledge and skills
about financial independence. I think within this process, the entrepreneurs achieve
understanding about the different partners, with whom they can collaborate for completing
the project.
Overview of the fundraising project
The aim of fundraising project was charity, which was executed through the activities
of research, discussion, arguments and final results. At the initial stage, we researched about
Oxfam. We found that it is a non-profit organization working towards uprooting poverty
(Oxfam.org 2019). We personally met Ms Sue Clarke at Oxfam for collecting evidence on
their activities. We established contact with her through emails. Even the reciprocation was
done through emails, where spontaneity was an important factor. On the contrary, Eshima
and Anderson (2017) argues that this spontaneity proved effective for us in terms of
completing the other project related activities according to the plans. Consistency in the
communication helped us in clarifying the doubts, which we encountered during the
fundraising project.
We also planned events for collecting the funds. For this, we took into consideration
statistical data related to the poverty level in countries like Yemen. After this, we uploaded

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the collected data on social media for creating mass appeal towards mitigating the poverty
levels. Typical example of this is the Facebook page, where we uploaded the story of the
tragic fate of the Yemen people. Along with this, we also took the help of Instagram for
appealing to the mass for providing their valuable contributions in transforming the lives of
the people in Yemen. Pictures were uploaded for making the audience acquainted with the
intensity of the problem, which the people are undergoing. Link was provided, so that the
audience can enrich their knowledge about our campaign (Garud, Gehman and Tharchen,
2018).
We also conducted campaigns at the University campus. Fairs and exhibitions were
organized, which was successful due to the collaborative approach of the team members.
Planning was crucial for maintaining the balance between each project related work. The
supervisors tested our performance based on the parameters of leadership, marketing,
planning and engaging large number of audience. We made best attempts to support and
guide each other, which reduced the knowledge gaps.
Affirming with the opinions of Kazanjian et al. (2017), I learnt that communication
regarding charity was one of the biggest problems, which we faced during the fundraising
project. We had to brief the audience about the Yemen crisis, of which most of the audience
were unaware. Along with this, convincing the people to participate in the campaigns was
one of the other challenges. This aggravated our challenges in terms for conducting the
planning and promotional activities related to the fundraising project.
For spreading the awareness, we took the help of social media which helped us in
engaging with the large number of audience belonging to different cultures. This approach
enhanced the cultural diversity. The response from this was positive and spontaneous, which
made us overwhelmed. For raising the funds, we established contact with the clients, who

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were aware of the Yemen crisis. Taking help from the arguments of Kuratko (2016), we
applied Data Protection Act (1998) for protecting the individual sentiments of the audience.
We conducted photo booth campaigns, which helped us in making the audience aware of the
actual purpose of Oxfam and our group. I learnt that these campaigns proved effective in
enhancing the brand image of Oxfam in terms of transforming the lives of the people
suffering from poverty.
Learning objectives
 To manage people for setting up a proper hierarchy
I think that management of the people is crucial in terms of assessing my position. This
assessment enabled us to gain familiarity with the hierarchy behind the completion of the
project related activities. Along with this, the process also assisted us in enriching our
knowledge about the communication, which takes place in different managerial levels. This
process enhanced our awareness about the teamwork, which is needed in the workplace for
completing the activities within the stipulated deadline.
 To sell the ideas
The fundraising project at Oxfam enhanced our awareness about the ways and means of
selling the ideas to the clients and the customers. For this, social media came to our rescue.
We uploaded our ideas on Facebook and Instagram, which helped in gaining an insight into
the approaches of the clients towards our initiatives. We regularly tracked the Facebook and
Instagram page for interpreting the responses of the audience. I would like to point out the
security cookies and policies, which we installed in our profile and the profile of the clients.
This cookies helped us in preventing the instances of leaking the private and confidential
data. For this, we established contact with the statutory bodies of law for averting the
instances of cybercrimes.

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 To create plans for expanding the scope and arena of the business
Before executing any task, we were instructed to conduct planning, so that the activities can
be conducted according to the priorities. Along with this, planning also enhanced our
awareness about the approach, which needs to be exposed towards executing the tasks.
Mostly, the approach was alright, except for certain times. I think preparation of the drafts
proved beneficial in terms of getting approval for the constructed plans. I felt that the process
of sending drafts and gaining approvals clarified the doubts towards performing the
fundraising project activities. I think maintaining consistency in this process would help me
in upgrading my approach towards the allocated duties and responsibilities.
Reflection
When I got the opportunity to become a part of a fundraising project at Oxfam, I
became elated. This is because I intended to become an entrepreneur with a stable income.
My happiness was doubled, when I was allotted the task of research for the project. I
attempted to visit every possible source from where I can get information about the social
work conducted by Oxfam. I visited the company website where I got the information that
Oxfam conducts offshore management for establishing contact with large number of clients,
which can help in creating mass appeal for the clients towards transforming the lives of the
people in Yemen. For accessing the website, I took prior permission from the managers. I
clarified them the purpose of my fundraising project. He was overwhelmed at my initiative
and gave me the permission.
However, according to the opinions of Kuratko, Morris and Schindehutte (2015), I
considered the inclusion and exclusion criteria for collecting evidences. I helped my friends
to keep in mind the publication criteria. I learnt that the sources published within the last 10
years is to be considered for developing authentic and relevant assumptions regarding the

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Yemen crises. I also learnt that the sources published older than 10 years are not to be
considered for collecting relevant data. I have gained an insight into the fact that
consciousness is needed for collecting data. I feel that lackadaisical approach in this direction
yields negative results in the process of data analysis. Here, I would like to point out Data
Protection Act (1998), which helped us in projecting liberal approach towards the sentiments
of the clients and the customers.
Uploading the activities on social media helped us in connecting with large number of
clients (Mauer, Neergaard and Linstad 2017). I felt that rationality in this approach is very
important in terms of gaining trust, loyalty and dependence from the audience. Therefore, we
concentrated on using simple languages in the posts, so that the people can grasp the purpose
of the fundraising project. Along with this, we also conducted seminars and presentations for
enhancing the awareness of the audience about the ongoing crisis in Yemen. I can point out
the question-answer session, where there was high involvement from the audience. Here, we
provided liberty to the audience that they can quit the session at once they feel
uncomfortable. To our surprise, the auditorium was housefull during the seminars. I think the
lectures of foreign experts and the agencies proved beneficial for the audience in terms of
enriching their knowledge about the ways in which they can make the donations.
Moreover, Secundo et al. (2015), I found that the audience belonged to different
socio-cultural backgrounds, which acted as a challenge for us to convince them. This is in
terms of persuading them to participate in the events and campaigns. For this, we conducted
counselling sessions for gaining an insight into their approach towards the fundraising
campaign. In these sessions, we assured the customers that their responses would be used
only for the sake of project related activities instead of commercialization. At the initial stage,
we did not succeed. However, with planning, we could reach to large number of clients. The

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major drive behind this was target segmentation for gaining an insight into the prospective
sources, through which quality funds can be collected.
Awareness about the situation was one of the criteria, which we used for targeting the
audience. In case of the university, we found that out of 50 students, 35 were aware of the
Yemen crisis. However, 15 students were reluctant to help Oxfam in transforming the lives of
the Yemen people. The 20 students, who were willing to help were interviewed for
acknowledging the initiative. I felt that counselling the students, who expressed disinterest
towards making financial contribution, proved beneficial in gaining prospective clients
achieving financial flexibility.
I set goals, prior to the initiation of the activities. At the initial stage, I developed short
term goals, which helped me in improving my focus on the project related activities. Setting
time limits to the activities assisted me in fulfilling the goals. Taking into consideration the
arguments of Shams and Kaufmann (2016), I could evaluate my performance through
checklists and templates. This evaluation helped me in detecting the drawbacks within my
performance. I maintained consistency in evaluation, which enabled me to upgrade the
standards and quality of my performance. After gaining stability with the short term goals, I
moved on to challenging and enduring goals. In this, I failed many times, which I modified
through practice. Affirming with the opinions of Shams (2016) helped me to indulge in group
discussion with peers, relatives, supervisors, which broadened my perspectives about
emphasizing on the humanitarian side instead of profit. Indulging in this approach prepared
my personality on a positive note.
I can make mention of the team dynamics, which we exposed. During the project, we
were judged on how we can emerge as leaders. For this, our supervisor assigned tasks.
Training was provided to us. This training helped us in enriching our knowledge about the

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crisis, which has pushed the life of the people of Yemen into darkness. When the supervisor
was narrating the story, I was moved. This reflects the humanitarian approach of my
personality, which I think is helpful in terms of exposing ethical approach towards the
audience (Vogel 2017). Therefore, I tried to engage more audience through an appealing
tone, which did not have any feeling of making profit. I think that convincing tone could have
helped is in getting more audience.
I can mention one of the team member, who was reluctant in taking initiatives.
Whenever, he was assigned responsibilities, he used to delay. He continued for consecutive
two to three days, which compelled us to encounter delays in completing the tasks within the
stipulated deadline. We complained this to the supervisor, who counselled him. It was found
that he could not understand the concepts at the first go. He did not even communicate with
us or the supervisor regarding this. After discovering this, the trainer arranged a session on
the progress till date. In this, the member was asked to answer all of the doubts, which he had
while collecting the relevant data. It was found that mostly he could answer the doubts,
except for few questions. Considering the opinions of Zahra (2015), I could assume that
training was conducted on the member for enhancing his skills, expertise and knowledge on
the appropriate means for conducting the project related activities. In all of this process, I
liked the caring approach of the trainers towards the team members for unleashing their
talents. This approach enhanced their leadership skills, making our project a successful one.

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References
Demil, B., Lecocq, X., Ricart, J.E. and Zott, C., 2015. Introduction to the SEJ special issue on
business models: business models within the domain of strategic entrepreneurship. Strategic
Entrepreneurship Journal, 9(1), pp.1-11.
Eftekhari, N. and Bogers, M., 2015. Open for entrepreneurship: how open innovation can
foster new venture creation. Creativity and Innovation Management, 24(4), pp.574-584.
Eshima, Y. and Anderson, B.S., 2017. Firm growth, adaptive capability, and entrepreneurial
orientation. Strategic Management Journal, 38(3), pp.770-779.
Garud, R., Gehman, J. and Tharchen, T., 2018. Performativity as ongoing journeys:
Implications for strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Long Range Planning, 51(3),
pp.500-509.
Kazanjian, R.K., Drazin, R. and Glynn, M.A., 2017. Implementing strategies for corporate
entrepreneurship: A knowledge‐based perspective. Strategic entrepreneurship: Creating a
new mindset, pp.173-199.
Kuratko, D.F., 2016. Entrepreneurship: Theory, process, and practice. Cengage Learning.
Kuratko, D.F., Morris, M.H. and Schindehutte, M., 2015. Understanding the dynamics of
entrepreneurship through framework approaches. Small Business Economics, 45(1), pp.1-13.
Mauer, R., Neergaard, H. and Linstad, A.K., 2017. Self-efficacy: Conditioning the
entrepreneurial mindset. In Revisiting the Entrepreneurial Mind (pp. 293-317). Springer,
Cham.
Oxfam.org 2019. The power of people against poverty. Available at:
https://www.oxfam.org/en [Accessed on 3rd Jan 2019]

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Secundo, G., Vecchio, P.D. and Passiante, G., 2015. Creating innovative entrepreneurial
mindsets as a lever for knowledge-based regional development. International Journal of
Knowledge-Based Development, 6(4), pp.276-298.
Shams, S.R. and Kaufmann, H.R., 2016. Entrepreneurial co-creation: a research vision to be
materialised. Management Decision, 54(6), pp.1250-1268.
Shams, S.R., 2016. Entrepreneurial challenges in the 21st century: Creating stakeholder
value co-creation. Springer.
Vogel, P., 2017. From venture idea to venture opportunity. Entrepreneurship Theory and
Practice, 41(6), pp.943-971.
Zahra, S.A., 2015. Corporate entrepreneurship as knowledge creation and conversion: The
role of entrepreneurial hubs. Small Business Economics, 44(4), pp.727-735.

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Bibliography
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