NSBE - Winter 2009/2010 - 20

international neWs working in an environment outside of the U.S. while delivering IT consulting services to a client in Puerto Rico. My most recent efforts have led me to relocate to South Africa. In 2003, I relocated to South Africa and have been living in South Africa since that point. from the AEB, in Ethiopia; Mark James, a friend and business colleague from the D.C. chapter, in West Africa; David Fleming, a NSBE friend dating back over 25 years, who had generously shared his travels from West Africa to South Africa. NSBE: Was it a big leap from employment abroad to NSBE lifetime member Lou Hureston and his wife, Denise, reside in Wilderness, entrepreneurship South Africa. abroad? How did you know you were Continued from page 19 ready? Africa. Hureston received his Bachelor Hureston: I made the leap from of Science in electrical engineering corporate to entrepreneurship in the from the Illinois Institute of Technology mid-1990s. In many respects, that was (IIT), where he was a Bell Laboratories the greatest leap of faith. Relocating to Engineering Scholar. He also has an a foreign land was out of a commitment M.S.E.E. from Georgia Tech. Hureston that my wife, Denise, and I had made first joined NSBE as an undergrad prior to wedding. We had set a goal to at IIT, where he founded the NSBE chapter and was its first president. Later, he introduced NSBE’s Zone structure as a member of the National Executive Board, cofounded the Alumni Extension, served as the 1991–92 National Alumni Extension chair and led NSBE’s first Special Interest Group, the Telecommunications SIG. He and his wife, Denise, reside in Wilderness, South one day live abroad. Quite frankly, we Africa, where they own Mont Fleur Bed had considered doing so with a nonand Breakfast, an inn on the Indian profit agency such as the Peace Corps or Ocean. Oxfam. However, I explored entrepreNSBE Magazine talked with him neurship as an option and simply sent recently about entrepreneurship, leaderout e-mail communications to friends in ship and living outside of the U.S. my network in Europe, Asia and Africa. The first opportunity to materialize was one in South Africa. I did view pursuNSBE: When did you first work outside ing entrepreneurship opportunities in of the U.S.? Did you have any trepidation Africa (as requiring) a certain type of about making that move? insight, and, fortunately, I had several Hureston: I had worked with an interfriends who provided me with reference national team, with members located in points. Several of my friends in NSBE the U.S. and others in the Netherlands, had explored entrepreneurial pursuits while serving as an engineer at Bell in Africa, such as Shalon Simmons (this Laboratories. (But) my efforts never year’s NSBE Alumni Extension National required me to travel to Holland. As an Entrepreneurship chair), who I knew entrepreneur, I eventually got exposed to 20 • nsbe magazine NSBE: What advice do you give to NSBE members who want to start their own businesses? Hureston: The best advice I can give them is to do the soul-searching required to unveil their passion. A place to start is to explore your strengths and interests. From understanding your strengths and interests, you get a context on potential business options. NSBE: Last year, our domestic members were surveyed about where they would like to study/work abroad. Many chose Europe or Japan. Should they consider an African country instead? Hureston: I definitely think that students should consider Africa. As a matter of fact, South Africa has a number of splendid choices for studying. University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria (and) University of Johannesburg are “I made the leap from corporate to entrepreneurship in the mid-1990s. In many respects, that was the greatest leap of faith.” some of the more popular universities. It is my understanding that there has been a noticeable increase in students from the U.S. pursuing both undergraduate and graduate school study-abroad opportunities. NSBE: What did you learn from your experience on NSBE’s National Executive Board and Alumni Executive Board? Hureston: My experiences on the NSBE National Executive Board and the Alumni Executive Board were among my first major leadership experiences…. These roles provided me with the foundation of financial, operational and strategic skills required to run a business. ■ www.nsbe.org • winter 2009

NSBE - Winter 2009/2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - Winter 2009/2010