There are a lot of Wall Streeters with great skills. And there are already lot's of entrepreneurs out there with ideas and commitment who don’t necessarily have the Wall Streeters skills. I would encourage Wall Streeters to look for organizations that need their expertise.

I know one banker who decided to leave her firm and get into the non-profit sector. She’s committed to a small, non-profit for a year. She’s not earning a lot of money this year. But she’ll help them develop their financial capacities. At the same time, she’s learning the non-profit skills so that at the end of the year she can apply for jobs as executive director of an existing organization.

How would you find these sorts of opportunities?

Try Craig’s List. Contact organizations that work with non-profits and entrepreneurs such as the Non-Profit Coordinating Committee, Community Resource Exchange, National Executive Service Corps. Research the organizations in the sectors that interest you – education, youth and community services, the arts, the elderly, etc.

Good luck -

I recently blogged about how the EDC is destroying businesses in the name of economic development. In Downtown Brooklyn, the EDC and friends have been displacing small entrepreneurs in order to create a new Midtown. The independent businesses have gotten no help from the City, and my example at
http://duffieldst.blogspot.com/
tells the story of a businesses on a property bought by eminent domain. The City has not had the courtesy to tell this business owner how long he will be allowed to stay.

I would like more information about the free courses offered by the Economic Development Corporation.

how can a non wall streeter get involved in
entrepreneurial and other "smart" trainings, a web site or phone # please!

Wow, Jason Brotter, that's quite an innovation! Will the cars run on Cold Air, or Hot Air? I suspect the latter.

Bankers are trained to identify, measure and mitigate risk: not take it.

It's a wholly different mindset and has nothing whatever to do with the differences between big companies and small ones.

I should know. I'm a recovering banker.

I know one ex financial analyst who's now a performer in male burlesque - and a very good one.

I know you mentioned other business enterprises are welcome. What about designers? Such as graphic and industrial design?

SETH !!
Then let's focus on JOB CREATION by keeping the CREATIVE ECONOMY in NYC specifically in Brooklyn -bio tech, greentech, culturetech,
Support the BROOKLYN CREATIVE ECONOMIC ZONE initiative for what's currently known as the East Williamsburg industrial Zone..

X streeters can help if they behave themselves...

I worked at Credit Suisse selling high yield pieces of commercial mortgage debt.

Now I am developing the first US Air Car factory in the South Bronx. The facility will provide 130 quality jobs for local residents and cars that run on air.

send them all to iraq and afghanistan :)