Ask Me Anything

Got an Idea? Here's How to Get It Started
Free online session

📅 Tuesday 28 July
🕛 1:00 – 1:45 PM AEST
💵 Cost: Free
📍 Format: Online AMA (live, interactive - link provided upon registration)

Got a product innovation or new idea for your business, but not sure where to start? Join Wade Institute's Managing Director, Jessica Christiansen Franks, in conversation with program facilitator Brian Collins for a live AMA on how to turn that idea into action - and what it really takes to think like an entrepreneur inside a large organisation.

This is your chance to ask questions directly, get a taste of the thinking behind Wade's Think Like an Entrepreneur program, and decide if it's the right fit before the next 3-day intake.

Why this session

Maybe you've already spotted the opportunity - a new product, a better way of doing things, an idea that could genuinely shift the needle for your business. But having the idea is the easy part. Knowing how to get started - where to test it, who to bring on board, how to build a case for it - is where most people get stuck.

This session is for exactly that moment. Entrepreneurship isn't only for founders. It's a mindset and a set of practical tools that any leader can use to take an idea from "I think this could work" to real, validated action - without waiting for every answer to be known.

In this 45-minute session, Brian and Jess will unpack:

How to get started when you've got an idea but no clear next step
Why entrepreneurial thinking has become a critical leadership skill, not a founder-only trait
The mindset shift that helps you act on opportunity despite uncertainty and internal complexity
Common traps that stall good ideas inside organisations - and how to avoid them
A behind-the-scenes look at what the Think Like an Entrepreneur program covers, who it's for, and what you'll walk away with
Live audience Q&A - bring your questions on entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, or the program itself

About Think Like an Entrepreneur

Think Like an Entrepreneur is Wade Institute's practical, immersive 3-day program that helps leaders build entrepreneurial skills to drive change from inside their organisation. Delivered by experienced practitioners, you'll work through frameworks you can apply immediately, alongside a high-calibre cohort of peers.

You'll build:

Practical frameworks for identifying, testing and validating opportunities
Clearer judgement for making decisions under uncertainty
Tools for leading change and managing risk inside an organisation
Confidence to shape and pitch a stronger business case
A peer network of leaders working through similar challenges

Who should attend this AMA

This session is for anyone curious about building a more entrepreneurial approach to their work - especially if you already have an idea for a product innovation or a new initiative within your business, but aren't sure how to get started. It's especially relevant if you're:

A corporate leader or senior manager leading transformation projects
Part of an innovation or strategy team
A business unit leader responsible for growth or new initiatives
An intrapreneur working on a new idea inside an established organisation
A sophisticated investor wanting sharper judgement on early-stage opportunities
Simply looking to build stronger innovation capability, or bring practical tools back to your team

Meet your speakers:

Jess Christiansen-Franks, Managing Director, Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship
Managing Director, Wade Institute Award-winning founder and educator working across entrepreneurship, technology and social impact. Jess co-founded and led urban analytics company Neighbourlytics to acquisition by REA Group in 2025 and now leads the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship.

Brian Collins, Facilitator, Think Like an Entrepreneur | CEO, Enterprize Tasmania & Principal, Audacity
Brian has spent 15+ years building and scaling startups, funds and innovation ecosystems worldwide.

Register now to secure your spot. Can't make it live? Register anyway and we'll send you the recording.

Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship

Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship is a leading centre for entrepreneurial training located at Ormond College, the University of Melbourne. Established in 2015 thanks to a generous gift from entrepreneur Peter Wade, we deliver a range of immersive education programs, including The University of Melbourne’s Master of Entrepreneurship, VC Catalyst, our investor education program powered by LaunchVic, and UpSchool, our professional development program for educators.

Contact the host of Got an Idea? Here's How to Get It Started