Transforming Butler's Entrepreneurship Program | Nick Smarrelli, Butler Entrepreneurship

24 snips

Jan 21, 2026

Nick Smarrelli, director of Butler Entrepreneurship and former CEO turned professor, talks about transforming entrepreneurship education. He covers student-run businesses like Yalla Solutions and Butler’s plan for on-campus companies. He highlights hands-on learning, apprenticeship credit, statewide partnerships, and entrepreneurship through acquisition as practical pathways for students.

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ANECDOTE

Growth Brought Scale And Stress

Nick described scaling GoodellNet from roughly $5M to $33M and the emotional toll as the company outgrew personal connections.
He said awards increased pressure and made leadership feel worse as stakes and scrutiny rose.

ADVICE

Leave When You Stop Serving Well

When leadership no longer serves your team well, lead by stepping aside rather than prolonging harm.
Lean on others early; discuss transitions and use journaling to clarify purpose shifts.

ANECDOTE

Academic Pivot During Transition

While transitioning, Nick enrolled in a master's at Harvard to prepare for teaching and finished in 2023.
That educational move smoothed his path into adjunct teaching and then full-time academia.

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On today's show I sat down with Nick Smarrelli, the director of Butler Entrepreneurship and a full-time professor at Butler University.

Nick discusses his journey from a reluctant entrepreneur to CEO of multiple successful companies, his transition into higher education, and his vision for the future of entrepreneurship instruction at Butler.

He explores the transformative initiatives at Butler, including student-run businesses and industry partnerships designed to give students real-world experience. In fact, Get Indiana is a customer of Yalla Solutions, founded by Butler Entrepreneurship student Jenna Burd who will graduate in May 2026. You can learn more about Jenna's business at yallasolutions.net or email her at jennaburd@yallasolutions.net.

Nick also highlights his 15 years of experience in building companies like GadellNet and Ryvit, underscores the importance of practical, hands-on learning in entrepreneurship, and shares valuable insights on fostering confidence, resilience, and creativity in the next generation of business leaders.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about: - How Butler University Develops Entrepreneurs - Student-Run Businesses Including Yalla Solutions - The Importance of Hands-On Learning in Entrepreneurship

Thank you to our partners: Cowpokes J.C. Hart AccountedFor

Check out these great clips from the show: 01:11 Guest Introduction: Nick Smarrelli 02:39 Nick's Early Career and Entrepreneurial Beginnings 05:58 The Turning Point: Choosing Entrepreneurship 14:41 Building and Growing GadellNet Consulting Services 23:23 Challenges and Realizations as a CEO 27:36 Transitioning Out of the CEO Role 30:48 Reflecting on a Decade of Work 31:13 Complex Emotions and Personal Values 31:53 Shifting Purpose and Finding New Opportunities 33:06 Advice for Entrepreneurs Seeking New Identities 33:49 The Importance of Leaning on Others 35:11 Pursuing Higher Education During a Career Transition 38:58 The Emotional Impact of Leaving a Leadership Role 43:18 The Value of Higher Education and Entrepreneurship 45:57 Teaching Entrepreneurship at Butler University 53:09 The Core Values of Entrepreneurship 01:01:15 Entrepreneurial Success Stories 01:01:53 Butler's Vision for Entrepreneurship 01:04:07 Student-Run Businesses at Butler 01:07:03 Challenges and Future Plans 01:15:34 Community Support and Impact 01:17:49 Indiana's Unique Appeal

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