EIR Spotlight: Hayes Ferguson

The Garage is not only home to more than 60 Resident Teams, made up of students working on their startups, but four Entrepreneurs-In-Residence. EIRs spend their time working in our space, and in return offer mentorship and Office Hours to students at Northwestern. Let's get to know one EIR a little better.After working as a foreign correspondent in Latin America for a number of years and reporting for People Magazine, Hayes Ferguson took on the world of entrepreneurship as a member of the founding management team of Legacy.com. Started right here in Evanston, IL, Legacy.com is now among the 50 most visited websites in the U.S., working with newspapers and funeral homes to share inspiring life stories and memories about loved ones. Recently, Hayes has been providing advising to early stage companies such as HistoryIT, while also trying to start an innovation incubator for under-resourced individuals. Her connection to Northwestern began with her role as an adjunct professor at Medill, and she now relishes the opportunity to work with and mentor students as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at The Garage. Here is some advice from Hayes for student founders. Want more? Click here to schedule Office Hours with Hayes and get your idea off the ground.

• The physical space of The Garage is a huge advantage for students; take advantage of the fun and inspiring physical space filled with so many knowledgeable people.
• The Garage is not just for engineers and business students - anyone with an idea or problem to solve can and should come and seek out resources from The Garage.
• Be proud to be a Northwestern student incubating at The Garage. Many students fear that admitting that they are a student will put them at a disadvantage when trying to propel their company. Instead, acknowledge that you’re a student and don’t put up a facade; let people know that you are still figuring things out because then they will be more understanding if you make mistakes.

To learn more about the EIRs at The Garage, click here.