Chicago Family Business Council: Tell us why you chose to come to DePaul
Javier Monllor: DePaul is one of the top ranked entrepreneurship schools in the nation and was one of my top choices when I was in the job market. I knew I wanted to join a school where I could teach highly motivated students and where I would be challenged not only as an educator but also as a scholar. DePaul offers me that challenge in an open doors culture where I can reach out to other faculty members to seek out support and collaboration.

CFBC: What was your first impression of DePaul?
JM: I was very impressed with how welcoming everyone was. Unlike some schools where everyone works in their office behind closed doors, the faculty here meet frequently for lunch and for social activities while also doing high quality research. I wanted to be a part of that.

CFBC: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your work with DePaul, and why?
JM: I love all the work I do at DePaul, but I’m especially proud of our school’s undergraduate entrepreneurship club (CEO). When I took the reigns of the club 3 years ago, it had been inactive for a number of years. It now boasts more than 80 members and holds so many events I can’t keep track. They hold meetings every two weeks where the students pitch their own entrepreneurial ideas and where entrepreneurs come in to talk about their experiences. The club also holds a ½ day entrepreneurship conference every year and this summer a group of them is flying to Puerto Rico for 4 days to network with the local entrepreneurship club and present at an international conference about their new project “Venture Labs”. With this new initiative, the club is going to start funding small ventures that are pitched by the members.

CFBC: What do you wish CFBC members knew about DePaul or your department, and why?
JM: DePaul is one of the top entrepreneurship schools in the country and its students are highly motivated. Many entrepreneurship classes have an outreach component where students work with local businesses to help them in their operations. We’re always looking for ventures to work with and CFBC members who are interested should reach out to the faculty to get involved.

CFBC: How could you serve as a resource for the CFBC members, and how could they serve as a resource for you?
JM: Our faculty and our students want to work with your company! Be it through an outreach project in an entrepreneurship class or as interns, our students are very motivated and are always looking for new opportunities.

CFBC: Tell me about someone who has influenced your decision to do the work you do?
JM: I grew up in an entrepreneurial environment. My dad left his job at an international corporation to start his own company and me and my brothers grew up working at the family business from middle school all the way through college. After that experience I just couldn’t work for a large corporation and always wanted to be involved in the entrepreneurial culture. Prof. J.M. Romaguera, from the University of Puerto Rico was the person who helped me take that interest and focus it toward education. His exposure to the CEO entrepreneurship clubs and his dedication to spreading entrepreneurship in Puerto Rico was a huge influence in my decision to get a PhD in entrepreneurship.

CFBC: What would you tell our members who are thinking about working with DePaul?
JM: Our doors are always open so stop by for a chat anytime.

CFBC: What do you do when you aren't working?
JM: I’m an avid triathlete and train 12 hours a week. This year I qualified for the USA Triathlon National Age Group Championship race in Milwaukee and last year finished my first Ironman triathlon race (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) in 11 hours, 45 minutes and 1 second.

CFBC: What are your plans for the future?
JM: I plan to keep publishing research and am always looking for ways to become a better teacher so that I can get tenure and hopefully stay at DePaul for a long time.

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