Mike Otworth’s connection to the University of Tennessee (UT) was not something he planned. Originally from Ohio, Otworth attended both Ohio State and Otterbein University before moving to Knoxville for work. It was the sense of community he found in Tennessee that ultimately drew him into the University.
“I just got pulled into it,” Otworth said.
That connection grew through his involvement with UT Knoxville’s Haslam College of Business and the Anderson Center, where he was able to share lessons from a career in entrepreneurship and technology. Otworth has worked in the entrepreneurial space since the late 1990s and has been involved with eight initial public offerings.
His experience made UT Ventures a natural extension of his work.
Otworth brings an investor’s focus on differentiation to the group, looking for companies with intellectual property and a meaningful advantage over existing approaches. But he also knows that early-stage companies rarely follow a perfectly predictable path.
“Sticking to an original business plan is sometimes hugely destructive to early-stage,” he said. “You just need to be considering all the inputs in real time. And if you need to adjust, adjust.”
For Otworth, that willingness to adapt is also important in the founders themselves. He looks for entrepreneurs who understand their limitations and remain open to learning as their companies evolve.
“Control your own destiny from a business standpoint,” Otworth said, reflecting on one of the lessons that shaped his own entrepreneurial career. “You can’t overstate the importance of being able to control your own destiny.”