All the world's a stage, and Entrepreneurship and Innovation major Bella Randle is on her way to being a major player.

This past summer, Randle interned for The Lost Estate – a live theater experience located in central London that immerses guests in stage performances through food, decor and music. There, Randle experienced all aspects of the theater business, from collecting receipts for expense reports to sitting in on casting calls.

“I got to be there at prime time,” Randle said. S he witnessed the controlled chaos that erupted from the opening of a new location while simultaneously ensuring that the original location operated up to spec.

“It was a great fit for me, because I was able to do the business functions for something I’m interested in.”

The learning opportunities Randle got from working with The Lost Estate were invaluable. She was even able to chat with the CEOs and learn how they created a successful and growing business in a competitive industry.

“The CEOs said something I learned in a lot of my classes: entrepreneurship is a mindset, and that can’t be taught," Randle said. "But there's a toolkit of skills that can help prepare you to be an entrepreneur."

Randle credits the Chambers College for helping her build her “toolkit” early in her professional career, preparing her for the harsh realities that entrepreneurs face.

“When you start something new, you don't really know how much it's going to cost,” Randle said. “You don't know how much people are going to be willing to pay for things. There's not a lot of room for error.”

Randle knows that her road to success may be bumpy, requiring long hours and hard work. But she also knows that she can use her experience and education to stage her own dream – a dream that combines her two passions, art and business.

“I'm always trying to think of ways I can tie business into art, because they’re my two things. Hopefully I one day I can create something great like The Lost Estate here in America."

-WVU-

Emma Higgins 11/15/24 

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Andrew Marvin 
Senior Communications Specialist
John Chambers College of Business and Economics
andrew.marvin@mail.wvu.edu