NIU students aspiring to be entrepreneurs learned key ingredients to success Monday at an Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs meeting.

Michael Embrey, former director of the Huskie marching band for ten years, was the speaker for the meeting. Embrey, a local entrepreneur, left his post at NIU and started his own company.

Now he owns five businesses and encourages others to also try their hand in business. “An entrepreneur is an idea-generator, someone who addresses a need in society and initiates plans to fill that need,” he said.

Networking is the “key ingredient to success,” Embrey said. Once you have an idea you must also find the right broker, financier, marketer and advertiser, he said.

“Being the smartest person in the world won’t make a difference if you don’t surround yourself with other smart, good people.”

Embrey suggested three things to help aspiring entrepreneurs network and create: printing up business cards with their name, address and phone number, using a Rolodex to keep track of people they meet and starting a life diary of business ideas and concepts.

He also gave advice to the aspiring entrepreneurs: “Never listen or believe anyone that hasn’t been successful themselves,” Embrey said. “And never listen to anyone more messed up than you are.”

Chris Krup, a senior accounting major, said he thought Embrey was enthusiastic. “He kept the crowd going and held everyone’s attention at all times,” he said.

The next ACE meeting will be on Oct. 3 at 9:15 p.m. in McMurry Auditorium.