Connection between Hyde Students and Entrepreneurial/Small Businesses
Sean Ireland and Mandy Reynolds talk with the Hyde School EntreX class about entrepreneurship.
EntreX students discussing their ideas from the class.
EntreX students discussing their ideas from the class.
This collaboration is an extension of Hyde’s “Inner Leadership” approach, which places character, self-awareness, and human-centered problem solving at the center of its academic offerings. In an era where artificial intelligence and automation are reshaping the workforce, Hyde believes the true differentiators for tomorrow’s leaders will be integrity, empathy, and the ability to connect with real people solving real problems.
“Our goal isn’t just to prepare students for the future,” said Shaw Bridges, faculty lead for the program. “It’s to help them shape it—with courage, curiosity, and conscience.”
Through Hyde’s mentorship-based entrepreneurship program and its connection to the University of Delaware’s Horn School of Entrepreneurship’s EntreX (short for entrepreneurial experience) Lab, students are introduced to local innovators and small business owners. These mentors will challenge them to think critically, listen to community needs, and test ideas through evidence and collaboration—not just theory. The partnership with Union + Co provides a physical space where Hyde students can learn these lessons beyond the gates. The EntreX students recently met with Bath-based developers Sean Ireland and Mandy Reynolds to explore how ideas become viable ventures by gathering feedback and building trust with the community.
This academic year marks the formal launch of an Entrepreneurship Mentorship Network that connects students with local founders, designers, real estate developers, and Hyde alumni working in creative industries. The program challenges the myth that entrepreneurship is exclusive to major metropolitan hubs—showing instead that innovation thrives in small cities and towns when people take risks, seek feedback, and stay rooted in their values.
“Getting students off campus and into environments where people are taking real risks and solving real problems changes everything,” Bridges said. “They’re not just learning about entrepreneurship—they’re experiencing it.”
On November 7, Union + Co will host a panel featuring local entrepreneurs who will share their personal journeys of building businesses in Midcoast Maine. This event will give students the opportunity to ask questions, hear honest stories of success and failure, and see how innovation can thrive locally.
Hyde’s partnership with Union + Co is more than an excursion—it’s a bridge between education and community, character and innovation, and the next generation of leaders and the places they call home.
Hyde School is an independent, coeducational college preparatory boarding school for grades 9 - 12 and Postgraduate. Hyde has pioneered Character Development, leading to life-changing outcomes for students and families. Our emphasis is on helping students discover their strengths and grow as confident leaders prepared for the future. We believe that for students to succeed - now and for the rest of their lives - they must develop the integrity, habits, and resilience that are the hallmarks of successful adults. We are focused on the belief that character, attitude, and effort will lead to academic excellence, meaningful achievement, and personal fulfillment. The Hyde difference is seen in the peer culture and parent involvement, which connects our students to a remarkable support system.
Union + Co was founded on the belief that when people come together, good things happen. We support economic and community development and believe that art and culture play a critical role in making a community strong, resilient, and interesting. By providing a flexible environment at Union + Co, we enable members to build relationships that not only enhance their personal and professional lives but also contribute to a vibrant community. Our focus on innovation and relationships lays the groundwork for a thriving local economy, where ideas can flourish and partnerships can thrive.
Shaw Bridges is a history educator at Hyde School and certified teacher for its Entre-X and Lead-X dual-enrollment courses with the University of Delaware’s Horn Entrepreneurship. A former PhD candidate in American business history at the University of Georgia, he brings over a decade of experience in teaching, coaching, and student development.
Lisa Geller
Hyde School
+1 207-443-7162
email us here
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