Entrepreneurship students: What the Entrepreneurship Clinic means to them
Poole College Communications asked students active in the Entrepreneurship Clinic to relate what drew them to entrepreneurship, what that have been doing, their goals, and what the Clinic means to them. Following are their responses.
JARED CHILDS | CAROLINE HIGGINS | LOUIS JOBARD | TAYLOR JONES | VIJAY KAILASH | JAMES LONG | ROBERT MACOM | JONATHAN ROMANG | KYLE SHEATS | ANDREW SCONTSAS
JARED CHILDS
(2015, B.S., business administration, entrepreneurship concentration)
Childs came to the NC State Poole College of Management from Cary, N.C., where he graduated from Green Hope High School in 2010
“I was hired by Republic Wireless in 2013 to create a brand ambassador program to spread brand awareness and recognition among college students. I built a pilot program at NC State where we hired three students to be ambassadors. After six months we scaled the program to five additional universities across the country. Building something from the ground up, with limited resources, and seeing it scale was really what sparked my interest in entrepreneurship. I love seeing how an opportunity creates an idea and, ultimately, grows into a concept.
“I'm working on a concept right now that fills a void in the wrist watch industry. The concept was born from an idea I had this fall, so I'm looking forward to digging into the industry analysis and financials more this semester to see if there is a real opportunity to launch.
“I'd love to start my own company one day but, ultimately, I want to wake up every morning and love what I do. Whether that means at my own company or for a company I believe in, I just want to be passionate about my work and make a difference.
“As a member of the Entrepreneurship Clinic, I get to help dozens of companies, in different industries, solve their unique problems and grow. That kind of experience and exposure will prepare me for the inevitable challenges I will face in my future ventures. Also, getting to work in a place like HQ that is propelling N.C. business into the forefront is both exciting and inspiring.
“I believe the Entrepreneurship Clinic will transform the way we educate business students. By taking students outside of the lecture halls and giving them the opportunity to work in industry with real companies before they graduate, we are creating a class of students equipped with the skills and experience to make an immediate impact after graduation. The learning curve will be shortened, companies will be more profitable and business will thrive.”
CAROLINE HIGGINS
(May 2015, B.S., business administrations, marketing and entrepreneurship)
Higgins came to Poole College from New Bern, N.C., where she graduated from West Craven High School in 2011
“I never wanted an office job. I knew that. I wanted a fun, ‘jump out of bed every day’ kinda job but I never knew what exactly that could be – until I took the first entrepreneurship class and then I was hooked. I knew that eventually I wanted to start my own business.
“For myself: I'm working on a website that will build a community within the body modifications industry. I want to create a place that people feel comfortable talking to each other about body modifications and expand that into a place where people can go to find information about tattoo shops near them that included extremely relevant info to help them choose the perfect tattoo shop for them.
“For the E clinic: I'm working with a company called Vital Plan. They create and sell herbal supplements. Currently they are releasing a book about fibromyalgia and lyme disease. They want to market that book to blogs for review. I want to get their book to enough people that they feel comfortable releasing it to general population due to the impressive reviews they will get on it.
“The Entrepreneurship Clinic will prepare me immensely to work with startups because with my experience already I have found out that I really love working with startups and I would like to continue after college. I also know that the experience that I receive through working here will help me with my own venture.”
LOUIS JOBARD
(May 2015 B.S., business administration, entrepreneurship concentration)
Jobard came to the NC State campus of Skema Business School, and is completing his final year at Poole College. He is originally from France and graduated from high school in 2010.
“I always dreamt to run my own business, (to have the) ability to turn ideas into actions, be creative, a sense of responsibility, manage employees
Jobard is currently working on “a breakfast delivery service located in Dijon, France. I may launch it one day for real.” His long term goals are to be the “owner of company.”
About the Entrepreneurship Clinic, he said the environment there allows “me to get real work experience on the field, help refine strategies and make recommendations, see what is right or wrong.”
TAYLOR JONES
(May 2015,B.S., sport management, entrepreneurship and psychology minors)
Jones came to NC State from Winston Salem, N.C, where he graduated from Reagan High School in 2011.
“My interest in entrepreneurship sparked after I took the introduction to entrepreneurship class second semester of my junior year. I decided to concentrate in entrepreneurship after I had the opportunity to take a class with Professor Sheats. I truly gained valuable experience through my project with Lonerider and learned the mindset of an entrepreneur.
“Right now I am planning to work with Zenyfit, which is a wellness service provider based in the Triangle area. My vision for this venture is to expand the Zenyfit brand and gain traction in the area starting with local businesses. I believe there is a market for people that understand the value in yoga and mental relaxation.
“My long term goals are to become a part of a startup and play a large part in the development and branding of a company. I want to be able to have the freedom of working for myself and contribute a valuable product to the market. There are always problems that can be solved or needs to be met, so I want to create the best solution for them.
“The Entrepreneurship Clinic will allow me to gain invaluable experience that I would not get in the typical classroom environment. It gives me the opportunity to expand my network and meet new people that could help me in the long run.
“The kickoff event was great, and I'm glad I am able to be a part of the first ever NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic.”
VIJAY KAILASH
(May 2017, B.S., business administration, finance concentration)
Kailash’s home town is Burlington, N.C. He graduated in 2013 from Prairie High School in Eden Prairie, Minn.
“My interest in business sparked in eighth grade when I sold Mountain Dew out of my locker. I noticed there was a large demand within my school for soda, so I pursed that opportunity. Ever since then, I have been finding ways to make money by finding products and services which are in demand.
“I have written several business plans while I was in high school. I plan to launch one of these businesses through the help of the NC State's Entrepreneurship Clinic.
“My long term goal is to one day start my own company and/or become a CFO or CEO of a well-reputed company.
About the impact of Entrepreneurship Clinic as he works toward his goals, Kailash said,”I will be surrounded by many individuals with the same interest and passion for entrepreneurship as me. This way, when I am starting a business, I will have others with different skill sets helping me. Likewise, if someone from the clinic wants to start a business but needs help with figuring things out relating to finance, I would be more than happy to help them out as well.
“I would just like to say that I am very honored to be one of the first few Entrepreneurship Clinical Students. I am very excited to see what the future holds for us.”
JAMES LONG
(B.S., sociology with minors in business administration and Chinese studies and entrepreneurship concentration)
Long came to NC State from Raleigh, N.C., where he graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School in 2010
“Since I was able to move, I've been obsessed with creation. I prefer unorthodox approaches, and try to use existing objects as tools for a new purpose.
“When I was five years old, I recall lamenting winter weather as spring came into full effect. I wanted to create snow, and took apart an old freezer and hose nozzle to build a snow machine. As one may expect, I was relatively unsuccessful. Luckily, I had drawn up sophomoric schematics that gave my father pause. Apparently my approach held a certain similarity with actual snow machines. A feeling of capability and confidence was the ironic reward of my efforts. I went on to try various technical ventures, which would sneak into friendly conversation after a few libations (in later years, that is). Such chats led me to a partnership with Nick Cioffi, a like-minded student. Our ideas have now found residence under Innovatech Holdings, LLC, our holding company run out of Raleigh, N.C.
“In the fall of 2012, Nick and I were concurrently enrolled in two back-to-back classes. During our daily commute, we would often ask each other typical collegiate questions: How did you do on the test? Do we have anything due today? When is that assignment due anyways?
“We would sit down in full classrooms, wondering why the teacher is so late. Eventually a student would hold up his or her smartphone and display an open email from the teacher: "I thought I would be able to come today but I now am running a fever. Class will have to be cancelled. Please prepare your readings for next Tuesday."
“Not only would we be disturbed that we wasted our time walking to a cancelled class, we would wonder why email, a trustworthy but casual aperture, is the go-to option for time-sensitive messaging on a college campus. We realized there was a need for more effective messaging.
“We were tired of having to open our laptops and connect to campus WIFI before we could check our assignments and receive messages. Everyone was using their smartphones as efficiency aids. These handheld supertools were being used for nearly everything except education. Phones are personal and entail a certain level of privacy. Professors can't be expected to gather everyone's phone number and worry about including them in mass text messages. Carrier fees prove prohibitively expensive for many students. There was no apparent answer. Then we started thinking.
“What about push notifications? Could we allow teachers to use the technology they're comfortable with to reach us on our favorite device? The answer was yes, and Bulletin Mobile was created.
“Bulletin Mobile allows professors to reach students anywhere, at any time. We took the idea further by building a custom analytics system that graphs student participation in real-time. As students receive, open, and view messages, teachers are notified. Everyone is on the same page. We are here to eliminate error margins.
“We have added a full suite of additional features to ensure students using Bulletin Mobile perform well. Students can receive documents, videos, and other files. Students can even open and edit word documents. We added calendar integration and GPS to ensure that no native smartphone feature goes unused.
“We tested successfully at NC State University and have built a plugin for Moodle by request of administrative faculty. This plugin allows professors to access Bulletin Mobile within the learning management systems they already use. We are currently amidst a soft launch at the university.
“We have grown Bulletin Mobile at a rapid pace. We have added new team members, and have begun building a new dashboard where administrators can compose, send, and monitor messages. We are in the process of expanding.
“We want to become a fixation on college campuses using Moodle across the world. Furthermore, we want to create new features, allowing professors more automation. We are working to integrate with other learning management systems, and eventually partner with companies and other various organizations.
“Not only does the Entrepreneurship Clinic provide me with hands-on experience as an entrepreneur, it allows me to collaborate with other driven individuals with markedly different talents. Bulletin Mobile is actually a company involved with the clinic, which gives me a chance to let other student entrepreneurs proffer their ideas and potential visions for my company. It is a true blessing to be able to learn about my passions while concurrently working towards a better future.
“The Entrepreneurship Clinic at NC State has given us the opportunity to learn the real skills we need for the startup lifestyle. I've never had a class that draws this much enthusiasm. I look forward to every day at HQ. It is beyond a blessing to be among the first students who are a part of this necessary educational change.”
ROBERT MACOM
(May 2016; B.S., business administration, entrepreneurship concentration; May, 2016)
Macom came to the NC State Poole College of Management from Akron, Ohio, where he graduated in May 2012 from Archbishop Hoban High School.
“During eighth grade, because of my inability to come to class prepared, I started a pencil banking system. I charged three pencils per week for unlimited use from my "pencil cache." My business grew wildly, and, for an eight grader, I was wildly successful. That is when I realized how awesome entrepreneurial ventures are and how easily accessible they are with the proper motivation and timing.
“Right now I am working on a venture called PerSight, which has created an innovative personality test for job applicants. My vision for this venture is a behind-the-scenes company that is well known throughout the business world while maintaining its reputation as a solid and reliable software company. When people see PerSight, they will think high quality and low drag.
“My long term goals are very simple: 1. Always eat well; 2. Live on a lake.
“The Entrepreneurship Clinic has already given me the opportunity to work with PerSight, which is an immediate and direct impact from enrolling in the program. And I think the big word is Opportunity. The clinic gives me an opportunity to practice what I have learned and apply it to several different situations. It is going to be a lot of critical thinking; you cannot study for it, and I think that is both nerve-wracking and exciting.”
JONATHAN ROMANG
(2017, B.S., business administration, marketing and human resources concentrations)
Originally from Argentina, Romang attended high school at the American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro, N.C. and graduated in 2013.
“Entrepreneurship is something that is been always in my thoughts because I have always wanted to create my own business and be my own boss. I started seriously thinking of entrepreneurship when I came to the U.S. and I saw the different opportunities one has whenever they are willing to take that next step. I like taking smart risks and I can see myself creating something that people need.
“Every day I wake up thinking and collecting my ideas to see if something interesting came out. I take my time to think (if) something can have a potential; the first thing I do is to see if it is already out there.
“I think that the best way to think like an entrepreneur is to gain from experience and knowledge from other people that went through that same path you are trying to go and learn from their mistakes and advice. I am currently working on something, but I won't say what it is until I go further with it.
“I want to be able to show my potential in business to every single person out there. My long-term goal is to become a successful business man while maintaining integrity and not losing the person I am. I believe the Entrepreneurship Clinic gives me the chance to create connections while gaining experience and learning from other start-up businesses with their every day actions and plans. The fact that I am a college student that has the opportunity to have this interaction with different business people is incredible because it helps me understand how the market works. Also, I can challenge myself trying to help a company that might face a potential threat.”
KYLE SHEATS
(May 2015, B.S., business administration, entrepreneurship concentration)
Sheats is from Raleigh, N.C., and graduated in 2011 from the Raleigh Charter High School.
“I don't think any one thing sparked my interest in entrepreneurship. I have always been interested in how companies operate in their early stages. At the moment I'm working on two application-based ventures that have carried over from my entrepreneurial classes and organizations at NC State.
“The first one is called Run With Me which will ultimately incentivize exercise through a virtual currency within a digital marketplace. I plan to launch Run With Me this summer after another semester of work during my New Venture Planning class.
“The second venture I'm working on is called The Directory, an application that will be used to better connect all entrepreneurs across NC State's campus based on skills. Entrepreneurship is unique in that it crosses multiple disciplines and this is why I felt it necessary to develop The Directory. The Directory will improve our collective networks for when students launch ventures of their own and need help in areas that aren't their expertise. We will beta test within the CEO Club and then add each organization across campus one by one.
“My goals are to graduate from NC State this May and then work for a startup in Raleigh, seeing it through to its exit. Simultaneously, I'd like to efficiently and leanly manage Run With Me in order to prove the concept of the incentivized niche marketplace. In the long-term, after gaining more experience at NC State's Entrepreneurship Clinic and working with startups, I'd like to move into private equity, bringing everything full circle and helping young entrepreneurs pursue their ventures through investments.
“The Entrepreneurship Clinic environment and the culture HQ Raleigh provides have already begun to benefit my understanding of startups. The problems we are solving come from the real world and real startups, and provide us with experiential knowledge that I know I will recall on when in my future ventures. I think it all comes down to shortening the learning curve. As students and entrepreneurs we are becoming better, faster, and smarter because of the environment, culture, experience, and knowledge we gain from endeavors like this.”
ANDREW SCONTSAS
(May 2014), B.A., finance and entrepreneurship concentrations, accounting minor)
Scontsas came to NC State from Cary, N.C., and graduated from Green Hope High School in 2010
“Since middle school I have always had an interest in the business and finances behind organizations, in addition to an interest in investing. His career goal, he said, is “to make money in finance or in starting my own business and eventually take that money to invest in startups and businesses later in life. About the Entrepreneurship Clinic, he said, “It gives me the insight as to problems businesses face and the experience in solving them.”
