StudentPreneur Podcast: Stories of Students who are Entrepreneurs | Student Entrepreneur | Young Entrepreneur |

Meet this week's awesome studentpreneur: Matthew Mills (22), engineering and business student at the University of Sydney and founder of Hireflow, Australia. Matthew was looking for a job in creative industry and it was only through resumes and cover letter. Through this

Matthew was looking for a job in creative industry and it was only through resumes and cover letter. Through this experience, he embarked on his entrepreneurial journey with his co-funder. He met him through a University project. Michael had another startup before. Quotes: Talk to other incubate graduate As an introvert I learnt my sales skills through selling charity in the street No idea is a bad idea as long as you have reasons for thinking so. An incubator is like a seal of approval, great for credentials. You don't want to be taking money from people who are not engaged Always keep trying' give another phone call Books : Book Zero to One, How to network with other U2U (Uni to support you): Get great alumni to come back to present their story Links: Twitter: @hireflowsystems Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Hireflow/

Quotes:

• Talk to other incubate graduate
• As an introvert, I learnt my sales skills through selling charity in the street
• No idea is a bad idea as long as you have reasons for thinking so.
• An incubator is like a seal of approval, great for credentials.
• You don't want to be taking money from people who are not engaged
• Always keep trying' give another phone call

Books:

• Book Zero to One,
• How to network with other

U2U (Uni to support you):

• Get great alumni to come back to present their story

Links:

• Twitter: @hireflowsystems
• Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Hireflow/

To my listeners I started this podcast because I was amazed at the stories shared by the studentpreneurs I interviewed for my PhD. I decided these stories had to be shared with the world to motivate other potential studentpreneurs out there. I love doing those interviews, there is always so much to learn and it keeps me motivated when writing my thesis. For me, contribution to the practice is as important as contribution to theory, maybe sometimes more. These interviews also help me understand how I can help studentpreneurs once I am an academic. Long story short I would love to be part of a University that values studentpreneurs. I have started working on how I would organise classes. For me, it's all about practice with a touch of theory from time to time. I can see my first years working toward participating in a hackathon or a startup weekend. Then classes for the second year and third year would be run as an accelerator program. Grades would be based on effectiveness of customer validation and other real life criteria... I can go on and on If you know a university who is looking for an academic like that, tell them about me;) But first of all, I need to complete my PhD, and I have less than 4 months to do so! So after publishing episodes for 53 weeks in a row, I need to take a break. I have done more interviews but I will have to edit and publish them after I submit my thesis. In the meantime, I invite you all to re-visit previous episodes, on studentpreneurpodcast.com you can search them by countries, universities, or themes. I hope these stories keep you motivated to pursue your entrepreneurial journey. Keep changing the mindset! Julien,studentpreneurpodcast.com

Meet this week's awesome studentpreneur: Roslyn Teng (20), Arts and Humanities student at the YaleNUS College and founder of Made Real, Singapore. Roslyn and Robin caught up for coffee one day after high school and they discussed their personal issues with food and diet. They decided to start a social project to address these issues. Now they are running a business: curated healthy snacks delivered to your door. They got tremendous help from SMU by being awarded a spot at the incubator program that provides them with a co-working space. Quotes:

• I decided to focus on the business after realising that I was achieving so much during uni break. I took a semester off.
• Attending and pitching at networking events built up my confidence and helped me to open up a lot more.
• Building Made Real helped me realise a lot about myself
• Now there are between 30 to 40% of women attending startup weekend events, it's growing!
• My parents have been very understanding and supportive
• Google is my number one tool
• Every week is a rollercoaster
• I still have those 2 AM moments when I wonder what am I doing with my life
• At the beginning we did delivery on our own.

Resource Websites :

• Shopify
• GrowthHackers.com

U2U (Uni to support you):

• Community
• Structured programs: incubators
• Modules of entrepreneurship courses for everyone

Links: Twitter:@maderealsg email: [email protected] Facebook page Website: MadeReal.sg If you have what it takes you can apply to share your story on air. CLICK HERE

Special Episode: How to leverage your University for your business: Queensland University of Technology with Dr. Rowena Barrett, Head of the School Management.

-If you have just started at QUT or you are in high school in Brisbane, this episode will help you understand how to quick start your business thanks to the ecosystem at the Queensland University of Technology.

-For all studentpreneurs around the world, this special episode will make you wonder double check your own university ecosystem, have asked around for similar groups or programs? How does your University compare?

Key Strengths of Queensland University of Technology

• Couple of entrepreneurship units part of core.
• Minor in entrepreneurship available University-wide (4 units).
• Shifting the program to more active doing vs. theory (bringing informal environment).
• QUT Starters: a student-run society supporting students from all disciplines who have an interest in discovering their inner entrepreneur. QUT Starters offer entrepreneurship program all along the semester.
• Bluebox: The university accelerator for students, staff, and alumni, in connection with QUT researchers.
• Creative Entreprise Australia: an incubator for creative industry (the Coterie), a program for early stage entrepreneur (adoptaprener), and a Startup Weekend on creative tech. Open to all students!

Success Stories:

• Fruit Ninja (halfbrick.com), created by QUT business students!
• Humminbird House, Queensland's unique Children hospice developed by QUT MBA students

Links:

QUT Staters: website , Facebook, @QUTStarters

QUT bluebox: website, Facebook, @qutbluebox

Creative Enterprise Australia: website, Facebook, @QUTCEA

QUT Business: website, @QUT

If you have what it takes you can apply to share your story on air CLICK HERE

Meet this week's awesome studentpreneur: Samuel Polgar (23), Applied Physics student at the University of Technology Sydney and founders of Chewsr, Sydney, Australia. Samuel started working at the age of 10 at his mum's work. Then he worked at 14 in a restaurant and fell in love with Cooking. He had a lot of ideas but never started anything until he went to a Food Hackathon that he won with his co-funder Angela Edwards, thanks to a lot of traction. Chewsr was born: it's like ordering food from Tinder. Now they are going to the next step: an accelerator (Slingshot, Melbourne). Quotes: · 'I apply the customer feedback loop from the Lean Startup to my life.' · 'I asked for a lot of help and received a lot, so ask me for help now.' · 'Just do it, don't think about it too much, go and learn it yourself!' · 'I said, how can I get involved in entrepreneurship and he replied, go to a hackathon. Best advice' · 'Meetup.com is such a great way to connect with the community.' · 'Failure is the best way to learn, don't be affraid.' · 'I talked to the right person who told me to get into a hackathon.' Books: · The Lean Startup by Eric Ries · Zero to One by Peter Thiel · Thinking Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill U2U (Uni to support you): · The UTS association BUILT is great, they provide great presentations. · 'We need recognition from the top level and that's what we have at UTS: I met the VC at the Project Pitch competition.' · We need credits when doing entrepreneurial activities doing creative intelligence a degree. · It's great to be next to the largest co-sharing space in Sydney. Links: Twitter: @samuelpolgar email: [email protected] Facebook page Website: Chewsr.co Other website on STEM education: Technoda.com.au

Slingshot accelerator in Melbourne: Slingshotters.com/

Hackathon at UTS: UTS Project Pitch

If you have what it takes you can apply to share your story on air. CLICK HERE

Meet this week's awesome studentpreneur: Vincent (24), Business student at the National University of Singapore, and Mark (26) co-founders of TwentyandFree, Singapore.

Mark and Vincent believe in the power of mentor, They help university students to be free. Mark never thought about being an entrepreneur. He initially joined a company to sell websites. On the other hand, Vincent started at 16 by selling candy to his friends. At some point they were both completely lost, not sure was to do. They went to a lot of paid events, read a lot of books but felt overwhelmed. Now they provide online coaching to help students build a business in 3 months. They also organise events where they bring world class coaches. They have a community where we give away all the lessons we learnt ($1 for the first month), they organise monthly masterminds, give a book a month. Connect with them on facebook & check online community at TwentyandFree.

Quotes:

• 'I first tried network marketing but I burnt a lot of relationships and lost all the money I had. The lesson learned is that selling is about educating.'
• 'We organise 1-day training on how to find customer.'
• 'You don't have a business until you make sales.'
• 'If you want to sell something for $3,000, you need to solve a $10,000 problem.'
• 'There is always someone you can help, target someone like you, a few years younger.'
• 'Balance: how bad do you want it? Are you really willing to do what it takes?'

Books, Podcasts, and Blogs:

• Check their own community website: TwentyandFree

U2U (Uni to support you):

• We need experience.
• Program at NUS: Overseas colleges program where studentpreneurs are sent to startups in the Silicon Valley and other hotbed for One year.

Links:

Vincent's Facebook

Mark's Facebook

Website: TwentyandFree

NUS Overseas program: life at a startup

If you have what it takes you can apply to share your story on air. CLICK HERE

Special Episode: How to leverage your University for your business: University of Adelaide.

The goals for this special episode are:

- Help the high school and university students in Adelaide to quick start their business thanks to the ecosystem at the University of Adelaide

-Help studentpreneurs around the world ask themselves if they have investigated everything that is available at their own University. How does your University compare?

Meet the insiders who share their tips on how to leverage your the University of Adelaide, South Australia:

- Dr. Allan O'Connor: Academic Director for Postgraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs

- Dr. Gary Hancock: Academic Director for Undergraduate Program

Key Strengths of University of Adelaide:

• One:
• Two: eChallenge
• Three: eChallenge of High Schools

Links:

eChallenge

Website: Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Facebook: Adelaide University Entrepreneur Club

If you have what it takes you can apply to share your story on air. CLICK HERE

Meet this week's awesome studentpreneur: James Jordan, 25 y.o., Business student at the University of Technology Sydney and founder of Danny Burrito, Bondi Beach, Australia.

Great example of someone with a background in Arts (major in photography) who decides to build his own business. Interestingly James Jordan went back to Uni against the advice of his mentor who was telling him to just get started! However, it looks like that he managed to leverage all his diverse experience for his latest venture, Danny Burrito: On demand food under 15 minutes. James launched his business in the famous tourist spot of Bondi Beach. Now James needs need students in business development and tech. Contact him at [email protected]

Quotes:

• 'I have always looked at different ways to make money.'
• 'My business mentor said: don't start a degree, start a business.'
• 'I had to ett rid of social life, something gotta give'.
• I love listening to Podcasts because you can do 2 things at the same time.'
• I have interned with a startup called Disrupt who went into an accelerator. Gary, the founder, offered me to be a mentor.
• I felt uncomfortable with investors ...
• I crowdfunded my business: pre-selling burritos.

Books, Podcasts, and Blogs:

• Podcast: The Tim Ferriss Show
• Podcast: This Week in Startups
• Podcast: This Week in Startups Australia
• Audiobook: The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk! by Al Ries and Jack Trout
• Audiobook: The Art of War by Sun Tzu

U2U (Uni to support you):

• Need to be supported by the University to be in front of industry leaders like dominos. Getting introductions would be fantastic!

Links:

GADDIE PITCH

Website: DannyBurrito.com

Twitter: @Danny_burrito

Facebook

If you have what it takes you can apply to share your story on air. CLICK HERE

Meet this week's awesome studentpreneur: Harry Sanders, 18 y.o., High School student at University High School and founder of StudioHawk in Melbourne, Australia.

In Year 9 Harry got the opportunity to do a different curriculum for a term. From that experience he landed an internship at 15 and then a year later decided to go on his own. To find customers he had to be inventive. He started doing mock-ups of websites based on logos of companies, and showed them to the business owners.... and it worked very well. Now at 18 Harry has just finished high school, keep an eye on this young studentpreneur.

Quotes:

• 50% of SMEs don't have a website.
• There is always a cheaper alternative to the professional tools for SEO.
• I started at 16, so I need to prove myself to them.
• In terms of design for a website, there is a lot in the logo.
• Who is information on a website. Dont' send an email without a proper name ABN lookup or Whois.
• I learnt by trial and error.
• I get paid for something I enjoy.
• The start was the hardest.
• Don't expect to be making 6 figures. Set a goal.
• Perseverance is essential but know when it's not working.

Books, Podcasts, and Blogs:

• Reddit subreddit on entrepreneurs. https://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur/
• Book: Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger
• Podcast: Webagency. - SEO...

U2U (Uni to support you):

• University should get more people to give talks.

Links:

Twitter: @StudioHawk

Facebook URL: StudioHawk

Website: StudioHawk.com.au

If you have what it takes you can apply to share your story on air. CLICK HERE

Meet this week's awesome studentpreneur: Brent Comstock, 20 y.o., undergraduate student in Business Administration at University of North Carolina and founder of Bcomm Solution LLC in Nebraska, USA.

Brent grew up in a small town in Nebraska. In High School Brent decided to focus on rural communities and developed digital branding for rural grassroots businesses. The business was changed from an IT to a digital business. It was always technology focused but he pivoted a few times. He now has over 500 clients. Quotes: · Educating people is 10 times better than selling · If you have any doubt now then it is not the right time for you, go and educate yourself or change it with mentoring and coaching · There are very few people in the world that 100% comfortably jumped, they have been groomed · Reach out to people in the industry at startup weekends and startup events · The startup world is just as much a community as it is your own individual idea. Keep reaching out. · Being a great CEO and great student doesn't exist. You have to compromise. I was an exceptional student in high school and an ok CEO. · Immerse yourself in a hard skill. Don't get a degree in business unless it's of interest to you · Leverage university: they are a hotbed for innovation and creativity · Be with other people like-minded people, · College is an opportunity to fail: you have 4 summers to try and fail without having to put it on your resume. · Mentors are the most important people to help you but you need to have a 2-way conversation. Just ask them to be your mentors. If they don't want to be then ask them who they think would be good for me. Need more than one mentor. · Go do something, stop thinking, do! Make a list of things that you will do in the next days to build a momentum The world of business doesn't happen that fast. Skills developed: · Saying ABC- there are right and wrong clients · Deciding to be all in/making sacrifices · Being brutally honest Books, Podcasts, and Blogs: · Blog: One count 2 stop lights: http://brentcomstock.me/ U2U (Uni to support you): · Spending more time doing the trial and error thing than the textbook thing. Classroom not in classroom, teacher should be a guide. Links: email:[email protected] Twitter: @brentcomstock Website: BComOnline.com Facebook Page If you have what it takes you can apply to share your story on air. CLICK HERE