Becoming a Student Entrepreneur
Start writing a post
Student Life

Becoming a Student Entrepreneur

6
Becoming a Student Entrepreneur

So, you have an idea that you believe can make you money, but you don't know how to implement this idea. First off, is this idea a need or a want? Would your friends try this idea, and, most importantly, does it apply to certain age groups or all ages?

These are just a sample of questions that you have to ask yourself before you become committed to your startup. To make things simpler, a startup is any product or service that you create which can expand very rapidly.

Next, meet my good friend, Daniel Gaeta, who at the time was a sophomore at the University of Illinois and had a couple friends who were interested in a startup. In this article, I will explain that like Daniel, you can also just as easily set up a startup without the fear of failure and maybe make a buck or two.  

Fitsby -- does it ring a bell for you? Odds would say that you have never heard of Fitsby at all, but I’m here to explain how Daniel and a couple of his friends received over $20k on their genius investment and are currently in the process of raising even more funding.

Fitsby is currently available for Android (soon to be for iOS next month) and is an app that challenges you against your friends to hit the gym and win through check-ins. You check-in through your GPS on your phone, and you must stay for at least 30 minutes to receive credit for your check-in.

Do you need motivation to hit the gym? What is more motivation than competition against your friends and losing money to your friends? Let me answer that in a two-word response: absolutely nothing. 

So now you are thinking, but how can I begin a startup? Don’t do it alone. Get a solid group of friends together, pitch the idea of your startup, and make it a reality to your friends.

Second, as I introduced before, there is a major difference between a want and a necessity. Ask yourself, your friends, and your families if your idea not only works but also can become a need to them.

Why waste multiple hours of not only your time, but also their time? Make sure that this idea can become something that you are not 100 percent interested in, but also something you can benefit from because it is a need. 

Next, among the many questions that you are thinking while reading this article in the first place, is that your major isn’t what you think it should be to create a startup in the first place.

What if you aren’t like the majority of University of Illinois students and aren’t a business or engineering major? Let me tell you this -- even if you are anything from a psychology major to a communications major, you can still pitch a successful idea.

Being next to and working with creative minds on this campus as consistently as Daniel did (who began college as a business finance major and then converted to computer science) can easily help you build a successful startup.

Finally, don’t try to create the next million-dollar idea, because that is not what I’m stressing here. Create and challenge yourself to build an idea of necessity instead of want, and think about this final line from Daniel, “Worry about who your first 50 users will be, not who the first 50 thousand will be.”

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

50937
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

32602
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

955789
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

180801
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments