Discover the Exciting Advantages of Launching Your Own Business During Your College Years

STARTING A BUSINESS IN COLLEGE: IS IT FOR YOU?

Who says you can’t start your own business in college, right? Nowadays, many students are dabbling into the entrepreneurial world, looking for their own success stories. Take Ashley Mason, for example.

Ashley had a knack for business even as a young child, exploring her entrepreneurial mindset with imaginary shops and transactions. In 2012, she kicked things up a notch, launching a fashion and lifestyle blog to test her marketing skills. By 2014, she had started dabbling in freelancing and eventually founded Dash of Social, her own marketing firm, in 2016. All this while still being a college student! Awesome, right?

Ashley’s experiences transformed her hobby into a money-making machine. She leveraged her understanding of social media branding to offer marketing solutions to businesses, freeing them to focus on their core operations. Instead of hunting for a job post-graduation, she transitioned seamlessly into running her business. What’s more, she had already started assembling a team, hiring an SEO specialist, and later an assistant to manage her workload.

Beyond Dash of Social, Ashley found a way to give back. At Student to CEO, she provides guidance to other budding entrepreneurs. Oh, and did I mention? In six months after graduation, she wiped off approximately $44,000 in debt! All that at the tender age of 22!

So, if you’re still mulling over if college is the right time for entrepreneurship, here are some reasons you might want to consider it:

1. Extra income: Your business could help with your expenses as a student.
2. Gain Experience: Learning from real-life scenarios can be pretty potent.
3. Pursue a passion: Who wouldn’t love to do something they’re passionate about?
4. Skip job hunting post-grad: Like Ashley, if you strike gold, you can just carry on with your business post-graduation, instead of playing the job market game.

If you’re still with me, here are the basics to get things rolling:

1. Prioritize: Think about your commitments. Starting a business will mean sacrifices. Prepared to take the plunge?
2. Let passion lead: Monetize what you’re passionate about. You don’t need to be an expert right away.
3. Learn the relevant skills: Courses that align with your entrepreneurial interests can help you.
4. Plan your time: Be disciplined in allotting time to both your academics and your business.
5. Sketch your Business Plan: Define your offerings clearly. Understand your ideal customer and build your business around their preferences.
6. Seek Guidance: Find a mentor who could provide valuable insights and help along the way.
7. Persistence is Key: It’s not going to be all rosy. But don’t lose heart at the first setback. Stick around and give your business time to prosper.

In conclusion, starting a business in college is unconventional but not impossible. Your twenties could be the foundation stage of your future business empire. As Ashley would say, “Everything is figureoutable!” So, go ahead, take that leap and throw your hat in the entrepreneurial ring. Who knows? Your success story could be the next one we’re talking about.

(Note: This post had references to some investment platforms, which we’ve overlooked as they weren’t essential to the main topic.)