How to Become an Entrepreneur In College

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You don’t have to wait until you graduate to start your journey of entrepreneurship. As early as your freshman year, you can start channeling your entrepreneurial spirit into tangible results while getting the formal education you need for the future. But how do you become an entrepreneur in college when your knowledge and experience are limited?

Here are some strategies that can help:

1. Know your priorities

First things first, you have to know where your priorities lie. School should inevitably come first, but there are other aspects of your college life that you have to consider, such as your health, social life, student affiliations, and many more.

So how do you know what you should prioritize?

Start by determining your short-term and long-term objectives, be it buying a laser engraver for your business or graduating early. What do you want to achieve, and when do you want to achieve them? Moreover,in what order do these goals fall into? By finding your priorities, you can better determine how to use your time wisely and efficiently.

2. Work with other aspiring entrepreneurs

Other people on campus might have the same vision as you. You have to know where to find them. Start by joining student groups for young entrepreneurs like yourself. If student affiliations are not your thing, try finding your flock on campus message boards or through common friends.

Starting a business is rarely a one-man show, and thinking that you can do it all is one of the most common rookie mistakes. In almost all types of companies, you need a team to help you turn your vision into reality, whether it be launching an app or opening a pop-up store. And learning how to work with a team as early as now will serve as an advantage in your future business endeavors.

3. Find a mentor

Having a mentor in college is one of the best ways to facilitate your growth as an entrepreneur. Whether it’s a professor or an older student who has started their own business, find a mentor that can provide valuable advice that stems from their own experience. Aside from helping you gain more entrepreneurial knowledge, having a mentor can also help you make connections in your target industry, as well as with other entrepreneurs who can be business partners in the future.

4. Explore funding opportunities

For many young entrepreneurs, funding is usually the biggest obstacle that they face. Unless you have angel investors that are willing to throw money at you, you will have to find other ways to fund your business.

Luckily, being a student entrepreneur can put you at an advantage when finding funding for your business. For instance, your school’s finance office can help you secure loans, grants, and fellowships with student assistance. Alternatively, you can try crowdfunding to gather enough revenue to start your business, as well as attract potential investors and business partners.

5. Stick to your schedule

With so many distractions present in college, it is way too easy to lose track of time. One minute, you might be working on your business plan, and then the next minute, you’re on your phone because you received an Instagram notification.

To avoid wasting much of your precious time, create a detailed schedule of your daily tasks, andstickto it. As a student entrepreneur, you are juggling more than two roles at once. But with a schedule, you can stay focused on your tasks and organize your priorities more efficiently.

6. Maximize school resources

You’re paying for the school resources, so you might as well make use of them for your business. Things like photocopying and printing services, library materials, software discounts, free Wi-Fi, and conference areas are just some resources you can use, and the money you save while using these resources can go to your startup fund.

7. Select the right courses

If you are serious about being an entrepreneur in the future, choosing a major or classes that align with your goals can make it easier for you to balance your student and entrepreneur roles. But if you want to take up a non-business related major entirely, consider signing up for business electives or do your research during school breaks.

You’re young, full of zest, and eager to start your path toward entrepreneurship. What better time to start your business, right? If you’re still in college, these strategies can help you become an entrepreneur despite your limited knowledge and experience.

Do you have more advice for college students wanting to start their own business? Please share it with us in the comments!

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