5 Tips for Launching Your Startup in College

Every college student wonders what their job opportunities will look like after graduation. But instead of wondering, some take things into their own hands and build their own careers from the ground up. Startups are booming more so than ever before, and they aren’t limited to tech talent or rich kids. Anyone with enough passion, dedication, and effort can start their own business while they’re still in school.

What’s important is to recognize that the scale and objectives of your startup will be different from an established professional. If you want to build your own successful startup, you have to first understand what it is, how they work, and what you can contribute to one as a student. I don’t think it’s impossible. After all, the world wouldn’t have Facebook if it weren’t for a college student thinking outside the box.

1. Define Your Value Proposition

The key difference between a startup and a small business is that the former focuses on innovation while the latter does not. You can be original and authentic as a small business, but that doesn’t mean you’re trying to break the mold and redefine the way your customers live. Startups, on the other hand, have a bigger goal in mind.

You have to embrace future-oriented thinking and ask what’s missing from your favorite niches. Maybe you want to establish a healthier way to do a common activity. Perhaps you’re a college athlete who thinks training could be done better. Whatever the case may be, your product or service has to be unique and promise something completely new for its audience.

Small businesses also tend to start generating revenue quickly, but a startup can be years in the making. You have to find investors, get capital and hire the right people to bring your product to life. Rather than simply fit comfortably into the market, founders aspire to reshape the way things are done and make a wave. Don’t make yourself small. Dream big and embrace something unique. If your idea sounds a bit off-beat, that’s a sign you’re headed in the right direction. No one innovates by playing by everyone else’s rules.

2. Take the Right Classes

In addition to any market-relevant disciplines, you should also enroll in classes that teach you business smarts and entrepreneurship. Setting yourself up for success as a startup founder requires an eclectic range of knowledge. The more you know, the more ideas you can generate. You may wind up approaching something in your field because you thought of how a process works in an entirely unrelated industry. You have to cast a wide net for inspiration and skills. That’s how you cultivate unique talent.

Business and entrepreneurship classes won’t make you a success, but they will give you the foundation you need to continue building your brand after graduation. Every company has competition, and yours will likely be established professionals with much more experience, connections, and money than you. Taking the right classes will make you more confident in yourself and give you a valuable opportunity to network. Who knows, you may even wind up finding your next business partner. One thing to keep in mind is that taking additional classes outside of your program does come with an added cost. If a course doesn’t qualify as an elective, you have to pay out of pocket. Borrowing a private student loan can help you take additional classes for a manageable cost. You get the education you need with a flexible repayment option to pay back after graduation.

3. Gather Capital

The biggest question every founder has is how to make this happen? You have to secure capital early on if you want to give your business the greatest chance of succeeding. Friends and family are obvious potential investors, but be wary asking for large sums from them. It can put a wedge in a relationship if you aren’t close enough, and it may also make you feel indebted to them even if they’re willingly contributing to your dream.

If someone offers to invest, make sure you treat it like a professional transaction, not a personal hand-out. If they’re an investor, do they want to be a shareholder? How much money do they expect in return? Is this a one-time gift or an ongoing investment in your company? Crowdfunding can be a great way to raise capital without involving your relatives or friends. It also lets you test the market and see how well your idea is received. Most startups want big investments upfront. This allows them to start generating a profit as soon as possible. Reducing overhead costs through remote work and virtual conferencing also help revenue accumulate faster. Venture capitalists tend to start offers at $1 million, and they go on to hold equity in a business after it’s launched.

4. Find the Right Talent

If you have an amazing idea that would benefit from tech skills, find a developer as soon as possible. For someone who isn’t a talented designer, you’ll want to recruit artists to build your brand assets and visualize your vision. College is a phenomenal place to meet all sorts of people, and students will work for a lot less than a seasoned pro. Taking different types of classes also gives you the chance to meet a diverse network of up-and-coming professionals. Be sure to take full advantage of all your university’s resources as well. Labs, research facilities, and mentorship programs are all at your disposal. Embrace these while they’re so easy to access.

5. Make the Most of Your Time

In addition to building your startup, make sure you also take time to enjoy being a college student. These years aren’t the best of your life, but they are worth embracing. College is a special time when you’re halfway between a teen and an adult. There are chances to still have fun in ways that become much harder when you’re working full-time. While you chase a dream, it’s also important to step back and appreciate the present, too. Don’t write off the chance to make friends or socialize to work constantly. Remember that everything in life is about balance, and the more you learn to value your personal life as much as your professional achievement, the better off you’ll be.