Quick Search

Active Bloggers

Min Sammy Jackson Min Sammy Jackson
class of 1975
Will Moss Will Moss
Hampton University class of 1995
HBCU CONNECT HBCU CONNECT
Central State University class of 1995
Jordan Davis Jordan Davis
University of the District of Columbia class of 2025
Shykeria Lifleur Shykeria Lifleur
Other College... class of
Randi Payton Randi Payton
University of the District of Columbia class of 1982
P C P C
class of
How May I Help You NC How May I Help You NC
Bellarmine University class of 2021

Is it feasible to run a business in addition to your studies?

Is it feasible to run a business in addition to your studies?
Posted By: How May I Help You NC on October 16, 2017


By Anton Lucanus

We all know that university is an expensive endeavor, and today’s students are a tech-savvy and entrepreneurially minded bunch. But how feasible is it to run business on the side of your studies?

Traditionally people looking at making cash off of a side-hustle had a full-time salary gig to finance their endeavor, and there are their fair share of glamorous success stories. Like, Shark Tank star and fashion mogul, Daymond John, who built up his clothing empire FUBU, while working full time at Red Lobster for four years, or business coach Luisa Zhou, whose side-hustle not only ended up earning her over six figures, but also completely shifted the trajectory of her career.

Now days, thanks to the internet, smartphones and social media you don’t need to have the backing of a 9-5 to launch your own side-hustle or business venture. Technology makes it easier than ever to start a business with limited funds.

Many students have found that simply expanding upon a hobby or interest, offering their services as photographers, graphic designers, or fitness bloggers, can provide them with a sizable cashflow, without adversely affecting their studies.

Your smartphone, a video editing app and simple hosting plans for platforms like WordPress or Wix can provide you with a professional and engaging online presence to draw in interested parties, without breaking the budget. While services like Survey Monkey and Mailchimp can provide you with the tools you need to connect with your audiences and manage your budding client relationships.

Even if your idea is a product or service which requires more complicated undertakings like creating prototypes or building and testing software, you don’t have to go full Bill Gates and quit college.



While it’s unlikely you’ll land massive funding from a venture capital, crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo provide multiple opportunities for students to raise the money they need to take their projects from ideas to reality.

Being at University also provides unique opportunities and access resources that you would otherwise have to pay big money for. Many universities now even have their own entrepreneurial incubators to help fledgling businesses and start-ups with problems like finding funding, meeting spaces or invitations to networking events.

Of course, launching a side business isn’t a walk in the park, even with the additional time being at university or college might offer. It still requires sacrifices, and sometimes you’ll need to choose between a night out on the town, and spending time developing your ideas, researching your target market, and planning your strategy.

Perhaps the biggest reason why it really is feasible to run a business on the side of your studies, is that 8 out of 10 businesses fail. The risk of your idea failing is considerably lessened by the fact that it is not your sole avenue to gainful employment. You’ve still been earning a degree in a field and showing potential employers that you’re an entrepreneurial spirit, and a proactive individual, which may be the edge you need to help you stand out against others who chose the traditional university life.

Byline – Anton Lucanus is the Director of Neliti. During his college years, he maintained a perfect GPA, was published in a top cancer journal, and received many of his country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships. Anton writes for The College Puzzle as a means to share the lessons learnt throughout his degree and to guide current students to achieve personal and educational fulfilment during college life.


https://collegepuzzle.stanford.edu/
If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email!
Comments
Please Login To Post Comments...
Email:
Password:

 
More From This Author
Keep Swimming
Season Opener
How AI will change real estate: A keynote by Chris Kelly
The Greatest Gift You Can Give Yourself This Holiday is Perspective
What is the Best Chocolate Milk?
All About Leaf Cutter Ants!! - La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Latest Graduate School Info
Inspiring Event Tailored to Students and Alumni of Historically Black Colleges & Universities to Explore Graduate Programs

Inspiring Event Tailored to Students and Alumni of Historically Black Colleges & Universities to Explore Graduate Programs

Weatherhead Experience: North Star to LeadershipWednesday, March 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM until 7:00 PMEastern Standard Time UTC -05:00 Join us for an engaging and inspiring event tailored to student ...more
Will Moss • 1,960 Views • February 24th, 2025
Graduate Student Fellowship Opportunity!

Graduate Student Fellowship Opportunity!

We, at www.stemuscenter.org, just completed our first two informational sessions on Research Fellowship opportunity for STEM and Social Science doctoral students. The mission of our center is to te ...more
Manisha Maurya • 1,578 Views • October 23rd, 2024
4 Habits for Success in Online School

4 Habits for Success in Online School

Online education has become an increasingly popular option for students over the years, especially due to the current global pandemic. However, succeeding in online school takes more than just a good ...more
Anica Oaks • 1,857 Views • February 1st, 2024
Life After College: Getting Your First Job And More

Life After College: Getting Your First Job And More

There’s only one thing that beats the excitement of your HBCU college experience – and that’s graduation and life after college! But are you ready? There are so many decisions to make, from where to l ...more
S. Moore • 3,427 Views • May 22nd, 2023
Life After College: Getting Your First Job And More

Life After College: Getting Your First Job And More

There’s only one thing that beats the excitement of your HBCU college experience – and that’s graduation and life after college! But are you ready? There are so many decisions to make, from where to l ...more
S. Moore • 3,264 Views • May 22nd, 2023
Popular Graduate School Info
People Judge Your Intelligence Based on the Tone of Your Voice and How Fast You Speak

People Judge Your Intelligence Based on the Tone of Your Voice and How Fast You Speak

Do you want people to think you are intelligent? Has someone ever told you “You’re much smarter than you look.”? No doubt it can sting to be perceived as less intelligent, particularly when you ...more
How May I Help You NC • 31,030 Views • June 12th, 2017
How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension

How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension

If youd like to improve your reading comprehension, try the SQ3R method. This is an acronym that means: Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review. Heres how it works: Survey Your Text Prior t ...more
How May I Help You NC • 24,338 Views • June 12th, 2017
Never procrastinate and always free time…..

Never procrastinate and always free time…..

One blog I read regularly is by Leo Babauta, called zen habits. Essentially, he writes all about simplifying your life. A while ago, Scott Young was a guest blogger for Babuata’s website and wrote a p ...more
How May I Help You NC • 13,902 Views • April 19th, 2018
MVSU to host Graduate Expo March 1

MVSU to host Graduate Expo March 1

Why should you consider an advanced degree? How will you finance your graduate education? What program of study is the best fit for you? For the answer to these questions and many more, attend Mis ...more
How May I Help You NC • 12,857 Views • February 27th, 2018
How Academic Parents Can Find Time to Exercise

How Academic Parents Can Find Time to Exercise

A question that often comes up when I do campus workshops on work/life balance is how and when busy academic parents can find time to exercise. As we get older, it becomes increasingly important for u ...more
How May I Help You NC • 12,474 Views • April 19th, 2018
Please Give Us a Like on Facebook!