Working for a startup company, and being a part of an around-the-clock hustle team, hasn’t been the easiest, as I am also a full time student.  However it is by far one of the best learning experiences I’ve ever had. I may even venture to say that I learn a lot more in the setting of Ellison exponentially quicker than any of my classes. That’s because with decisions and tasks within in Ellison it’s me or nothing. So if I don’t get it done, learn how to do it, and do it right in a very short period of time no one else is going to do it (there’s a lot to be done) and it’s ultimately my fault and my actions have more widely felt consequences than just a few points docked from my grade. For me, there is no better motivation. I find myself learning all types of cool new things, experimenting with my own ideas, and working next to the hardest working team in all the land everyday that I am at work. It’s pretty cool, and you should probably be jealous. 😉 Back in April I got involved with Ellison Eyewear, and participated in the Entrepreneurial center’s Venture School Program. I’ve been with the organization, now company, ever since. Our CEO Aristotle Loumis enjoyed sharing his #startup‘s story with Ravi Patel of Hawkeye Hotels, Roby S Miller of TelePharm, and Alec Whitters from Higher Learning Technologies to last nights aspiring #entrepreneurs at the University of Iowa’s Entre Fest. I was proud to be there to support and to hear our successes thus far from an outsider’s point of you It was a great event, and has me hungry for the next one. The University of Iowa truly has a dedication to its entrepreneurial community and it’s growth. I’m excited to be a part of it.

 

Now I’m looking forward to Iowa City Startup Weekend!  I’ve never been to one of these. I’m not sure exactly in what way I am going to participate, but I know that I wouldn’t miss it!

Here is the description from the website:

The professional and personal challenges, the high and lows, the failures and the success?

Startup Weekend is a global grassroots movement of active and empowered entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. It is the largest community of passionate entrepreneurs with over 1800 past events in 120 countries around the world in 2014.

The non-profit organization is headquartered in Seattle, Washington but Startup Weekend organizers and facilitators can be found in over 200 cities around the world. From Mongolia to South Africa to London to Brazil, people around the globe are coming together for weekend long workshops to pitch ideas, form teams, and start companies.

All Startup Weekend events follow the same basic model: anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54 hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing, and market validation. The weekends culminate with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback.

Whether entrepreneurs found companies, find a cofounder, meet someone new, or learn a skill far outside their usual 9-to-5, everyone is guaranteed to leave the event better prepared to navigate the chaotic but fun world of startups. If you want to put yourself in the shoes of an entrepreneur, register now for the best weekend of your life!