In today’s session, we have none other than Stuart Draper, founder and CEO of Stukent. During college, Draper learned all he could about digital marketing. He then went on to start a digital marketing agency called Get Found First, where he mentored and trained many young marketers and worked with several clients to meet their online marketing goals. Draper has taught in the classroom as an adjunct professor and is an author of “Digital Marketing Essentials” — one of Stukent's most used products. He also started Charity Fast, a non-profit organization that helps the less fortunate by advocating an idea: abstain from meals to then donate the money that would have been spent on meals to the charity instead. Today, Draper continues to grow Stukent into new markets like personal finance and advertising. Draper has always been an entrepreneur at heart, and we’re glad to have him share his seven things you should do as an entrepreneur in college.

1. Aspiring Entrepreneurs Should Do These 7
Things in College

2. #268 #764
Stuart Draper

3. College Startup Life
Best time to fail is now!
Take advantage of the opportunities
while you’ve got nothing to lose.

4. Entrepreneurship
Classes
Take them.
Sleeping bags on ebay.
Creating business plans.
Guest speakers.

5. Hot Stuff
Cinnamon Rolls
and Hot Chocolate
Lessons learned:
1. $1 products are hard
2. High margins don’t matter
3. Volumes must be REALLY high
4. Inventory goes bad
5. Location matters
6. Brand perception matters

6. Extra-curricular
Business plan competitions
Talk/dream with friends
Read the books
Follow the influencers
Subscribe to the magazines
Sell something (summer sales or
helping another aspiring
entrepreneur)

7. Network
Instructors know companies
Your friend that got a job, might help
you get the same job
Your classmate might reach out in 10
years
Stay LinkedIn

8. Start somewhere
The Christmas Light Guys
Lessons Learned:
Charge more
Legal paperwork later
Agreement with partners is critical
Employ, don’t partner

9. Intern with a
PROMISING Startup
Yellowstone Hotel Systems
Lessons Learned:
Sales cures everything
Getting laid off sucks
Mind your cashflows
Don’t overhire
Be honest with yourself
Take notes
Moonlight (homework for after
college)

10. With careers,
one thing leads to another.

11. “...we all know persons who are
concerned only with the present: spend
it today, enjoy it today, and take no
thought for the future.
Our present and our future will be
happier if we are always conscious of
the future. As we make current
decisions, we should always be asking,
“Where will this lead?””
--Dallin Oaks

13. “An entrepreneur with patience can not only
push through and never give up, but can do so
in a measured, balanced way. This means not
being afraid to take things slowly; set your eyes
on the end goal, and don’t get overwhelmed by
the distance it takes to get there.”
-Briana Morgaine

14. Stuart Draper
Founder, CEO
– Stukent

15. helping educators help students help the world