Student Entrepreneur 101

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Student Entrepreneur 101!  Tune in to this episode to hear from Rahul Singh, Managing Partner at Dual Use Ventures and Chief Growth Officer at defense tech startup: Hybron Technologies.  Rahul started his career in the Marine Corps and then went on to earn degrees from UCLA and USC. He’s worked at Amazon identifying innovation at the corporate level and he’s worked at...

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Student Entrepreneur 101!  Tune in to this episode to hear from Kevin Plascencia, the founding Chief of Staff for the Space Systems Integration Office at Space Systems Command. Kevin previously taught aerospace studies at UCLA as an assistant professor and has experience evaluating startups for Space Force investment. Today, Kevin is a Business Deve...

Hey everyone! Tune in to this episode to hear from Dr. Leon Alkalai, the founder and CEO of Mandala Space Ventures– a venture fund and studio supporting startups in the emerging space economy. Leon earned his PhD from UCLA and established his career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where he conducted research and later became responsible for the capture leadership of the GRAIL mission to...

Hey everyone! Tune in to this episode to hear from co-founders Alex Kroll and Brandon Florian, two UCLA alumni and aerospace professionals. Currently working on stealth-mode aerospace startup Aero. Grid, which is reshaping aerial cargo mobility- Alex and Brandon share valuable insights for current students. Consider this episode a career guide—packed with strategies, inspiration, and practical adv...

Hey everyone! Tune in to this episode to hear from Matthew Semegran, a seasoned entrepreneur with a dynamic career journey. From art dealing to jet sales, scaling a cleaning company to property management and e-commerce – Matt’s journey is a masterclass in resilience and reinvention.  He’s here to share the lessons learned from his unique path, so tune in to our conversation to learn: how success...

Hey everyone! Tune in to this episode to hear from Justin Lee, the founder and CEO of Quantum Senses, a Maryland-based company that’s providing innovative assistive technology solutions such as their Earcoustic headphones, which improves the hearing experience for those with hearing impairments.  Before Quantum Senses, Justin had a successful career as an aerospace engineer working at the Air Forc...

Hey everyone! Tune in to this episode to hear from Drew Busbee: a founding member at SpaceWERX and the current COO at the Disruptive Technology Index (DTI), a California nonprofit that partners with SpaceWERX to bring technological advancement and innovation to the US Space Force. In this episode you’ll learn about Drew’s experience building innovation programs, his work with startups to modernize...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear from Jessie Somekh: Co-Founder of Rotate Your Closet, a peer-to-peer platform where users can rent trendy clothes from others and generate money from their own closet.  In this episode, you’ll learn about Jessie’s experience building Rotate, the importance of community engagement when building your startup, how to lose the fear of imperfect...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear from Brenna Turner: Co-Founder of Sake High- the company making sake fun, approachable, and bringing it to new audiences.  In this episode, you’ll learn about Brenna’s experience building Sake High, the importance of finding a unique niche for your product, why networking can help you establish opportunities for your brand, and more! You ca...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear from Lena Zhang: Co-founder and COO of Cohere- a company building the Glassdoor for the retail industry that is committed to connecting retailers with emerging consumer brands.  In this episode, you’ll learn about Lena’s experience building Cohere, why iteration and market feedback are critical for success with your startup, how supporting...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear from Rosie Mangiarotti: founder and CEO of Perkies- a startup creating innovative undergarments for women, including sticky bras with replaceable adhesives. Perkies is dedicated to sustainability, inclusivity, and empowering women to feel confident.  In this episode, you’ll learn about Rosie’s experience building Perkies, the importance of...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! In this episode, we're diving headfirst into 2024 with enthusiasm and a game plan for success. Together, we’ll walk through a journey of self-reflection, sharing personal wins and challenges from 2023.  Together, we’ll also walk through the SMART method, breaking down each letter to help you set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear from Carol Shih: the co-founder and CEO of Qode Space- a web development agency that specializes in building and enhancing Shopify eCommerce stores. In this episode, you’ll learn about Carol’s experience building Qode Space, the importance of being a solutions seeker, why you should be bold and take massive action when building your network...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear from Sterling Champion: the co-founder and CEO of The SHE Mark- a startup on a mission to recognize and certify women-led businesses and create a more inclusive economy.   In this episode, you’ll learn about Sterling’s experience building The SHE Mark, creating a collaborative and supportive community for women in business, and her goal to...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear from Julie Castro Abrams: the founder of How Women Lead- a professional network of 20,000 top women executives, AND How Women Invest- an early stage venture firm focused exclusively on women founders.  In this episode you’ll learn about Julie’s experience building her venture firm How Women Invest, why it’s crucial that more women enter ven...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear about Duffl: a company that delivers snacks to college students in 10 minutes and is dedicated to empowering students to better serve each other.   Founder and CEO David Lin shares all about this experience with Duffl, the importance of building something that people want, how personal development is crucial to success in business, why you...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear about Poppin: a ticketing event platform dedicated to helping people find authentic connections in their community.  CEO and Co-Founder Tejes Srivalsan shares all about this experience with Poppin- the importance of your network, the importance of team optimization for successfully building your startup and attracting investors, and more! Y...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear the top 3 lessons I learned from my recent travels to New York. This episode is all about adaptability, time management, and recognizing your wins. Tune in to learn more!

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune into this episode to hear about Monark Entertainment: a company dedicated to empowering artists by promoting their music through brand marketing campaigns on various digital platforms. Founder and CEO Karla Ortiz shares all about her early career experience in the music industry, her journey with Monark Entertainment so far, why establishing strong relationships is k...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear about SliimeyHoney: a premium slime business with gourmet slimes that look and smell like your favorite foods! Founder Mark Lin shares how being involved in business groups on campus can help you as a student-entrepreneur, the importance of enthusiasm and passion in your business pitch, and more! You can learn more about SliimeyHoney by vis...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear about Nopalera: a Mexican botanical bath and body brand. They are on a mission to provide high-end bath & body products with clean ingredients that celebrate and elevate Latinx culture. Founder Sandra Velasquez shares about the importance of knowing exactly who your customer is,  the importance of delegating and leading a team, why...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear about Koko: a tech nonprofit created by a team out of MIT and Airbnb. Koko is on a mission to address the youth mental health crisis by meeting young people where they are — online — and providing free digital interventions. Co-Founder and CEO Rob Morris shares about the importance of understanding your ideal client, the importance of meeti...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to learn about a practice that you can start today to start finding self-validation as an entrepreneur. If we want to unlock the full power we have within ourselves to achieve our dreams, we have to believe we are capable of attaining these goals! Learn what steps you can take today to reach self-validation and the importance of taking a closer loo...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear about WorkUp: the Gen Z social network app that uses videos to let you watch your topics of interest, get hired, and hire others; where TikTok meets the professional community. Founder and CEO Manuel Leon shares about the importance of believing in yourself throughout the startup process, understanding that you can teach yourself or find ot...

Hey rising entrepreneurs! Tune in to this episode to hear about BLCK UNICRN: a platform that helps emerging artists create episodic visual albums, immersive experiences, and fan centric software; where Netflix meets Spotify in Web3. Founder Joshua Blackwell shares about starting a business in the web3 and entertainment space, how the music experience is shifting with emerging technologies, how BLC...