It seems like you’ve had a lot of leadership experience in the past. What are some of the other things you’ve done?
In 8th grade, I started mowing my neighbor’s lawn with an old push mower my parents gave me. I grew the business to cover 15+ properties and included services such as cutting the lawn, mulching, fall cleanup, and snow removal. In running the business, the experience I had hiring others and dealing with difficult customers was invaluable. As far as leadership experience at Bucknell, I sat on the executive board for WVBU where I was the Music Director. I am currently finishing up my term as the President of Kappa Sigma. Being the president of my fraternity was a great experience for me, in terms of learning how to get things done and to handle difficult situations.
What made you want to start the Venture Capital Club at Bucknell?
I started Bucknell Venture Capital along with two other students, Kavi Mathur and Lucas Colagrossi .We were all interested in starting companies, but we couldn’t find any resources on campus to help us develop ideas and talk to investors or other entrepreneurs. Now there is a place where students interested in entrepreneurship can connect with each other, meet successful alumni, and learn about ways to build a company from the ground up.
What kinds of things does Bucknell Venture Capital do? Who can apply?
Next semester, we’re hosting a variety of successful entrepreneurs and investors, like Neil Warren, the CEO and founder of eHarmony, to give advice to students and talk about the experiences they had building their companies from the ground up. We also act as an open forum for students to collaborate on ideas and strategies for building companies and products.
Anyone can apply by emailing me at smh030@bucknell.edu. We encourage everyone who’s interested to apply, and to contact me with any questions.
What goals do you have for your club, and how do you hope it will grow in the future?
Ultimately, we want to be a resource that gives Bucknellians the tools they need to be successful entrepreneurs.
One of our goals beyond being a hub of campus entrepreneurship is to partner and work with startups and venture capitalists. We would help them devise solutions to current problems they face by creating new marketing strategies or conducting financial analysis. This would help get our name out there while giving club members relevant experience in the startup world.
Down the road, we’re trying to develop the capacity to evaluate startups, invest seed capital, and help manage company growth. We’ve talked to a lot of alumni that are interested in donating to start a venture capital fund, which is incredibly exciting. Of course, starting a fund is easier said than done, and there are a lot of obstacles to overcome, but I think that this is a realistic and important goal that we can achieve within the next few semesters.
Fast facts:
- #1 thing on your Bucknell bucket list: Grab a drink with Bravman
- Favorite spot on campus: Kappa Sig House
- Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Founder of a successful tech company
- Little known fact: I started an elementary school library in Samoa to help village children have a better shot of attaining higher education, something vital to making it off the island.