Every student knows juggling school and social life is no small feat, but what if one added running a business to the already hectic student lifestyle? For Tom Zheng, founder of Wildcard and full-time McGill student, dealing with business calls while attending classes and studying is an integral part of his daily routine.
The business he co-founded in 2011 has grown from the nightlife-centric Wildcard to a platform for student organizations to communicate efficiently with students. With the help of his partner, Randeep Singh, Zheng is committed to enhancing our university experience one campus at a time.
Basic Information about Tom Zheng:
Age: 21
From: Northeastern China, but moved to Vancouver with his parents when he was 10.
Year/faculty: U3 Arts
Major/minor: Political Science/Economics
Hobbies: Producing music, acting as a part-time DJ, spending lots of time on Google Maps, reading the news and going for a mind-clearing run.
Kim Laurence for Her Campus: Tell me about Wildcard. How does it work? Where did the idea come from?
Tom Zheng: When we first joined Wildcard, we experimented with our product by creating a mobile app that would allow students to get discounts at some of Montreal’s nightlife venues. However, this also led us [to] create a platform that would facilitate communication between students and their associations. Based on my experience at the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS), I knew the true difficulty was reaching out to students. Through the platform we created, student bodies and university associations can create and manage the content of their own personalized Android and iOS enabled app. In short, our clients can communicate all the important information (key academic dates, events, announcements, etc.) in a more student friendly fashion. Eventually, the Wildcard dimension of our business will be consolidated in the individual apps of the student organizations via a built-in “Offers” section from nearby restaurants and businesses.
KL: How can people get involved in your company?
TZ: Downloading the app and giving us feedback is the best way for us to improve our product.
KL: Are there challenges to running a business while being a full-time student?
TZ: Definitely, yes! Being active in such different spheres challenges your brains and your abilities. It makes you appreciate how “stupid” you are. I am humbled by my own stupidity; you appreciate how much more there is to know when everyday you have to face new challenges.
KL: What awaits Wildcard in the future? Do you plan on expanding your concept to other cities?
TZ: We do plan on expending to other cities. Right now we are present in Quebec through partnerships with student associations from McGill, Concordia and HEC. We also have the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society of Queen’s University in Ontario as client.
KL: Last year, you were the AUS VP Academic Affairs. How important is it for you to get involved in student life?
TZ: I want students to have a better university experience. I often hear people saying that McGill students are apathetic. Personally, I do not believe that is the case. I think students want to get involved but they are overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive on a daily basis. Ideally student bodies should have a better way of communicating with their members.
KL: Who are your role models?
TZ: My grandparents. They taught me a lot of important moral values. They were the first people from their village to receive an education. Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned from them is to make sure I always have other people’s best interest at heart.
KL: Any tips for juggling school, work and social life?
TZ: Never take yourself too seriously, there is nothing wrong with laughing of your faults once in a while. I like to remind myself that nothing is the end of the world and that we should always keep an optimistic view.