Looking to Start Business while in College

[fogalq]

I will be starting college this fall and am looking to start a business. Does anyone have any advice as to what type of business to start? I have been strongly considering an importing business--importing products from suppliers through Alibaba and selling via eBay, Craigslist, Amazon, etc.

 

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[TurboTT]

You dont need college to succeed, so why are you going to college? Are you planning to start a business to actually make a living or just have on the side when you have time. Business is'nt part time and anyone can tell you that you need 100% into what your doing to succeed.

If you plan to start a business why not put your heart and soul into it and save cash that you would spend going to school?

 

[Daniel A]

[More MLM BS -- Deleted by MOD]

 

[InLikeFlint]

There are two ways you could approach this:

1) Looking into businesses and hobbies and markets that you love. This gives you the advantage of enjoying what you are doing which helps with motivation and overall enjoyment of doing extra work while your friends party.

2) Look for a solution for a problem in a market. If you look at my started threads, I go over this concept very in depth with a direct example in what I call The "Inside Out Technique". (Leaving the link out because you're a smart college kid and I'm assuming you can find your way there, plus I don't want to appear as promoting myself)

 

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[GENT3861]

Yea, stick with college, there are a lot of benefits that no one talks about. Yes it is expensive but it is well worth it if you take it seriously and work hard. I am going to be a junior this up coming fall and the accounting and finance education I am getting is well worth it. You just need to know that it isn't your long term goal to be "normal" and work till your dead. On to your question, I am selling from Alibaba to eBay and it is paying for the majority of the loans I have taken out.

 

[markkedle]

Good idea.I highly appreciate you this motivation and to becoming independent earning hand in the early age.This will surely increase your expertise and skills.I wish you good luck.Accept the challenge.

 

[Will B. Rich]

This isn't a year round business (and not quite fastlane either) but when I was in college people always threw out things during move out time that they didn't want to bring home or simply could not bring home due to long trips. Especially students in NYC will probably toss quite a few things out due to the logistics of their commute.

Most of these items like TVs, appliances, futons, ect. still had plenty of life left in them and could easily be sold on craigslist or ebay. If you had space to hold them until August when people start looking for the "college essentials" you could make even more money. For best results you could even list all your items in a blog and link the blog to every posting to maximize your exposure.

I would have loved to do this but my parents lived and hour away and we have no space at home. Might be a fun idea if you live a reasonable distance away and finish exams early enough to dumpster dive .

PS- Check out any entrepreneurship clubs or classes. Definitely spend time going through every department's course listings to see what they offer. Some of my best classes came outside of my major!

 

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[dknise]

I am going to college because it will help me with my future entrepreneurial goals; I am studying engineering and would eventually like to create a business system around my inventions. After all, the whole point of pursuing the "fastlane" is to become free and have the time and resources to accomplish what you want in life, and this is something that I want to do regardless. Also, I chose my college based on the "fast lane" mindset; the school's philosophy is i²e (invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship) and they offer services such as business incubators. Aside from all of this, they are located in one of the largest business locations there is, New York City. I just thought I would clarify how going to college is part of my fastlane goal in this case. As for the business, I have decided to create a website (I have come up with some good ideas), and I am starting to learn how to create and market apps. I will still browse Alibaba occasionally, but unless I find a product that is worthwhile, I think I will stay clear of that route. Thanks for the advice

I'm normally a strong anti-college advocate, but it sounds like your school knows how to properly educate. That's pretty cool, what school is it?

Also, many people feel as though engineering, physics, and math are studies you HAVE to go to school for... they aren't. There is no universal restraint only allowing colleges to teach and college students to learn these fields. They are truly universal concepts. From how you described your school... have you looked up your teachers yet? It would be great to see former professional engineers and mathematicians teaching your classes. If that's not the case... please ask yourself why you are paying them haha.

Yea, stick with college, there are a lot of benefits that no one talks about. Yes it is expensive but it is well worth it if you take it seriously and work hard. I am going to be a junior this up coming fall and the accounting and finance education I am getting is well worth it. You just need to know that it isn't your long term goal to be "normal" and work till your dead. On to your question, I am selling from Alibaba to eBay and it is paying for the majority of the loans I have taken out.

Seeing as you're 20, attend college, and are in the little fake-world bubble it provides, what advantages are you talking about? I'm enjoying watching my news feed as people my age finally graduate after 6 years and continually get shot down applying for the same job I held when I was 19 at a software giant. Many companies today are waking up to the fact that a signed piece of paper is worthless, and the real determining factor is your ability to problem solve and execute.

Also, are your accounting professors accountants, and are your finance majors millionaires? If not, why are you paying them for their advice?

 

[PaulRobert]

Does anyone have any advice as to what type of business to start?

#1. Stop looking for businesses to start and start looking and listening (that's a big one) for needs to be fulfilled. I am going to be a senior this year and can tell you from experience, there are a boatload of business opportunities in college. Every college kid bitches and those complaints can be turned into great businesses.

#2.DO NOT start a business that deals with college text books and re selling/trading them. This is probably the biggest over-saturated market of wantrepreneurs in college. I know of at least 10 people that are in this business in the same school. (And they aren't making much.)

#3. Be social and get to know everyone. It's not what you know but who you know.

#4. Good luck!

 

[fogalq]

Most of these items like TVs, appliances, futons, ect. still had plenty of life left in them and could easily be sold on craigslist or ebay. If you had space to hold them until August when people start looking for the "college essentials" you could make even more money. For best results you could even list all your items in a blog and link the blog to every posting to maximize your exposure.

That is actually good idea if I can find out a way to store the items over the summer until the next school year starts. I certainly wouldn't have any trouble selling those items. That will be something that I have to wait and see about. For now though, I've decided to look into ecommerce sites.

 

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[Lagron]

You are located in NYC, I am NJ, about 30 mins away from the GWB...and going to college as well, just like you.

Have you found what you wanted to import? I am starting out with this as well, and have found great products we can import and sell...perhaps we can talk and do it alongside each other and come to an agreement on things. I would love to supplement and make at least 100k a year extra in income for myself and scale up along the way.

Get back to me, you are close ie, would be a great learning experience and would be profitable if we think clearly and take action.

Thanks!
From Lagron.


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[FastLearner]

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