Treasure Valdez ’23, founder of Treasuremybeaute’.
DC: What is your name, major, minor, and graduation year? Valdez: My name is Treasure Valdez, my graduation year is 2023, and I major in Communications with a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
DC: Which Dingman Center programs have you been involved with? Valdez: So far, I have been involved with the Dingman Center by attending Dingman Fridays.
DC: In two to three sentences, how would you describe your startup? Valdez: I would describe Treasuremybeaute’ as a brand that is designed for women with demanding lifestyles that are in need of high-performing products that saves time without compromising quality. TreasureMyBeaute’ products were created to add value, premium quality, and exclusivity to Women across the globe. Creating an experience of glamour that starts with our packing sparking and emotional charge as YOU unlock your gorgeousness.
DC: What or who is your biggest influence for your startup? Valdez: My mother has been my biggest influence for my startup because she is the reason why I am the person I am today. She continues to push me and always encourages me to never play small and to walk in my power. With that being said, I have broken generational curses and will continue to break more as I build my legacy and create generational wealth for future generations.
DC: What updates or significant accomplishments can you share with us about your company from the last six months? Valdez: In the last six months, I was granted opportunities to be featured on different platforms, increasing awareness about Treasuremybeaute’ products and how they solve issues for women on the go that allows them to achieve pro-like results in minutes.
DC: What’s the most important thing you are working on right now and how are you making it happen? Valdez: The most important thing I am working on right now is launching an editorial campaign to increase visibility for the product lines Lip Heist Collection and Blink Obsession Collection. I plan on making this happen by hiring a creative director, an image consultant, and a professional editorial photographer.
DC: As a business owner, how do you define success? Valdez: I define success as self-love, when you are comfortable in your own skin and happy with who you are every day that you wake up. Also, using that self-love to build a legacy that I can be proud of.
DC: If you could give advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be? Valdez: The phrase that I live by is to learn to become comfortable with being uncomfortable because this takes away any limitations that are placed upon you. Do not allow yourself to become the projections of someone else’s fears. Take that risk!
To learn more about Treasuremybeaute’ please visit the website here.
“The Beautiful Math of Coral,” an original novel by E. Ozie Productions founder, Ijeoma Asonye ’23
DC: What is your name, major, minor, and graduation year? Asonye: My name is Ijeoma Asonye. I am a junior mechanical engineering major and creative writing minor graduating in 2023. I am also part of the QUEST Honors Program.
DC: Which Dingman Center programs have you been involved with? Asonye: I have been involved in Ladies First Founders. In the past, I would actively come to First Fridays!
DC: In two to three sentences, how would you describe your startup? Asonye: With our foundations from the novel “The Beautiful Math of Coral”, E. Ozie Productions is a multimedia creative house. We are using our creative voice to rise to the forefront of revolutionary conversations about community, society, and identity. We believe in the power of art, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and storytelling for social impact through various different mediums.
DC: At what point did you know you wanted to start your own venture? Asonye: I’ve always loved books so the idea of writing a book came across my mind during the pandemic and I just jumped on the opportunity. My venture started off with my book “The Beautiful Math of Coral” after watching a TEDtalk of the same name. I would call my book a coming-of-age story that creates metaphors with concepts in STEM, mixed with lots of love and other intangible things. I think it’s a very swoon-worthy book. Now I am looking forward to expanding what kind of creative works we do in the future as a creative house like an AR app for books we are working on.
DC: What or who is your biggest influence for your startup? Asonye: As of right now, ARTECHOUSE plays a big influence for my startup showing the beauty in STEM with their recent exhibition of “Life of A Neuron”. I love how ARTECHOUSE integrates art, science, and technology in the visual sphere. I also was inspired to create my own creative house by learning more about Einhorn’s Epic Productions which is an entertainment creative house. I think they are doing some really cool stuff for underserved gen-z fandoms which is an industry I am tapping into with my book. One of the co-founders of the company purchased my book and that is how I learned more about them.
DC: What updates or significant accomplishments can you share with us about your company from the last six months? Asonye: My most significant accomplishment, as of right now, would have to be that my book “The Beautiful Math of Coral” debuted as a #1 New Release on Amazon! I also participated in Terp Marketplace which was super exciting. I sold a few copies and was able to meet lots of people with an interest in books. My book got featured in the mechanical engineering department magazine, Metrics. Although I don’t consider it as a direct project under my company, the research I started as an undergraduate researcher, which is similar to the values of my company called “E.Ozie and The Mixed Reality For Humanity Project” received a grant from the Do Good Institute at UMD!
DC: As a young business owner, what motivates you? Asonye: What I look to for motivation changes every day. It could be an hour long conversation I had with someone in the film industry that pumps me up or simple affirmations I say every day. As of lately, the music group BTS has motivated me to work hard. Funny enough my college essay was about their influence on me and now I’m a university student so I guess it must be working. I have a poster of them in my room on the cover of TIME Magazine with the headline “Next Generation Leaders”. Although the title “Next Generation Leader” seems like a lot to bear to me I imagine myself as one. Also hearing stories of boss women doing their thing in different industries like music, business, technology, etc.
DC: If you could give advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be? Asonye: Three things: grow your network, explore, and surround yourself with like minded individuals.
To learn more about E. Ozie Productions please visit the website here.
DC: What is your name, major, and graduation year? Djampa: Edwin Bright Djampa, I go by my middle name Bright. My major is Nutritional Food Science, Graduation May 2022.
DC: Which Dingman Center programs have you been involved with? Djampa: I have been involved with the Pitch Dingman Competition in 2021.
DC: In two to three sentences, how would you describe your startup? Djampa: At Omega 3, we aim to provide consumers with an easy, accessible, and delicious way to incorporate omega-3 fatty acids into their daily diets and reap the many health benefits of this essential, brain-boosting nutrient. We hope to empower people to take charge of their mental health through nutrition. We want the link between nutrition and brain function to be at the forefront of the dialogue surrounding mental health. We hope one day, you can walk into any local grocery store and find a section of food items dedicated to brain support.
DC: What updates or significant accomplishments can you share with us about your company from the last six months? Djampa: In the last 6 months we’ve been able to get into all the retail locations and cafes on UMD campus. We have also been able to get on to Georgetown University retail locations. We have also been able to partner with NAMI to provide participants with granola bars. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives.
DC: Can you describe your typical day as a student business owner? Djampa: My typical day is: I wake up at 6am and review all emails and all potential orders. I work to respond to emails and fulfill orders. Then around 7am I either run around and check up on stores in person or I ship the online orders. Around 8am I eat breakfast and begin my class work for the day. My classes typically end at 12pm. I then take a 1 hour break to relax. At 2pm I begin to work on social media and branding content to promote Omega 3 (this typically takes about an hour and a half). For the remainder of the day 4-8pm, I then work to find new gyms, stores, universities, and yoga studios to enter into. From 8 till about 12am I return to school work/class assignments.
DC: What’s the most important thing you are working on right now, and how are you making it happen? Djampa: Currently at Omega 3 we are working on a huge rebranding effort. To make it more clear on our packaging and social media platforms that we are a brain-centric food company. The rebranding efforts will be completely done in Mid January 2022.
DC: As a business owner, how do you define success? Djampa: It is honestly very hard to define success as a business owner because the marker for success is ever-evolving. I would say true success for most business owners is when the business is no longer running them, but instead, they are in a position where they are running the business.
DC: If you could give advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be? Djampa: Your internal compass is the only thing that will get you through this entire journey of entrepreneurship. Remain true to your internal compass. Also never ride the highs for too long and certainly don’t ride the lows. As hard as it may be, try and remain even-keel as much as possible.
To learn more about Omega 3, please visit the website here.
Founder Brin Xu ’22 and colleagues serving Fancy & Spicy samples at Dingman Fridays.
DC: What is your name, major, and graduation year? Xu: Brin Xu, Sociology, 2022
DC: Which Dingman Center programs have you been involved with? Xu: I have been involved in Pitch Dingman competition, Terp Startup Accelerator, Terp Startup Fellows programs.
DC: In two to three sentences, how would you describe your startup? Xu: Fancy & Spicy is a digital culinary platform allowing anyone in the world to share authentic food experiences. We primarily offer online cooking classes, and plan to become a social platform for food lovers.
DC: Now that you’ve won the Pitch Dingman Competition ‘21, what’s next for your company? Xu: Since we won the Pitch Dingman Competition, we have been working on our scaling initiatives with support from the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. We are moving our company toward the path of sustainability.
DC: What updates or significant accomplishments can you share with us about your company from the last six months? Xu: In the last six months, we redesigned our website to build the foundation for future development, expanded products lines, built a team of 4 top chefs, continued producing attractive social media contents, and honed our value proposition. These efforts have been very rewarding. For example, we have acquired 157 new customers and received revenue about $10,000 so far.
DC: Can you describe your typical day as a business owner? Xu: My typical day as a business owner is busy and fun. I usually read industry news and emails during my breakfast to catch up information. In the morning, I check our class bookings, billings, and cash flow to make sure things are on track. In the afternoon, I meet up with my customers, chefs, website developer and other stakeholders. Evening is a good time to reflect, and plan work for the next day.
DC: As a business owner, how do you define success? Xu: As a business owner, I think success is running a profitable company that contributes to social goods. Knowing that I am doing is helping myself and others toward a better and heartier life means a lot to me.
DC: If you could give advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be? Xu: I would advise them to find a supportive community. I have been very lucky to have the Center’s support through the way, otherwise Fancy & Spicy would not be here today. I encourage first-time founders reach out to communities and move forward.
To learn more about Fancy & Spicy, please visit the website here.
Co-founders Mat and Elaine Parsons MBA ’22 with their children reading original book, How Does It Feel.
DC: What are your names, majors, and graduation years? Parsons: Elaine and Mat Parsons, MBA program 2022.
DC: Which Dingman Center programs have you been involved with? Parsons: Pitch Dingman Competition 2021 Fearless Ideas Competition Grand Prize Winner, 2021 Terp Startup Accelerator Program, and weekly Dingman Friday Participant.
DC: In two to three sentences, how would you describe your startup? Parsons: We create products for parents to teach their children how to recognize and understand emotions. These tools will equip their children with self awareness and relationship skills to navigate through life.
DC: Now that you’ve completed Terp Startup Accelerator this past summer, what’s next for your company? Parsons: Our plan is to launch on Kickstarter Oct. 22nd in order to get support to launch our company. Our goal is to raise $5,000 dollars so we can batch order our book, doll, and puzzles.
DC: Can you describe your typical day as a business owner? Parsons: Putting out fires – I feel like a typical day is solving all of the things that have not worked out over the week!
DC: What’s the most important thing you are working on right now, and how are you making it happen? Parsons: Without a doubt the most important thing we are working on is our book. We really believe that this book will be a great bridge for parents to start teaching their toddlers how to recognize and understand emotions.
DC: As a business owner, how do you define success? Parsons: For our business success is helping as many kids as possible. Our two goals are:
1. Teaching toddlers that these strong emotions they are feeling is ok.
2. Donating holiday toys to kids who can’t afford them.
DC: If you could give advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be? Parsons: Read…Read…Read…The two books Lean Start Up and The One Page Marketing Plan have been our best friend.
To learn more about North Star Creations, please visit the website here.
Aurora is an inclusive hosiery and apparel company that inspires wearers to be comfortable in their own skin.
DC: What’s your names, majors, minors, and graduation years? Rickerby:Imani Rickerby, Co-founder & COO, Public Health Science major, 2017 graduation year; Sydney Parker, Co-founder & CMO, Communications major, Women’s Studies certificate, 2018 graduation year; Jasmine Snead, Co-founder & CFO, Government & Politics major, African American Studies certificate, 2017 graduation year; Masters in Public Policy/Masters in Business Administration, 2021 graduation year
Imani Rickerby ’17
DC: Which Dingman Center programs have you been involved with? Rickerby: Dingman Jumpstart, Ladies First, Dingman Fridays, New Venture Practicum, Terp Startup Accelerator, Pitch Dingman Competition, and Terp Startup Fellows.
DC: In two to three sentences, how would you describe your startup? Rickerby: Aurora Tights is the #1 most inclusive athletic hosiery and apparel brand. We make tights for dancers and ice skaters in five shades and seven sizes, from Child Small to Adult 3X. Since its inception, Aurora has empowered performers to bring their own dynamic color and light to the stage. Aurora creates an inclusive space for all athletes to #performincolor.
DC: At what point did you know you wanted to create your own startup? Rickerby: The Aurora team is composed of a figure skater, synchronized ice skater, and a competitive dancer with over 60 years of performing experience combined. Imani Rickerby, Jasmine Snead, and Sydney Parker attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and are sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Jasmine, a figure skater of over 20 years, used to dye her tights in a bathtub before every competition, and the process was time-consuming, messy, experimental, and expensive. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Imani, a lifetime synchronized ice skater, grew up skating in tights that were too pale for her complexion. While they had different experiences, they were unified in feeling marginalized, unheard, and unseen in the sport they loved.
Jasmine Snead ’17
While coaching a team of young synchronized ice skaters, Jasmine and Imani noticed that many of their students, particularly those of color, were reliving their experiences of isolation. Due to the lack of diverse skating gear, their students were lacking confidence, loneliness, and identity issues. Many times, athletes of color draw away from the sport – not because of a lack of talent – but due to the lack of community. Inspired by their students, the duo both quickly realized that there was an unmet need and shared their stories with Sydney, their best friend and lifetime competitive dancer.
Sydney had a similar experience while dancing, with the added pressure of being a dark-skinned woman in a predominately white sport. The hair products, makeup, and especially the apparel never fit her appearance. Sydney’s feelings of isolation rose so high she avoided even looking in the mirror. It was only after finding her community on her collegiate team of predominantly black women that Sydney started to have confidence in not only her skills, but also her appearance. She understood then what it meant to have a support channel to turn to in times of need. Together the three decided to be the catalysts to end the destructive cycle of monoculturalism within performance sports and instead build a community of empowerment.
DC: What or who is your biggest influence for your startup? Rickerby: While we are a for-profit company, our social impact mission is directly baked into our business model. Supporting and empowering minority athletes to say involved in their passions is the fundamental driver of Aurora. We strive to make sure all athletes feel comfortable in their skin, excel at their athletic passions, and have a long-lasting tenure in their sport.
DC: Can you describe/outline your typical day as a business owner? Rickerby: Our typical day includes brainstorming strategies, solving day-to-day issues, responding to customers, monitoring our social media, and A LOT of meetings.
Sydney Parker ’18
DC: How have the effects of the pandemic changed your company’s focus or ideas? Rickerby: Before COVID-19, Aurora Tights had a lot of momentum. However, with social distancing policies, large events and team sports practices were canceled, and sports complexes and gyms were closed. As a result, there has been a substantial decline in tight sales, and several large accounts were postponed until teams can practice safely. As entrepreneurs, we looked for the silver lining. We launched our line of at-home workout apparel which kept Aurora alive while we all stayed safe in the home. Now with everything opening up, our large accounts are coming back into focus and our tights are set to be featured in the newest Shondaland show, “Inventing Anna,” and the Broadway show “SIX”!
DC: What updates or significant accomplishments can you share with us about your company from the last six months? Rickerby: There have been a lot milestones within the last six months! We were accepted in the Desai Accelerator, which has been a huge driver for growth. Also, we hosted our third cohort of the Aurora Tights Internship, added 11 teams to our Aurora Teams program, refreshed brand, and rolled out our newest product – shimmery tights!
DC: As a young business owner, what motivates you? Rickerby: Well, both ice skating and dance are diversifying rapidly, which is a huge motivator! To best support this inclusive environment, we need to change the definition of beauty in performance sports. To do this, the first step is ensuring that all performers have apparel in their unique skin tone. Currently, there is a whole population of performers who do not have tights that match their skin color or do not like the shades that are available to them. We strive to make sure adults and children, just like us, feel comfortable in their skin and excel at their athletic passions.
DC: If you could give advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be? Rickerby: So many times as young people, we feel unqualified to go after our vision. We are so hard on ourselves and feel as if we must first become experts at something before execution. Yet many people do not put those same pressures on themselves and instead exude a confidence that is needed for the entrepreneurship world. I encourage young people to work every day on building that same level of confidence in themselves and to not be afraid to just do it. There is so much magic in our ideas and the world would be made better for it!
For more information about Aurora, please visit the website here.
Co-founders Jeff Su ’21 and Wyatt Talcott ’22 selling ModBars at the Derwood Farmers Market in Rockville, MD.
DC: What are your names, majors, and graduation years? Su: Jeff Su — Finance and Supply Chain Management ’21, Wyatt Talcott — Marketing ’22, Max Levine — Finance ’22, Joe Oleynik — Information Systems ’23
DC: Which Dingman Center programs have you been involved with? Su: Pitch Dingman 2019, Terp Startup 2020.
DC: In two to three sentences, how would you describe your startup? Su: We specialize in making a variety of different snack bars from protein, energy, to trail mix and even dessert bars. They’re low in sugar and packed with fiber so they’ll keep you feeling full without the sugar crash.
DC: What or who is your biggest influence for your startup? Su: Gary Vaynerchuk. He’s the one that inspired me to just start and the whole thing a shot.
DC: How have the effects of the pandemic changed your company’s focus or ideas? Su: We definitely switched gears and started doubling down on e-commerce. A majority of our sales are now coming from our website which has been awesome to see. It’s also given us enough time to think long term and plan for the future. We’ve got exciting projects ahead that’ll hopefully push us to our next milestone.
DC: What updates or significant accomplishments can you share with us about your company from the last six months? Su: In the past 6 months we’ve actually gotten the chance to sell at our first farmers market up in Rockville—Derwood Farmers Market. It was amazing to get back to our roots and do in-person sales again. On top of that, we had the opportunity to partner up with a few of the local neighborhood outdoor pools which not only drove more sales but also let us get our name out there to new customers. Overall, we’ve seen high recurring customer rates and overall really positive feedback from the community. We’ve also been doing a lot of R&D recently that’ll hopefully help drive more sales coming up. There may be a shift in our current product line but more time is needed. Moving forward we want to start investing heavily in media marketing since that has been one of the key areas we’ve been lacking for some time now.
DC: If you could give advice to any aspiring entrepreneurs, what would it be? Su: Be prepared to work really hard. It requires a lot of sacrifice. There’ll be a ton of distractions and things that won’t work in your favor; if you’re not willing or dedicated enough it’ll make you want to quit at every step. So ensure you’re having fun putting work into your venture and don’t gloss over even the smallest victories.
To learn more about ModBars, please visit the website here.
Alanna Anderson ’21interned at Nest Collaborative this past summer.
DC: What is your name, major, minor, and anticipated graduation year? Anderson: Alanna Anderson. Major: Linguistics. Minor: Second Language Education. Graduation Year: December 2021
DC: In a couple of sentences, how would you describe your time in the Dugal Impact Fellowship Program? Anderson: My time in the Fellowship Program was informational and engaging. Interning with Nest Collaborative gave me a lot of insight into a start-up that I didn’t have before. It was also amazing to be financially compensated since that’s not a reality for many available internships. I appreciate the Robert H. Smith Business School and its donors for making this opportunity possible and encouraging students to engage with companies who want to make a positive social impact.
DC: Tell us about Nest Collaborative. What is the company’s mission and core competencies? Anderson: Nest Collaborative is a telehealth lactation company. They have a team of International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants who educate and assist parents on their breastfeeding journey. Whether it’s your first time breastfeeding or your fourth, they’ll advocate for you and provide you with the information you need to achieve your breastfeeding goals. Their mission is to assist parents with breastfeeding in an educational, equitable, and inclusive way. They also work very hard to forge relationships with more insurance companies so that appointments are covered with no copay and no deductible.
DC: Why did you want an internship with Nest Collaborative? Anderson: I wanted to intern with a company that noticeably improved the lives of mothers, parents, and families. It’s clear that Nest Collaborative has since it was voted Best Overall Online Lactation Consult by Verywell Family. I was also impressed by the mission of the CCO, Amanda Gorman. As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and mother, she has seen and experienced the difficulty of breastfeeding and created Nest Collaborative to confront those difficulties.
DC: What were some of your responsibilities while interning with Nest Collaborative? Anderson: Two interesting small projects: I fixed the company’s podcast transcriptions on Otter to assist the VP of marketing with SEO and visibility. I had to interview 4 IBCLCs to get their opinion on how the company can make their job easier and improve patient care.
My largest project involved me pretending to be multiple patients so that I could go through the booking process and try multiple things such as booking on the same day, canceling an appointment, missing an appointment, etc. I then had to present my findings to the employees so that they could improve the flow of booking and improve customer experience.
DC: What were your favorite aspects of interning for Nest Collaborative? Anderson: I felt like I was part of the team. During my first monthly company meeting, I was introduced and invited to share some information about myself. The company even sent me a branded journal and pen. I also felt like my opinion was valued by the members of the company. If I had a suggestion, question, or concern, I was always listened to and assured that it would be taken into consideration. I also felt like I had the chance to make an impact. During my first company meeting, the CCO read positive feedback that the IBCLCs had received from customers and presented figures that showed that the breastfeeding retention rate for Nest Collaborative customers was higher than the national average. I kept this in mind while working because I hoped to be a part of that positive change.
DC: What did you gain from your experience as a Dugal Impact Fellow? Anderson: I gained insight into the daily duties of a start-up. The employees must take care of so many moving parts and responsibilities, but the changes were exciting and made me eager to do my job. I also have greater insight into what I would like my future jobs to be like. I feel like I’ve helped make a difference at Nest Collaborative, and I want to feel the same way with any job I have in the future.
DC: Have you had any cool startup/networking experiences since you’ve been at Nest Collaboration? Anderson: Getting to sit in on the company meetings has been really valuable. The directors and managers are very clear about the steps they are taking to improve the company and address the concerns of the IBCLCs. For example, one manager completely redid the intake process for patients to address the IBCLCs’ concerns. It was interesting to see how a start-up balances growth with employee satisfaction.
DC: What was the biggest adjustment? Anderson: I had to adjust to not having a set of instructions to follow. My supervisors would present a task to me and explain it, but it was up to me to get it done in a way that was efficient and practical.
For more information about Nest Collaborative, please visit the website here.For more information about the Dugal Impact Fellowship Program, please visit the website here.
Steve Case will be speaking at the Robert G. Hisaoka Speaker Series on Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. in The Clarice’s Gildenhorn Recital Hall. Click here to register.
Steve Case is one of America’s best-known and most accomplished entrepreneurs, and a pioneer in making the Internet part of everyday life. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur’s Vision of the Future.
As Chairman and CEO of Revolution LLC, a Washington, D.C.- based investment firm he co-founded in 2005, Steve partners with visionary entrepreneurs to build significant ‘built to last’ businesses. Revolution invests in and actively helps build companies leveraging technology to disrupt existing markets. This includes both early and mid-stage growth companies through both the Revolution Growth fund, created in 2011, and the Revolution Ventures fund, launched in 2013. Revolution has backed more than 30 companies, including: sweet green,Zipcar, Revolution Foods, DraftKings, Uptake and Framebridge.
In 2014, Steve and Revolution launched the Rise of the Rest, a platform to shine a spotlight on entrepreneurs that are starting and scaling businesses outside of Silicon Valley, New York, and Boston. Steve frequently tours the country by bus to meet with civic leaders, founders, investors and local corporate executives to champion citywide efforts to jumpstart entrepreneurship. As part of the initiative, Steve announced The Rise of the Rest Seed fund in December 2017.
Steve Case in Detroit during a Rise of the Rest Tour
Steve’s entrepreneurial career began in 1985 when he co-founded America Online (AOL). Under Steve’s leadership, AOL became the world’s largest and most valuable Internet company, driving the worldwide adoption of a medium that has transformed business and society. AOL was the first Internet company to go public and the best performing stock of the 1990s. At its peak, nearly half of Internet users in the United States used AOL. In 2000, Steve negotiated the largest merger in business history, bringing together AOL and Time Warner in a transaction that gave AOL shareholders a majority stake in the combined company. To facilitate the merger, Steve agreed to step down as CEO when the merger closed.
Steve Case with President Obama
Steve’s passion for helping entrepreneurs remains his driving force. In 2011, he was the founding chair of the Startup America Partnership— an effort launched at the White House to accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation. Steve also was the founding co-chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and a member of President Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, where he chaired the subcommittee on entrepreneurship.
Steve has been a leading voice in shaping government policy on issues related to entrepreneurship, working across the aisle to advance public policies that expand access to capital and talent. He was instrumental in passing the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act, and is active in advocating on behalf of immigration reform and legislation that supports and accelerates the emergence of startup ecosystems in rising cities.
Steve is also Chairman of the Case Foundation, which he established with his wife Jean in 1997. Together the Cases have invested in hundreds of organizations, initiatives and partnerships with a focus on leveraging the Internet and entrepreneurial approaches to strengthen the social sector. In 2010, Steve and Jean joined The Giving Pledge and publicly reaffirmed their commitment to give away the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.
I fell in love with entrepreneurship soon after arriving at college, and made it my goal to run a business full-time upon graduating. I went 2 years without any paying customers, but during my junior year I started CardBuddy, a stick-on phone wallet company that now does over $100K annual revenue (and have been running it full-time since graduating last May).
I have some unique customer service strategies which have brought me great results, and I thought I’d share them here!
Steve Case is one of America’s best-known and most accomplished entrepreneurs, and a pioneer in making the Internet part of everyday life. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur’s Vision of the Future.
