Money Matters – SU student entrepreneurs

Starting a business and becoming an entrepreneur is an idea that many dream about, but few take the chance to try.
Almost every dormitory on campus has their resident “hustle-man” (“hustle-woman”) that peddles food, incense or burns CD’s to make extra cash; but some Southern University students have taken money making to a whole new level by starting their own businesses.
Nuri Madina, a Spring 2001 graduate, and Eric Powell, electric engineering major, are co-owners of Urban Communications on Greenwell Street in Baton Rouge.
“We’ve been in business for about four months, and we sell everything at low prices,” said Madina.
Southern University has several student entrepreneurs who have followed their dreams of owning their own businesses and have been very successful. All a person needs is motivation to start, proper resources, and a strong support system.
In the current economy it is easier for a person to venture into a private-owned business than it is to break into the corporate world.
The first thing a person needs to be a successful entrepreneur is motivation.
A well-known fact is that college students are constantly in need of monetary assistance.
“The extreme need for money motivated me to start my own business,” said Fred Hollins, “The Peacemaker”, a history major graduating this fall and owner of Peacemaker Discount Products.
Secondly, a successful student entrepreneur has to have proper resources. Money is required to build a foundation for a business.
They also need to know what to market to their consumers.
Madina and Powell sell cell phones, pagers, literature, incense and other products. They sell products that they know their customers want.
Lastly, a strong support system is needed. Seeking advice from others who have their own businesses or expertise in the area can eliminate problems that could occur in the future.
Although the business world may be intimidating, there are many Southern students who have entered the world of entrepreneurship and have been successful. Showing that college students need not just dream about owning a business, but can make it reality.