lei
brokers and import brokers, and established a
relationship with the co-op in the village."
Welch cites his greatest challenges in the
beginning as finding the necessary funding
and stores willing to carry the product. He be
gan by talking with a contact at Weaver Street
Market.
“He wasn’t really willing to meet with us at
first, but 1 finally got through to him and went
in. and he was really impressed because we had
already done a lot of the footwork," Welch said.
According to Welch, once they had managed
to secure one major vendor in North Carolina,
talks with other stores became easier. Their
break with the first vendor is a perfect example
of how persistence in any venture can get you
where you want to go.
Turning your passion into a career
Senior Kaitlin Briley has had to practice
persistence as well with her vintage furniture
rental business. Simply Put "Vintage Rentals.
Briley states that although it has been a chal
lenge, she knows her business is what she's
passionate about.
“Starting a business is high risk, and the
first couple years are a ton of work, but it pays
off," Briley said. She also indicated that another
significant challenge has been trying to balance
managing a business and finishing school.
“1 want to finish my time at Elon well," she
said, "but at the same time 1 want to give my
business the time it needs in order for it to
grow and become a source of income when 1
graduate."
Despite the challenges she faced while
getting her business off its feet, the art major
now has the opportunity to do what she enjoys
most - design weddings and other spaces us
ing vintage furniture, and work with people.
She says her family and friends have been
instrumental as her support system.
“Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged or
overwhelmed, but they won't let me quit!"
The non-profit side of entrepreneurship
Family and helpful friends can certainly
make or break a business. When Yasmine Ar
rington decided to start a non-profit in high
school, she leaned on her grandmother and the
supportive adults around her. Now a sopho
more at Elon, Arrington began ScholarCHIPS
(CHIPS stands for Children of Incarcerated Par
ents) while she was only a junior in high school.
The organization provides college scholarships
for high school students who, like Arrington at
the time, have Incarcerated parents.
“My grandmother and I were looking at
scholarships to apply for, and she said 'You
know Yasmine. I don’t really see any for teens
with parents in prison’," Arrington said. Al
though she didn’t think much of it at first, after
doing some research on how many children
have Incarcerated parents, Arrington realized it
was a significant issue.
The project started out as just that - a proj
ect. Arrington presented her idea as her social
service project for the program LearnServe
International. She presented her idea along with
a logo, mission statement, and potential budget
to a panel of professionals who liked it so much
that they granted her Si.ooo to start it. After
that Arrington was featured in the Washington
Post and things took off from there.
“I never thought it would actually work and
that it would last." she said.
But it certainly has worked. Between last
year and this year, ScholarCHIPS has raised
$26,000. This year alone has brought in $14,000.
Arrington’s foundation continues to grow. Her
executive board has increased from its original
three members to now seven, with her serving
as founder and executive director.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to manage adults
who are volunteering their time," Arrington
said of the challenges she faces by working
with adults. She also said sometimes she isn’t
taken seriously although that is more rare.
Arrington appreciates the legal and business
advice she receives from her adult advisors, but
also believes there are other benefits to work
ing with students instead.
“I find that working with students can
sometimes be a lot faster," she said. Arrington is
currently working with fellow Elon students to
put on a benefit concert in April.
Also in the realm of nonprofits is Sarah
Harrs, a junior who started the national
organization Heart for People after travel
ing around Uganda in summer 2011, She was
conducting research on the effectiveness of
government versus grassroots organizations,
and saw firsthand how many Africans have
started organizations in order to help their own
communities.
“I started Heart for People to support them,"
she said, “lltl is a nonprofit organization that
connects schools in the United States directly
with nonprofit organizations in Uganda to help
Africans help themselves."
According to Harrs, American organizations
provide direct aid and talk with the Ugandan
program director about what kinds of projects
they wish to support in order to help eradicate
poverty. Heart for People is working on continu
ing to install chapters in elementary middle,
and high schools, as well as universities, along
the east coast.
Unfortunately Harrs has faced troubles that
any long-standing business would take a seri
ous hit from, much less a student-run nonprof
it still in its early stages. Heart for People fell
victim to a criminal organization in the spring
of 2012 that stole over $10,000.
“Recovering from that theft challenged our
beliefs and our vision." Harrs said, “but we
raised enough money to pay it back in full."
Harrs is currently studying abroad in Tan
zania. and will travel again to Uganda to work
with schools there before returning home.
Here in America. Harrs hopes Heart for People
will help increase awareness and activism in
young people. Like Welch, she is hoping to
bring positive change to another part of the
® The hardest part
has been finding
the right people who are
really committed and
passionate about what
we’re doing.”
-ELIZABETH GREENBERG,
Non-Scents Flowers
world.
“One of the greatest aspects of Heart for
People is in the ability for participants to see
the tangible difference they are making in a
country hallway around the world," she said.
Persistence is key
These Elon students have proven that youth
or inexperience do not have to be limiting
factors when starting a business. Each one
of them has said that with the right mindset
and the right people to help you. it’s perfectly
possible. Kaitlyn Wintson, who graduated Elon
last year, serves as one of many student suc
cess stories. Her photography business that
was already quite successful during her time
as a student has continued to flourish out in
the “real world." Like virtually any student
entrepreneur, Kaitlyn has had to turn for help
at times.
“I have absolutely no background in busi
ness or finances so I had to really outsource for
some assistance in the battlefield," she said. But
that didn’t stop her from pursuing her passion
for photography Since graduating, Kaitlyn has
become exclusively a wedding and portrait
photographer with steady bookings.
As for students considering trying to start
businesses of their own. Kaitlyn offers advice
from her personal experience. "Don’t be afraid
to ask for help!" she said. “ Other entrepreneurs
at Elon would agree when Wintson insists that
the faculty here can be a vital tool. “I went to
professors constantly asking for advice on how
to improve my work and get started in the
Industry “she said, “they arc a huge resource
available while you are still in school."
These students are following in the foot
steps of some of the greatest business per
sonalities our country has seen, such as Mark
Zuckerberg and Bill Gates. They haven’t let age
or school work or roadblocks keep them from
achieving their goals. For any students contem
plating their own attempt at what these stu
dent have done, listen to Elizabeth Greenberg.
“...Elon has a lot more entrepreneurial stu
dents than the students Ithemselvesl realize.
There are a lot of resources and a lot of people
have great ideas that they don’t go for." she
said. "It’s definitely not the wrong time to start
something, but don’t do it alone."