My fellow freshmen and I have learned a considerable amount since the first day we walked into Commerce 101; but the wide world of Sauder remains a tad intimidating at times. It is however, infinitely more inspiring than it is daunting. Over the past eight weeks we have come to grasp (hopefully) some of the broader concepts that are involved in a business education: accounting, finance, operations, and many others – and today we discussed entrepreneurship. As students of Sauder we have various different opportunities to interact with alumni and ask them about their lives and experiences, and it is a truly eye-opening experience. All through high-school we thought of success as a rather vague concept that existed somewhere in the future – a possibility more than a reality. Now that we are here, and talking to people who have stood in our very footsteps, that possibility is turning to reality. It seems sometimes that everyone who graduates from Sauder is destined for greatness, and although I know this is not necessarily true, it is accurate to say that everyone who graduates has the tools they need to achieve greatness. The story that stood out the most for me was that of Paul Davidescu and his company Tangoo, because it bears similarities to what I hope to do in the future. Tangoo is a web based software that acts as a “pocket concierge” (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-managing/leadership/dinner-planning-company-re-emerges-overnight-as-pocket-concierge/article20898113/) by taking the consumer’s choice of moods and suggesting appropriate social venues for potential outings. Its owner made a guest appearance in our class today and talked about the development of the website and the app; making entrepreneurship seem like a dream job. Paul emphasized the level of commitment that owning a business requires, but also how rewarding it can be. He also recommended traveling and co-op work for anyone considering a future in the entrepreneurship field; saying that it is often outside of the classroom that one gets the experience that will help him/her in his/her chosen field. Tangoo itself originated in Spain, when Paul was on exchange in Barcelona and decided that he wanted to help bring people together socially outside of the virtual world. There are millions of things to be thinking about when starting one’s own business, but there appears to be several common themes to remember – the most prevalent of which is this:

You must be passionate about what you are doing (i.e. you are honestly not doing it for the money). Because let’s be honest, for the first few years you may very well be living in your parents’ basement.

I believe that this principle holds true across all disciplines of business, and it is worth keeping in mind when considering what your future may hold.