Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Founders
Gerta, Founder at YourNegotiations.com, suggests two entry-level approaches: taking a hands-on entrepreneurship course to learn "team dynamics and how things work in an entrepreneurial setting," and undertaking a personal side project, like the mobile app Gerta developed, to gain practical experience and discover skills needed, such as "product roadmap" development.
Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Teamwork, Problem-Solving, App Development
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Gerta Malaj
Founder
YourNegotiations.com
Wellesley College
MIT
Mathematics, Data Science, Statistics
Coaching, Speaking & Writing
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
International Student, Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Take an entrepreneurship course, ideally a hands-on one to learn about team dynamics and entrepreneurial settings.
2. Work on a small side project, either individually or with others, to gain practical experience and learn about product roadmaps and team collaboration. This could be a mobile app, a website, or any other project that interests you.
3. Seek out mentors or collaborators who possess skills you lack. This can help you expand your skill set and gain valuable insights from experienced professionals.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
There are two things I recommend college students consider. One is taking an entrepreneurship course, especially one that is very hands-on.
I took one in grad school, but could have taken it in undergrad as well. We actually worked on a specific project, which was very helpful to learn about team dynamics and how things work in an entrepreneurial setting.
The other thing I would encourage them to do is try a smaller project on the side, by yourself or with someone else. It doesn't have to be part of the curriculum.
When I was working in biotech, I was very stressed and needed a creative outlet. So, I started building a mobile app in my free time with someone I found who is now my mentee. He's a software engineer, and I was not at the time.
We collaborated on this mobile app that helps you find time to meet with your friends. It was something fun, and it really helped me see that I need some sort of product roadmap. I learned that the engineer on my team needed to pay for things like all the Apple SDKs or something similar. I learned so much just from that fun project, and I've carried those learnings into now. I highly recommend those two approaches.