top of page
Jorrel, Entrepreneur, Founder at Early Stage Start Up: Advize Career Interview
Jorrel's journey from academic exploration to founder of a venture-backed startup showcases the power of diverse experiences and relentless drive.
Selling and recruiting are at the heart of the role, demanding constant networking and relationship building amidst the exhilarating uncertainty of early-stage growth.
The ability to connect with people and create processes is paramount, navigating the "controlled chaos" inherent in the tech and AI industry.
Thriving as a founder hinges on building a strong network and deep expertise, prioritizing execution over original ideas.
Aspiring founders should consider operations or sales roles as entry points, embracing mistakes as early learning opportunities. College is an ideal sandbox for experimentation, building valuable connections.
For social science students, focus on targeting a desired industry to build a career. This path emphasizes the importance of rallying people together and the opportunity to lead at the cutting edge of innovation.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Jorrel Sto Tomas
Entrepreneur, Founder
Early Stage Start Up
UC Berkeley
N/A
Economics, Political Science, American Studies
Entrepreneur
Business Strategy
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Watch all of this Advizer's videos below
Career Path Of An Entrepreneur At An Early Stage Startup
Jorrel's career path began with academic exploration, starting in pre-Haas business at UC Berkeley, then econ stats, eventually landing in political economy, alongside diverse internships in sales and marketing, content writing, and cybersecurity consulting; after college, experiences in operations and data analysis led to the founding of "a full fledged, YC backed, and venture backed company," marking the beginning of an entrepreneurship journey now involving running multiple companies and navigating the challenges of fundraising and customer acquisition.
Main Responsibilities of an Entrepreneur at an Early Stage Start Up
As an entrepreneur and startup founder, main responsibilities are "selling and recruiting," with recruiting framed as "basically just selling with a few extra steps"; this involves significant customer meetings, targeted outreach, in-depth research, and continuous development of new business strategies, emphasizing that "you're always selling."
A Day In The Life Of A Founder At An Early Stage Start Up
For a founder at an early-stage startup, every day is different because priorities constantly shift based on the business's immediate needs, but a week is usually structured around "constant, constant meetings" focused on building relationships with potential investors, clients, and recruits. Ultimately, the life of a founder revolves around "making sure [the] business succeeds" through relentless networking and relationship building.
Most Important Skills For A Founder At An Early Stage Start Up
For a founder at an early-stage startup, the two most vital skills are "a gift of give," which is about connecting with people through communication or listening, and being adept at creating processes, whether through writing, frameworks, or whiteboarding, to manage constant improvisation. Being able to "talk with little to no plan" or create "a plan when things go crazy" are also highly valuable.
Favorite Parts of Being an Entrepreneur at an Early Stage Startup
As an entrepreneur and startup founder, Jorrel thrives on the "constant uncertainty" and the stimulating nature of each day being different, contrasting sharply with the predictability of previous roles. This career professional enjoys solving problems "with little to no information," finding excitement in what some might perceive as "controlled chaos."
Biggest Challenges Faced by an Entrepreneur at an Early Stage Startup
As an entrepreneur, the biggest challenge for Jorrel is navigating the "uncertainty" inherent in building a hypergrowth startup, which demands constant information gathering, planning, and creating contingency plans. Ultimately, ensuring "we have enough resources" to overcome upcoming challenges and problems remains the most pressing concern.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The AI Industry As A Startup Founder
Jorrel enjoys being in the tech and AI space because they are at "the cutting edge of most technology and innovation," allowing a glimpse into the future and the opportunity to lead and help with advancements. The coolest part is seeing advancements like AI implementations and lean teams that are growing rapidly.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Startup Industry, According To A Startup Founder
Jorrel believes those who thrive as founders in the early-stage startup world are "the most well networked," possessing not just operational skills or a good product, but the ability to connect deeply with people and "rally people together" around their ideas. According to Jorrel, success comes from mastering the art of getting others on board and accessing those with "really good distribution."
What a Startup Founder wishes they had known before entering the startup industry
As a founder, Jorrel wishes someone had told them that original ideas are less important than execution, because "everyone has the same ideas;" therefore, the most important preparation for this space is building a "deep expertise of knowledge" and a strong, unmatched professional network to establish competitive advantages. Jorrel suggests "some foundational prep" in these areas would have been more effective than diving in headfirst and learning from mistakes.
Entry-level Startup Roles for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Founders
For undergraduates or graduates aspiring to become a founder at an early-stage startup, Jorrel recommends "operations position[s]" as the best entry point because it lays the groundwork for scalability in business and personal processes; as a second option, Jorrel suggests a sales role because "all you do in this world is sell."
Significant Career Lesson From An Entrepreneur At An Early Stage Start Up
Jorrel emphasizes the importance of "getting very comfortable making as many mistakes as possible as early as possible," as mistakes made later can be exponentially more costly, especially in the context of building a new business where mistakes with "customer a hundred" can escalate to million-dollar problems. This lesson, learned early in their career, has profoundly shaped their approach to building and moving forward.
College Experiences That Helped a Founder at an Early Stage Startup Succeed
Jorrel attributes career success to treating college as a "sandboxy" environment for experimentation, diving into numerous student organizations and ventures with the understanding that the risk was minimal, but the potential benefits, like valuable connections in venture capital and tech, were tremendous. College was seen as a unique place to "experiment and do things" without heavy consequences, and the early recognition of this opportunity proved invaluable.
First Job Advice For Students From an Early Stage Startup Founder
For social science students seeking their first job, focus less on the specific job title and more on the industry, as "career is built off of which industry" one decides to be involved in, such as tech or sustainability, because unlike fields like engineering, social sciences lack a clear career pathway, so targeting a desired sector is key.
Advizer Personal Links
bottom of page