There are so many students out there aspiring to kick off their careers as entrepreneurs, and with that, the most natural thing to do is follow in the footsteps of an icon. Sure, there are many successful entrepreneurs out in the open, but finding inspiration is the least of these students' problems. Rather, the inability to relate to these icons of inspiration is the real pickle.
Warren Buffet, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk are all great entrepreneurs, but their time of struggle has long passed, and their oppositions, though challenging, have been stomped out.
Consequently, students charged with dreams and passion, having set out of their graduate school to change the landscape of their world, find their aim too big to be realized. All their excitement drains out and they succumb to a life of mediocrity.
Unsplash | The future might not be so bleak for fresh grads
A raft for those dealing with social anxiety
The world is ripe with examples of youth conquering the world with their simple idea. One such example is of Julian DiVito and Karan Ballal. You know as the creators of Sightly, the award-winning Canadian innovation at the Red Bull Basement last year. The Red Bull Basement, which endeavors to hunt down the latest talent in the field of science and technology, uncovered the set of these two entrepreneurs who created a virtual reality program to help students overpower social anxiety.
After their great win, DiVito and Ballal worked with a group of mentors and project developers to refine their software, and now they are off on a journey of launching Sightly across wellness centers in schools throughout Canada.
Unsplash | Sometimes in life, you just have to close your eyes and go all-in
Precious advice for teenagers aspiring to become entrepreneurs
Given below is a collection of gems imparted by the two creators of Sightly in order to become an entrepreneur despite unlikely odds.
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Believe in your idea
It is cardinal that you believe in your idea first. Your idea should be wrought of utter belief in both the functionality and necessity of it. DiVito and Ballal both suffered from social anxiety, hence, they recognized a niche for their product in the form of students who could never perform well in school due to excessive social anxiety. They knew Sightly had to be made for themselves and many others like them.
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Don’t let the fear of failure hinder your way
Asking you to not be afraid is pure baloney. However, abandoning your dreams due to fear of failure is also foolish. Unless you take the plunge, you cannot know how far the fall is. Take the leap, take the risk because, though on one side there might be a failure, on the other side, there is a bright ray of success. Bet on the probability of winning and run towards your dream.
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Learn to pitch ideas to the audience
You need to practice presenting your idea to your audience. Sometimes your idea may be great, but you will lose out just because you are unable to deliver the practicality and necessity of your project to your peers or mentors. Be your own advocate and polish your idea such that it gets a lot of supporters. After all, there is nothing wrong with calling for help.
Unsplash |You can't succeed without learning how to pitch your ideas
Great ideas depend on the contribution of a team. You bring your zeal; your mentor will bring his experience, and soon your idea will be ready for its grand reveal.