Christina Weiler ’21 talks with Katie Finnegan ’05 at eWeekend
An entrepreneur can start anywhere. Technology, medicine, fashion, confection, music, or trash cans. I chose trash cans. I launched my business, UCan, to address the overproduction of waste through a recycling program that enables people to make monetary donations to local social causes simply by properly recycling materials.
The very first meeting, TIA taught me that talk is the best technology we have for polishing an idea. Students were told to explain their ventures to the student beside them, and then pitch it to the room. The experience of hearing the rhythm of an idea out loud while watching the reactions of real people renders incredible feedback. TIA teaches you to look for soundboards in everything, and use them.
TIA’s team of brilliant alumni mentors is the program’s greatest asset — critiquing pitches; meeting face-to-face monthly with student ventures in Hamilton; and always encouraging diligence, resilience, and flexibility. These are the resources necessary for a student-venture to flourish.
Entrepreneur Weekend, Colgate’s annual entrepreneurship Shark Tank competition, was a pinnacle moment to apply what I’d learned. I pitched UCan to a panel of judges and competed for a $4,000 investment. I stood on a stage and communicated my idea to an audience of alumni, faculty, and students — one of the most important soundboards I had seen yet.
The moment the judges announced UCan had won was surreal. I ended up winning the $4,000 in funding plus potential distribution through Walmart offices, offered by one of the judges.
Naturally, the event tripled my list of alumni contacts, all eager to offer expertise from their unique professional perspectives. As people circulated the room, many offered instant advice such as, “have you thought about targeting this market” or “what do you think about adjusting your brand like x company?” I had trouble scratching the suggestions onto paper as fast as they were handed to me.
One contact in particular was Brian Horey ’82, a TIA mentor. He offered to connect me with an environmental lawyer who works with Fordham University, to explore installing the UCan system on Fordham’s campus. A couple conversations led to an internship with SWEEP (Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Protocol), a certification process for Municipal Solid Waste Programs that recognizes leadership in environmental, economic and social best practices. I started interning in New York City in late May and will continue throughout the summer.
In early June, TIA invited my business UCan to be focus-grouped by the annual Hackathon Think Tank (sponsored by Colgate’s Professional Networks) attended by alumni professionals from a variety of industries, including engineering and computer programming. I left the workshop with an updated website and solutions to problems that had stumped me all semester.
This is the value of TIA that upended my life as a student into one as a student-entrepreneur. TIA fosters countless opportunities to connect with people who want to help you solve problems. My experience launching UCan trained me to keep my ears and eyes tuned to soundboards around me. I’ve consulted professors, President Brian Casey, fellow students, family, and visiting lecturing professionals to bounce ideas for UCan. I am beyond excited to tackle UCan’s outstanding challenges (for instance, marketing and logo development) informed by the perspectives of a diverse team of insightful individuals.
— Christina Weiler is a rising sophomore planning on majoring in Environmental Economics. She is passionate about sustainability and social justice. She believes in the limitless potential of the human mind and capacity to solve global issues. Christina was the founder and president of the Environmental Club at her high school and the Environmental Education Program which educates and excites pre-school, elementary, and middle school aged students about recycling and environmental stewardship. Christina is an avid reader and writer of poetry. She won a National Gold Medal for Poetry in the Scholastic Writing Awards. Her favorite author is Anne Carson, who inspires Christina to familiarize herself with the mundane, ancient, and philosophical aspects of the universe.