Balancing academics and student employment while working minimum-wage jobs can be challenging. Augustana students tackle opening businesses representative of their passions, while juggling coursework, athletics and part-time jobs, with hopes to one day be able to support themselves from their passion-driven businesses.
With many students needing a source of income during their time at college, the usual minimum wage pay is sometimes not enough to cover living expenses. Augustana students have taken action when faced with the discouragement of being underpaid, while putting effort into their jobs.
In the midst of busy schedules, running a business offers students flexibility and time to pursue passions that can feel out of reach.
Resources such as physical or digital calendars, or whiteboards can be an opportunity to both visually see and build your schedule block by block.
For junior Natavia Jones, who started ShanaiHairDress in high school, her goal is to promote an affordable option and safe space for her clients to chat and feel confident in their hair.
Her passion for hair with her mom, who does hair for a living. She helped Jones get equipment to put in their house, leading to helping do hair starting within her hometown of Chicago during high school then to the campus and Quad Cities community.
Despite the “go-go-go,” Jones said she stays grounded by reminding herself why she started.
“Being busy now is going to let me rest later,” Jones said.
Senior Paloma Martinez-Palomares, a campus manager at UniversityTees (UTees), lives a busy lifestyle on campus. Being involved in UTees has given her the freedom to manage her own schedule. UTees is a custom merchandise company not funded or paid through the school, operating independently rather than a campus-paid position.
However, working for UTees does come with responsibilities, as it is focused on building relationships with the customers, making sure their needs are met and every little detail of each clothing item is as they intended. Although the weight of that busyness depends on the time of year, they often focus on making shirts for Greek Life events throughout the school year.
“It’s mainly commission-based, which is great, because you can, depending on the time, you could either have one order a month, or you could have 10 orders a month, which is great for balance,” Martinez-Palomares said. “It’s a very flexible job with flexible hours, which is great for a student profile.”
For junior Chanel Colvin, starting her own press-on nail business, CJC Nails, was her way of doing something she is passionate about while growing entrepreneurial skills.
When venturing to start a business, having a network of support can create a safe space to take risks. Colvin said while deciding to start her own business, her parents were her biggest supporters during the process and kept supporting her–even in busy times.
“Over the weekends, I’ll be in my creative zone, and my parents see my noise-canceling headphones on, they’re like, ‘Don’t bother her, she’s in her zone.’” Colvin said. “They see that because I spend so much time doing so much of the work that I do for people, that it’s work that I do for myself.”
First-Year Clay Willett sells baked goods through their company Crumbs by Clay. Willett’s cookies and special holiday menus are a popular choice for her buyers.
Willett says that their parents, who are a baker and a chef, and their best friend have been a source of encouragement while opening their business.
“Sometimes I get help from one friend in particular, and they get paid in cookies,” Willett said.
While fear of being judged is not the scariest thing about starting a business, Willett offers insight into overcoming that fear by putting herself out on campus in unconventional ways.
Despite YikYak usually being used as a negative outlet where students are labeled as anonymous, Willett uses it to spread the positivity of her business.
“I think the boldest thing that I’ve done, in my opinion, is Yik Yak. I created my own user. On the app that’s supposed to be anonymous, I went out of my way to make my own user… I have a business name. It has my name and my social media on it. I think that was a bold move for me to try and get over that judgment.” Willett said.
For Jones, balancing her business is a challenge, especially as a biology major who balances other jobs and extracurricular activities.
Along the way, she also faced challenges marketing her business when she moved to the Quad Cities from Chicago for school.
“I learned that it comes with a lot of commitment because you have to post on social media, branch out, sometimes try new things and take risks,” Jones said. “When I got to Rock Island, I printed out flyers of my business, and I went around the Quad Cities and Augie, taping them in the bathroom, putting them on different people’s doors.”
Fear of failure when the stakes are high, like opening a business, is a common fear for students.
The risk of losing time, money and motivation to take on a business venture can be discouraging. Colvin said potential fear is an inhibitor for attempting success.
“If you have an idea, go for it, and if it fails, it fails, and you can always pick it back up again. Be comfortable with the idea that you could fail, but be uncomfortable with the idea of not trying. Be uncomfortable with the idea of not going after something you feel is right for you,” Colvin said.
As student-run businesses become an alternative option to campus jobs, minimum wage jobs or internships, they turn their passions into profit in a way that reflects their independence, determination and creativity to build something they get to call their own.
“It’s a great work experience, but you’re a student first, and more importantly, you’re a human first. Be patient with yourself because you’re learning, and make the most out of it,” Martinez-Palomares.
Chanel Colvin formally worked for the Augustana Observer