BY SAM WAGNER '09

Getting Down to Business

When Michael started at the University of Texas in 1983, he had just enough money to enjoy one or two pepperoni pizzas a week. While in high school, he never had excelled academically but had a passion for computers. Putting that passion to work, 18-year-old Michael started a computer company called PCs Limited, working tirelessly out of his dorm room. He told his father that he wanted to compete with IBM someday.

His college-based business emphasized direct sales to customers rather than going through retail middlemen. By 1984, with the help of a loan from his grandparents, Michael dropped out of college to focus on his newfound business. In 1992, he became the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company. His computer company became known globally.

Michael Dell now can afford billions of pepperoni pizzas.

Learning is a top priority for most college students. Beyond that, some students squeeze in a few hours a week doing low-level jobs for cash on the side. Most don an apron or sit behind the wheel of a delivery car. Yet there are those who fight this label, turning down the minimum wage with dreams of the maximum. They aren’t waiting for graduation, instead beginning their careers on campus, with nothing but dreams of success pushing them along. Entrepreneurship can be tough, especially when going to school full-time. But when it comes to pursuing their passions, these students are all business.

Releasing His Inner Animal

Nicholas Baugh works on a design for zooshirts.com

While most 16-year-olds were spending their time learning to drive and keeping up with MTV, Nicholas Baugh was creating Web sites for friends, teaching himself computer programs, and designing clothing. By 17, he had launched his first clothing company. Baugh, now an 19-year-old business management major at Penn State Altoona, started Zooshirts in June 2008. By October, he had sold out of his first order of 112 shirts.

“There have always been people who told me that my dreams would go nowhere,” says Baugh, “but I’ve learned that passion and persistence can make amazing things happen.”

Zooshirts is a wildlife-oriented clothing line that supports animal and global conservation by using organic cotton and recycled materials. Baugh’s passion for the environment has inspired his work.

“I completely support the green movement. People want to feel good about what they wear and studies have predicted that green product sales will go up 800 percent in the next ten years,” states Baugh. “I really believe Zooshirts is looking at a bright future.”

Baugh’s success didn’t come easy. “In high school, I was in charge of designing our school magazine. I would come home and then work late five nights a week. I found myself taking my work home with me,” he says. “Getting three or four hours of sleep a night really catches up to you!”

“Where I’m at now is all thanks to the experience that I’ve received at a young age,” he emphasizes, while recognizing that “everything I’ve ever done was part of a learning process. With the help of mentors and Penn State Altoona professors, I’m learning how the wheels turn in the business world.”

Baugh already has a Zooshirts online sales Web site and markets to cities like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia through personal connections. He uses his link to the college community to his advantage by administering polls on campus to help come up with shirt ideas while learning about the real world from his professors.

“Penn State Altoona has one of the best business programs because the faculty really knows what happens in life after college,” he states.

At Your Service

Aaron Tippett explains his brochure to another student

Baugh is just one of a select group of students giving entrepreneurship a shot. When Aaron Tippett of Altoona stopped to take a look at the busy world around him, he saw a financial opportunity. A senior communications major at Penn State Altoona, Tippett has always been involved with helping others.

“All my life I’ve been doing odd jobs for friends and family; I recently realized that there aren’t a lot of people in Altoona who offer to do those random services.”

The idea led to action. He is now the co-owner of Your Personal Services, a concierge business that will do anything from shopping to cleaning to managing your eBay account.

“One time we were even called for bat removal,” Tippett laughs. “We never had that in the blueprints.”

He believes that their work is much more efficient since they can seek perfection through their own eyes instead of through that of a boss.

“You really find a sense of independence and pride in running your own business,” states Tippett. “I’ve taken my education in advertising and communications and used it to enhance our company. We are taking huge steps in the right direction.”

Even though he still has a lot to learn about the business world, Tippett is going after his goal one step at a time. With its own Web domain, business cards, and brochures, Your Personal Services is well on its way to success.

Time Management 101

So how do these students manage to keep on top of everything? It takes detailed planning and extensive time management.

“Everyday I wake up, check my E-mails, complete orders, and ship them out,” says Baugh. “Then I make a list of everything that needs to be done that day and I prioritize that list. It’s a lot of work but that’s what it takes to stay on top of everything.”

Nevertheless, it takes an extraordinary level of commitment to succeed in both the classroom and in business. Even Michael Dell was forced to drop out of college to keep up with his new business. With papers, tests, and everything else college entails, running your own business isn’t a walk in the park. Tippett knows the challenges of a college workload.

“With a ton of classes, it’s not always easy to stay on top of my business,” he admits. “But then again, no one said business is an easy thing.”

Baugh and Tippett join a select group of college students who won’t settle for a 9 to 5 job and refuse to listen to the naysayers. They share an entrepreneurial dream that they hope will lead to the day when they, too, can afford one billion pizzas.

“Zooshirts slogan is ‘Release Your Inner Animal’ and that’s exactly what I’ve done. I’ve always believed happiness is seeing your ideas come to life,” states Baugh. “I’m definitely living happy.”