One day after class last semester, friends of Ryan Alovis, now an IU graduate, sat on a couch in his living room playing a fast-paced game of Madden Football on Sony PlayStation. However, Alovis was nowhere near the excitement. Instead, he chose to juggle the responsibilities of attending daily classes and running his own business.\nFor many business-minded IU students like Alovis, creating a business venture and watching it grow is a top priority. Because they were not part of a final classroom project, these businesses forced the creators to work simultaneously on their schoolwork and their companies in order to achieve success.\n"It's completely exhilarating and the adrenaline definitely pumps when business starts rolling in," said Alovis, one of the co-founders of After Party Cleaning. "It's a complete feeling of accomplishment. You feel proud and strong. It's something that nobody can take away from you. This is yours and that's the end of the story."
Doors Open for Business\nIn August 2004, then-IU students Alovis, Evan Kanarek, Aaron Walton and Richard Maltz started After Party Cleaning, which offers cleaning services to the Bloomington community. APC provides its prices and services via its Web site, www.afterpartycleaning.com, and is an insured and bonded professional cleaning company in Bloomington targeted toward students, allowing them to schedule a cleaning and pay online. \nFrom black, crusty, mildewed bathtubs to dirty kitchens piled high with filthy dishware, APC has cleaned almost everything. \n"The worst apartment was probably one with white tile so dirty it was a dark brown," said Walton. "The kitchen had dirty dishes everywhere. The dishes were probably stacked a good two feet high. You couldn't even see the sink."\nThis spring, the IU student creators of another business, HoosierICE, vowed to provide customers with fresh, cool water delivered directly to their doors. The business was created by juniors Parker Newman, Ben Winters, Michael Kleban and sophomore Adam Teplitzky. HoosierICE, found online at www.hoosierice.com, allows customers to order jugs of water online. \nWhile Newman is still primarily concerned with the operations of HoosierICE, he has his sights already set on bigger and better things. Newman and his younger brother operate another company, Rock'n Clothing, found online at www.rocknclothing.com. The site sells T-shirts aimed at fashion-conscious individuals who like to be unique and dress distinctively. Locally, the shirts can be purchased at MW, formerly MetroWear, in downtown Bloomington. \nBut the entrepreneurial spirit does not stop there. Andy and Chad Baker, twin brothers and IU graduates, started Baker Twin Enterprises three years ago and began selling The Drink Tower. The Drink Tower, sold online at www.bakertwins.com, is a device that holds 100 or 168 ounces of liquid, depending on the size ordered, and allows people to refill their glasses anywhere with ease.
Experiential Learning \nDespite top-notch in-class learning from the Kelley School of Business, many business students say they learn best through experiential learning, which involves actually performing the task or project they are studying.\nIU does offer an entrepreneurial-related course W311 "New Venture Creation," twice each year, which examines the process of starting a business and requires students to complete a full business plan during the course of the semester. However, transforming their completed business plans from a paper document into a full-fledged business, if they so desire, remains the sole responsibility of the students.\n"Running your own business can be the most rewarding and at the same time stressful thing you do," Newman said. "The most important thing is to make sure that everything is planned out well enough on paper before it is implemented."
Expect the Unexpected\nFor many student entrepreneurs, expecting the unexpected in the business world is a never-ending obstacle. Hassles such as customer complaints, employees showing up late for work and late customer payments can challenge entrepreneurs to keep their companies in check. \n"(Running a) business in college was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," Alovis said. "Every day it's something new. It was truly an unforgettable experience and has really taught me to take the sour with the sweet. If you have great partners and a great idea, success will come inevitably."\nFinding the necessary resources, guidance and assistance is important for student entrepreneurs. The Young Entrepreneur's Association , an organization for undergraduates interested in pursuing an entrepreneurial career, was started in Bloomington five years ago. YEA's primary mission is to support the entrepreneurial goals of members while building a network of IU entrepreneurs. Business professor Johannes "Joe" Denekamp said he believes YEA is one of the main reasons Forbes.com ranked IU the fifth most entrepreneurial campus in the country. The Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation is another local outlet that assists student entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial research, education and practice. \n"Every business needs three things: people, plan and money," Denekamp said. "The entrepreneur needs to be able to put these three critical pieces of the puzzle in place. Most people would say that the money is the toughest part, but I have always found that the right person with a great plan can attract all the money they need."\nThe founders of APC were able to rely on their families to attract money needed to start their business, but more importantly, they were also able to rely on them for inspiration, because many had successfully started their own businesses.\n"All three (of my) partners have fathers that are all completely knee-deep in the essence of entrepreneurship," Alovis said. "My father has started multiple successful businesses and he has clearly been a major inspiration. Being in a family where business is as common as a Sunday night dinner, it was impossible for me not to create a new and innovative business."\nDespite the struggles that come with running their own businesses, student entrepreneurs often discover benefits once the doors (or Web sites) open for customers. \n"Personal freedom and the satisfaction of controlling their own destiny is something that our most avid entrepreneurial students will not sacrifice to a corporate career," Denekamp said.
Keeping the Business Above Water\nBusiness analysts often suggest that starting a student business involves some luck, good fortune and a go-get-it attitude. But above all, introducing a new business also requires the entrepreneur to be willing and able to lose everything in order to achieve success. \n"(APC) was a sick baby in the beginning, but in due time it is becoming a strong and responsible adult," said Alovis. "The company has taken many hours of unexpected work, but that is part of the territory."\nIU students like Newman, Alovis and the Baker twins are working hard to ensure their success because the opportunity to start a business from the ground up is neither a frequent occurrence nor an easy responsibility.\n"When creating a business, it is absolutely important to not lose focus of the original concept," said Alovis. "After Party Cleaning has stayed true to its colors and that is why we remain a success. Our brand recognition is soaring and the student population is well aware of our services."\nBy running a business and attending college at the same time, students are forced to juggle the responsibilities of maintaining a profitable business and performing well in the classroom. But leaping into an unknown domain can give student entrepreneurs one of the most satisfying opportunities of a lifetime. \n"It's a truly rewarding experience," Alovis said. "It's better than a good grade after a hard night of studying, better then a great vacation after months of saving up. It's real life with real rewards"
