How to Build a Business from a Class Project, Make it Work, and Make it Profitable!

Class Project to Profitable Business

The origin story for POP Pillow Design is unique and inspiring. If you’re hoping to build a business, this story will provide valuable advice.

It all started on the first day of an E-Commerce class taught at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (BU). Emery Taylor entered class on the first day eager to take full advantage of every opportunity presented. There, she met Pingping Yu, Claire Salon and Yuwen Wu. They all agreed that it was time to take their academic and professional experiences to the next level. In this article, we outline how to build a business from of a class project.

“We were ready to make some money,” Emery shared. “We’re all towards the end of our degrees and excited to use our knowledge to inform our E-commerce project; One which asks us to create our own e-commerce shop and design the company and website from the ground up.”

POP Pillow Design was born with the vision of creating a fun, quirky pillow design company partnered with eco-conscious suppliers and manufacturers. The mission is grounded in a commitment to craftsmanship and sustainability, with the aim of providing unique, intelligent designs that add POPs of color, individuality, and comfort to any space: living rooms, bedrooms, offices, retail stores, or outdoor patios.

Is It Smart to Build a Business with Strangers?

“It was always a dream of mine to run an e-commerce shop and I’ve always felt a strong entrepreneurial spirit within me. I started at BU as a Supply Chain Management (SCM) major, but it was too logistical and quantitative. To achieve my real career goals, I needed to develop an entrepreneurial skill-set, including negotiation, marketing, and business management. I transferred my SCM credits into a certification and switched to studying Global Marketing Management. SCM positioned me to design a reputable brand, minimize start-up costs, and maximize scalability. I was surprised to learn that the class project was a team assignment.”

“It’s an awkward position to build a business with complete strangers.” Emery said on the second day of class. “Fortunately, my colleagues and I have personalities and ideas that naturally align and we are able to resolve conflicts quickly and civilly. We agreed upon our willingness to keep the company running beyond the class duration, availability to work on the business and help it grow, and a goal of reuniting to discuss longevity after a one-year assessment of the business’ profile.”

“I really believe in our team and our unique perspectives. Our CFO Pingping Yu and COO Yuwen Wu are both international students from China, mastering in Financial Management; Our CMO, Claire Salon, is an international student from France completing an Arts Administration master’s; and I, Emery Taylor, CEO, am mastering in Global Marketing Management. We are a woman-owned, minority-led, environmentally-conscious company, and we aim to legally register our business, and earn the appropriate certifications for accreditation.”

How to Build a Business in School

From POP Pillow Design, we learn a few things:

1. Charisma, Confidence, and Character Development
   
   It takes strong commitment, confidence, and introspection to start building a company. One needs to be open to the benefits of communication and collaboration, leaving stubbornness behind.
   
2. Trust and Team-Selection
   
   It will not always make sense to work with strangers, you have to get great first impressions of them, talk with them about their values, life goals and aspirations, agree on mutual objectives, and discuss long-term commitment and willingness to work something with real-world potential.
   
3. Knowledge, Experience, and Strategy
   
   All founders of POP Pillow Design hold years of experience in mixed fields from around the world. With an agreed time-commitment, they can trust each other to contribute meaningfully to the company.

Conclusion

Building a business in school can seem difficult, risky, and time-consuming. The story of POP Pillow Design teaches us that with a dedicated team, collaborative spirit, and well-rounded communication, anyone can build a business while in school.