Tough Lessons Bring Bright Futures

As I made my transition from middle school to high school, I still seemed lost and unsure about what direction I was heading in. That is, until I was introduced to Mr. Conroy and The Startup Studio program.

The Startup Studio gave me a way to express myself through being able to freely develop any idea I wanted into a true real-world business. A whole new side of me got to shine that never before had, and it taught me more lessons than any other school class has ever taught me.

The way you learn within The Startup Studio is through failure. The total number of businesses that I have gone through and completely scrapped is a big one; however, through failing with my ideas, I looked at why I failed and made sure I fixed it for the next time I created a startup.

I went from not knowing what a value proposition was to having an investor offer me $10,000 for a stake in a business that I created and put my heart into. That kind of experience in my life really changed me and gave me a whole new look on the world. Unlike other average school classes, The Startup Studio focuses on the real world and teaches you what it’s really like out there. It gives you the proper preparation for when you finish your education and begin working.

A Powerful Lesson

I was actually removed from the class during my first year for creating a false document, and from that failure I learned the values of integrity and trust. I delivered a speech to the entire Entrepreneurial Studies program which granted me a second chance to rejoin The Startup Studio program. A little time later, I created a business that won first place in our Rollins College business competition.

I’ve created 4 different brands each with their own story and problem being solved. All of these ideas came from my head, and I was able to work on them in any way I wanted to, having had the freedom to build and work in my own way, until I had a result.

Bright Horizons

As I go into my 3rd year of The Startup Studio program, I will attempt to execute bringing a real business to market and potentially be able to have a fully functioning startup outside of school.

I would absolutely not be who I am today without The Startup Studio, and there is no way that I can repay the priceless lessons that I have learned from Mr. Conroy.

A Parent’s Perspective

My son Brett has been part of the Startup Studio program since 2016 and has learned so much. He has gained tremendous confidence during this learning process and has developed motivation to move forward with his entrepreneurial ideas in the real-world business market. He has bonded with other young entrepreneurs, and although the work has been challenging, he has also had so much fun at the same time.  I highly recommend this program to any student who wishes to further their entrepreneurial dreams and make them a reality.

By Brett Wallack, LTS Alumnus