Student Startups Unleashed Student Entrepreneurs Kicking off panels on Tuesday, Rachael Lund, Joy Rivera, and Aaron Beete spoke about their lives as students running their own businesses and the challenges of balancing academics congruently with work. Rachael is a sophomore in marketing and strategic communication. She is the founder and CEO of KU Sales and Operations. Joy is a senior in communication and design and runs her business on TikTok under the name @joyswriting, where she creates coloring books, and is currently writing a novel. Aaron is a freshman who does car detailing and freelance photography. With a panel moderated by Professor Donna Steslow, attendees were encouraged to ask questions while the panelists spoke about the evolution of their business, how they managed their time, where they see the business progressing, and what resources they utilize on campus and social media. Joy emphasized her journey using TikTok and the importance of community on the internet. Creating her coloring books and now writing her debut novel was the first time she had ever self published, and she wouldn’t have been able to do so without reaching out to another TikToker named Hailey Brown, who had found success in the field already: Sometimes you have to take a shot and reach out to people online. You never know who will answer that email.” 29
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