Sometimes a trip to the coast is not just to sit in the sand. For eight Albright Entrepreneurs Village (AEV) students, a spring break trip to Charleston, SC, was an eye-opening, exciting experience.

Over the course of three days, students visited five businesses, including Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits, Low Country Case and Millwork, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, The Ordinary with Chef Mike Lata and Blue Ion. The students also explored the city with a Charleston ghost tour and a show at the Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theater.

This trip went beyond seeing entrepreneurship outside of Raleigh. It provided eye-opening opportunities for students. Explore their takeaways below.

What makes an entrepreneur successful?

Visiting multiple entrepreneurs across a variety of industries gave students insights into the core skills that drive entrepreneurial success.

Aryan Shah, a senior in the College of Engineering, noted a common theme of courage, vision and resilience. “All the entrepreneurs that we talked to had to overcome very difficult problems and hardships to get to where they are today.”

Multiple students also observed a strong passion for what each of the entrepreneurs did.

What is something about entrepreneurship that surprised you?

As the students explored Charleston’s entrepreneurial side, they observed many aspects of entrepreneurship.

Valeriya Taylor, a senior in the College of Engineering, noted the collaboration and community that plays a role in helping businesses grow — especially through non-profit groups liek the Chamber of Commerce.

What is something that excites you about entrepreneurship? 

Exploring innovation outside the classroom is highly exciting, as students see entrepreneurship in action.

“The opportunity to build something on your own accord and see it have an impact on people’s lives,” said Abhi Raman, a senior in the College of Engineering. “One of the main takeaways was that businesses are built around people. Being able to connect with communities or change livelihoods with your own personal passion seems like an amazing opportunity to pursue and build a career on.”

What is one thing that you learned on the trip that you can implement in your life today? 

After returning from Charleston, the students reflected on how they could start implementing the lessons they had learned.

Malcolm Albergo-Radisch, a senior in the College of Engineering, mentioned a quote by Karl Marx, “philosophers have only interpreted the world. The point, however, is to change it.” He likened this to NC State’s ethos, “Think and Do.” Albergo-Radisch drew on these two ideas throughout the trip, recognizing how crucial the action aspect is.

“So many great resources and happenings came to the entrepreneurs by just being in the space and moving, showing signs of life. You might not even know the right questions to ask until you are faced with them — so just go,” Albergo-Radisch said. 

What effect did the trip have on your view of the AEV and NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship? 

Taking a trip gives students a chance to experience NC State’s high-impact opportunities and connect in an interdisciplinary manner with other students. 

Ricky Garcia Trevino, a junior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, it highlighted the mission of AEV and NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE) to connect students with people who have gone through the entrepreneurial process before. “It’s not really about finding ways to avoid the struggles, but learning about what to do when you hit those struggles,” he said. 

Raman noted the connections to the community, both on and off campus, that this trip fostered. “Trips like these open student’s eyes and broaden their horizons outside of campus that perhaps they could not do on their own. I got to see a new city, meet new people and build new relationships in AEV through this trip — which I may have never imagined or done on my own.” 

What did you learn about the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Charleston? 

Charleston, SC, is a city with a deep history and a booming entrepreneurial scene, from small businesses to large industries such as manufacturing and aerospace. 

Aadhir Sandeep, a senior in the College of Engineering, recognized the unique nature of the city. “Charleston is home to a variety of businesses and provides a unique landscape for local businesses like the ones we explored and other large businesses.” 

What was your favorite experience on the trip and why?

From diving deep into entrepreneurship to community-bonding events, this trip left a mark on the lives of these eight students. 

“Overall, these visits made entrepreneurship seem more accessible and less daunting,” said Katherine Dean, a senior in the College of Engineering. Visiting with businesses from a variety of industries gave her exposure to different operations and lessons such as struggles of starting a business, production flow and building a business around your life. One thing she noted about all of the entrepreneurs was their passion for what they do. 

Luke Markle, a senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, highlighted experiences that brought the group together, including the Black Fedora theater and salsa dance class. “I loved these experiences because it maede me happy to see everyone smiling and laughing.”