On Sunday afternoon, a group of alums and students gathered for the first Alumni Startup Showcase.

This casual event invited alumni who are working in their own startups to share the ups and downs of their lives as entrepreneurs. Attendees included Jordyn Lexton ’08 of Drive Change, Mufaro Dube ’08 of Eco Africa Social Ventures, Gabi Fondiller ’07 of Hatua Likoni, Jonathan Leland ’05 of My Project.is, Peter Frank ’12 of Texts.com, Jason Rosado ’96 of Givkwik, Raghu Appasani of MINDS, and the virtual attendee Cynthia Jaggi ’00 of Gatherwell.

Though the presenters represented a range of industries, interests, and experiences, common themes emerged throughout the evening. From blurring the work/life balance to how to deal with the worst possible setbacks, their speeches showed a comprehensive and inspiring look at life in a startup. This event showcased not only the work of alums, but also of the student attendees, who were able to speak to presenters about their own interests and ventures throughout the evening.

We would like to thank everyone who made it to this incredible event, and invite everyone to join us at our next Startup Alumni Showcase which is planned for this spring.

Quotes of the evening:

“There isn’t really a work/life balance, you have to go all in.”-Raghu Appasani ’12, MINDS

“Open your mouth, move your feet.” -Jordyn Lexton ’08, Drive Change.

“There’s never going to be a perfect time or perfect situation.”- Cynthia Jaggi ’00, Gatherwell

“For me, it has never been about an ‘aha’ moment.It’s always been about allowing the environment around me, the conditions that I work in, to dictate what the next step should be.”-Gabi Fondiller ’07, Hatua Likoni