Business student clicks with early start as Lavin entrepreneur
Monique Gayap didn鈥檛 wait for graduation to start work with her own portrait photography business.
For two years, Monique Gayap served as one of her church鈥檚 photographers, but when she realized her fellow students needed portraits for their professional portfolios and LinkedIn profiles, she founded her own photography business 鈥� 鈥� to fill that need.
To help herself get started on the right foot, Gayap, a management major at 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 who is set to graduate in May, got experience working on the multimedia team for the 麻豆传媒映画 chapter of the , where she helped create videos for their Instagram pages. Additionally, she was accepted into the , which will provide her with one-on-one guidance as she grows her business.
The Lavin Entrepreneur Program is a one-year program offered to students of all majors who demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset. The program, managed by Fowler鈥檚 Lavin Entrepreneurship Center, offers support, mentorship and career advice through local entrepreneurs as well as various hands-on learning opportunities to help bolster fundamental entrepreneurial competencies.
鈥淚鈥檝e met my current business mentor through the program and she advises me on a regular basis,鈥� explained Gayap. 鈥淎dditionally, being a Lavin student gives me the valuable opportunity to sit with other industry professionals who give me feedback on any questions I have.鈥�
Though Gayap is a very new business owner 鈥� she just started her business last September 鈥� she already has booked clients even as she learns how to establish pricing and create a marketing strategy.
鈥淭he Lavin Entrepreneur Program has surely been the best part of my journey so far,鈥� said Gayap. 鈥淚鈥檝e gotten a chance to meet, converse and innovate with my fellow Lavins. Talking with them is great because we all inspire and learn from each other. Some of my best connections have come from this program and I recommend it to all budding student entrepreneurs I meet on campus.鈥�
