As someone who is currently a college student, I can tell you with real authority that–to-date at least–college has been the most stressful time of my life. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved it entirely. But so much is new and so many decisions have to be made and it’s all so expensive that these four years of life can get a bit overwhelming.
But luckily for me (and the other overburdened academics), recent Flagler College Alum, Matt Spanburg, was in the same boat. In his junior year at Flagler, Matt took a Business Management course where one of his projects was to create a business and pitch it to the rest of the class–à la Shark Tank. “For the project,” says Matt, “I came up with a concept to help out students at each college and named it Campus Essentials. The concept involved having a private and free hub for students to buy, sell, trade, and interact with each other for anything from books, study guides, peer edits to weekend activities, forming study groups and the list goes on and on.”
The project was so well-received by the professor and the other students that it got Matt thinking this might be a really good idea. Just over two years later, Campus Essentials has been launched and is well on its way to a global market. The business began back when Matt was still a student at Flagler and starting a business in college was easier than one might imagine. “Starting a business while attending Flagler was great,” insists Matt, “because when I hit speed bumps or had a question along the way I could come to many of my business professors for advice, because unlike a lot of schools, many professors at Flagler came from the business world and know first hand the do’s and don’ts of a young start up business.”
Campus Essentials is an online resource for students to connect with other students and with businesses. To register, students must have an “.edu” email, so not just anyone can join. This allows student to buy and sell textbooks in a safer and more convenient way than Craigslist or other online stores, check on dates for parties and events, and coordinate with classmates for studying. For businesses, the website creates a way to “bridge the gap” between students and businesses. Business profiles can target certain regions and specific schools to post internships, jobs, events, rentals, even pet adoption.
Matt Spanburg’s innovation is a life-saver for college students across the country. Support local ingenuity and explore the site at campusessentials.com.
