Having a start-up is a very rewarding endeavour!

Being part of a start-up clothing company and following a full-time study at the same time is definitely a lot of work. But manageable! Want to know how I combine these two? Read on!

Let me introduce you to our start-up

Ragnarøk Clothing(opens in new tab), created with fellow students, aims to materialize its vision of shattering the fast fashion industry. Through cooperation and open communication, we will implement a fair and sustainable, on-demand production strategy that tackles the massive carbon footprint and partially shockingly deplorable working conditions in today’s fashion industry. While there are numerous “sustainable” fashion brands out there, I never found one that combines all aspects that we aim to combine at Ragnarøk, which was the reason to create our own start-up business.

Being a young entrepreneur

Creating a business and following a full-time study is a lot of work, especially when ambition and motivation are high amongst the start-up team and you want to do things right. Study results definitely took a slight hit, since many hours are invested in the development of the company, but until now it always was manageable. I think it is important to be able to prioritize either study-related work or company tasks at the time needed.

Thinking about creating your own start-up?

Here’s some advice I’d like to share:

• Thoroughly look into the field you want to enter. Do research, talk to people, visit companies and try to get as complete an image as you can. There will be ups and downs on the road and the better you are prepared for any eventuality, the smoother you will master any bump.
• When following a full-time study and at the same aiming to become professionally independent, flexibility, efficiency and commitment really become key.
• If you struggle with the workload from your study, do not hesitate to reach out to your teaching staff and especially also the Windesheim Centre for Entrepreneurship. They have your best interest in mind and will try to help you figure out how to balance your studies with your business ambitions.

I think it is very important that young entrepreneurs are conscious about the commitment the creation of a start-up demands. It calls for dedication and flexibility. But is also a very rewarding endeavour!

Credits photography: Samuel A. Wagner