Three GCU students have embarked on ambitious plans to help potential student entrepreneurs in the Midwest with a long-range goal of bringing the blueprint to Arizona and stimulating its economic growth.
Turnkey Industries, led by graduate student Connor Vicary and assisted by Caleb McCandliss and Marcus Lund, have formed a partnership with Distillery Labs in setting up the potential for 1,000 student-run startup businesses in Vicary’s hometown of Peoria, Illinois.
Vicary, founder of Turnkey, and executives from Distillery met recently with more than 40 government officials, business leaders, educators and potential sponsors.
“Even though it’s early, we’re optimistic that we’ll be on path to hit 1,000 entrepreneurs in the next coming year,” Vicary said.
That might sound ambitious, but Vicary points to a few factors that he believes will make his goal attainable. Each prospective entrepreneur can choose a business on a website, accompanied with a kit tailored to his or her business.
That kit will include a step-by-step training video, from setting up a business to how to make your first $1,000 and then earning more money on a consistent basis.
McCandliss, owner of Car Chap and president of the IDEA Club, and GCU student Lund, founder and CEO of 507 Distributions (a sneaker and streetwear company), will provide in-person video training.
“It’s already what we’ve been doing at GCU’s IDEA Club. It’s a way to broaden our reach and help other students,” said McCandliss, adding that his high school in Redding, California, is looking for students to start businesses.
“I think it’s important to give high school students access to business opportunities and the tools to drive growth. The helping hand is the big advantage. There’s not a lack of information in the world, but there’s a lack of help for these students. That’s where the Peoria outreach inspired me, and Connor’s leadership, to jump in.”
Each kit includes professional equipment in real-world operations and wholesale products for resale, provided directly through founder networks.
For instance, should a prospective entrepreneur pursue a car detailing business, he or she will receive equipment such as vacuums, hoses, towels and other products.
The product kit developed by McCandliss will provide assistance to those creating a product. And Lund, who has achieved rapid success in the sneaker business, will assist in the distribution resale business.
Each prospective entrepreneur will be charged with a monthly fee of $300 after the first month up to one year. Their business could be financially assisted by a sponsor or by state funding, Vicary said.
“They don’t have to go into more debt upfront to pay for a 3D printer,” Vicary said. “They can get that 3D printer working, make way more than the $300 in the first 30 days. They can make $100,000, and it doesn’t affect how much I charge. And that could elevate people out of poverty, and entrepreneurship is a unique way to do it.”
Vicary believes the $300 monthly fee will motivate entrepreneurs without a steep climb.
“You’re going to learn business,” Vicary said. “You’re going to learn how to sell. You’re going to learn how to market, you’re going to learn how to manage. You’re going to learn how to hire and fire. Those are valuable skills.
“Whether you take this and continue to run your business or you dive into the job market, you now have an in-depth managerial mindset that you can take and continue to raise pay for anyone, whether they continue it or keep it on the side and have it be a secondary source of income.”
GCU student Landon Warta worked for Jack’s Detail Garage under Vicary before using Vicary’s blueprint to start his own car detailing trailer with plans to pursue car detailing on a full-time basis.
Canyon Ventures founding director Robert Vera believes the successes of Vicary, McCandliss and Lund as college students will appeal to student entrepreneurs who may look up to someone just a bit older.
“(Vicary) is from Illinois. There was an opportunity there, so he flew back, initiated the whole thing, and did it all himself," Vera said. "It is impressive.”
GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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