John Walsh & Joseph Walshe

Plans for September 2021: 

We hope to continue to learn and develop over the coming months and we will both be starting master’s programmes in September. Our product is still at the MVP stage, and we hope to add new skills to our portfolio that will enable us to refine our product. We still have a lot of testing to complete and hope to complete this part-time while completing our master’s.

Student Inc. Programme Highlights: 

The diversity of the participants and their business ideas provided the perfect opportunity to learn from one another and this led to us continuously learning and growing our business network.

The 1 on 1 mentoring offered expert insights into product development and entrepreneurship. We found the positive criticism to be exactly what we needed to remain focused on, and if we were fortunate enough to learn from some of the best experts in Ireland.

Any previous entrepreneurship experience before you joined Student Inc.? 

We had very little entrepreneurship experience before joining the programme. As business graduates, we had learned a lot of entrepreneurship theory but were never faced with a real entrepreneurial challenge.

What connections did you make on the programme? 

We made many useful connections with experts in our industry and hopefully this will stand to us as we progress with our business.

We connected with other participants on the programme and have made some great friends over the summer months.

We connected with local councils and the chamber of commerce; these organisations can be very helpful for entrepreneurs looking for a helping hand.

We connected with our competitors both regionally and internationally and this gave us great insights into the market and the consumers within those markets

What advice would you give to someone thinking of applying to Student Inc.?  

We think if you are even considering applying for the programme just go for it, entrepreneurship is about taking risks and networking. Student Inc is a once in a lifetime networking opportunity and the support available in the programme help to mitigate some of the risks associated with entrepreneurship. If you want people to believe in you or your business you must believe in yourself, so be confident and just apply for the programme, you have nothing to lose and the benefits of being selected are great.

What was your greatest learning from the programme?  

Our greatest learning would be the importance of business networking and how hard it is to run a business without the right people in your network. Surround yourself with people who share the same passion as you and people who won’t shy away from learning opportunities. If you can do this, you have already won half the battle.