The school is starting a student-run business utilizing the school’s large-scale printer to print goods as well as making digital design to assist with student and local businesses, moderated by Business and Entrepreneurship teacher Evan Snively ‘07.
“It’s exciting because that responsibility of shaping it is in the hands of the students,” Snively said. “It’s not a business plan that’s already been fully developed by faculty or outside people. There’s a framework, and the students have the ability to shape that.”
The business will collaborate with the Spartan shop to produce its first set of school pride posters in the shop. They are exploring different avenues, whether they be tailored to specific needs or produce mass printed goods, or maybe both.
“We’ll probably end up doing a little bit of everything in this first year,” Snively said. “And see what makes the most sense moving forward.”
The business is for the students of the school. The profits they make from providing marketing services for out of house clients will then be used to make goods for students’ own businesses for free.
“We can help give them an extra step up out of the gate,” Snively said. “A little marketing presence, maybe a little social media presence that helps them be able to have their business take off.”
There are five different divisions of the business: sales, finance (books), marketing, operations, and design. If you find any of these interesting, students can talk to Snively about starting to get involved with it. They can get started by connecting with the leader of the division the student is interested in and getting started with a small project in their free time.
“There is a little bit of something for everybody,” Snively said. “And I think people will be interested in the holistic picture, but people will probably have the specialty that they want to operate in as well.”
This idea originated with senior Gabe Rodriguez, who thought that the entrepreneurship club should make yard signs. The group worked together to workshop the idea to meet the student body’s needs, which resulted in what the business is based on now.
“I’m having a great time so far,” Rodriguez said. “Right now we’re focusing on picking up a few more clients, getting more students involved, and eventually turning a profit.”
The club has already acquired three student clients. They are utilizing the business to get printing materials like doorhangers and fliers to help promote their business.
“It’s been awesome seeing the De Smet community support small business owners,” senior client Nic Parrish said. “I feel like I’ve been given the resources to really expand my business.”
Snively hopes that this business can allow for students to get real world experience and learn something new within their unique interests.
“I think there’s some cool crossover opportunities for this to be a hub of sorts for different departments and different kids with different interests,” Snively said. “To come together and build something pretty special.”
