Samantha Kin
Senior, Business Administration (Entrepreneurship)
Hometoen: Agoura Hills, California
It’s not every day that you get to start a business while still in college. But that is exactly what I was encouraged to do. It has been an amazing journey.
When I took Introduction to Entrepreneurship at the Lundquist College of Business, the instructor wanted us to go after something that we were passionate about. For me, I always wanted to be a wedding planner and start my own business. It’s really about gathering people together and just having all that love in one place.
The instructor had us do about seven different things to explore our ideas and launch a business—such as interviews in the industry, building a portfolio, creating a website—and I just kind of went for it. I’ve been doing it ever since, starting my own wedding planning company, To Be Loved Events, in February 2018.
Right now I’m building my portfolio to show what I can do in the industry. I’ve been planning big fake weddings—basically, gathering all the vendors (photo, video, florist, rentals, the whole nine yards) to show potential clients what I can do to make their weddings amazing and unforgettable.
I am also reaching out and working with other wedding planners to coordinate real weddings and get additional experience.
It’s definitely a lot of work investing in myself and my business. But it’s my passion, and I’ve learned how to cultivate it and direct it at the University of Oregon.
From the Introduction to Entrepreneurship course to the continued mentorship, encouragement, and guidance I receive from instructors, I’ve learned not only to follow my dreams, I’ve gained the skills and knowledge to make them real.
Connect with Samantha and follow the Lundquist College of Business on LinkedIn. #LearnByDoing