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The art of turning ideas into reality, taking risks, and creating something uniquely valuable is the ultimate expression of creativity, passion, and, most markedly, entrepreneurship. How a coffee retail partner and a distributor of second-hand luxury products joined forces in the Ivey Entrepreneurship Club (IEC) is a remarkable tribute to the versatility that defines entrepreneurial business today. Lara Tabbara, co-founder of Baby Rhino Coffee Inc., and Luke Rodrigue, former refurbisher of vintage Air Jordans and current distributor of luxury brand items, are the current co-presidents of the IEC. Connecting with them both over Zoom, I quickly learned how their club seeks to empower students to see problems as opportunities and relentlessly pursue their visions with confidence...
When asked about the motivation behind her involvement with the IEC, Tabbara explained that the overrepresentation of students pursuing corporate jobs such as in finance or consulting inspired her to play her part in changing how people saw their career options after school. Hence, her and Rodrigue's central vision for the Ivey Entrepreneurship Club is to “help reshape public perceptions around entrepreneurship and support HBA students who are aspiring entrepreneurs, currently running a business, or simply interested in the field.” Recognizing how entrepreneurship is too often viewed as merely a hobby or a “side hustle,” the two point out how this mindset can be very limiting; instead suggesting that entrepreneurship can be a viable and serious career path for those brave enough to navigate uncertainty and seek out hidden opportunities.
Rodrigue saw the IEC as an opportunity to “give back his entrepreneurship learnings and cultivate an environment where people could start their own businesses by learning from their peers.” Recounting his early responsibilities in the IEC, Rodrigue describes its relatively new and unestablished campus presence, particularly with the prevailing community interest in corporate business streams. Improving its potential and laying the groundwork thus became Rodrigue's principal driver for co-leading the club.
The Ivey Entrepreneurship Club has seen tremendous success this year, quickly becoming a hotbed of creativity and inspiration for emerging entrepreneurs eager to chart their courses and foster positive change. Over the past year, the IEC has prioritized giving entrepreneurs at Ivey a platform by highlighting their successes. Inviting speakers who are also Ivey students rather than highly established entrepreneurs, Tabbara explains, instills a sense of pride and accomplishment in emerging entrepreneurs while showing them that their peers take their businesses seriously. “It's hard to be an entrepreneur and a student at the same time,” Tabbara adds, “so we showcase student-led businesses to try and facilitate a space where Ivey entrepreneurs can truly motivate each other.” She credits much of the IEC's success to its creation of a platform that enables entrepreneurs from Ivey to draw motivation from their colleagues. This is made possible by establishing an environment where “student speakers feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable and candid when sharing their experiences.” In fact, some of Tabbara and Rodrigue's fondest memories from the IEC involve the moments at speaker events when they observed audience members engaged and “aggressively taking notes,” because they were getting the kind of practical advice that traditional schooling doesn't offer.
After considerable rebranding over the past year, the IEC hopes to lay the groundwork for long-term success by continuing its partnership with the Morrisette Institute for Entrepreneurship, which assists entrepreneurs in managing the intricacies of launching and expanding a business by connecting them with appropriate resources. The club also strives to make an annual commitment to hosting socials, networking events, and panels in collaboration with other business clubs to strengthen its relationship with the IEC member base.
While Ivey clubs aren't typically marketed to students outside of Ivey, several of the IEC's events welcome all students, including AEOs. The IEC’s recent speaker event in collaboration with Ivey Women in Management, for example, accommodated students from all kinds of academic disciplines at Western. AEO students may also benefit by getting involved with organizations that work closely with the IEC, such as the Morrisette Institute for Entrepreneurship, to learn vicariously through those organizations. Students interested in the IEC are also encouraged to reach out and chat with club executives through their Instagram page.