Page 4 • Monday, October 18, 1999
Aggielife
BEAT THE CLOCK
The Time You Call
Is The
Price You Pay!!!!
College Station TAMU/ Northgate Biyan
764-7272 846-3600 268-7272
Mondays
6-8pm
Just the greatest career opportunity
of our lifetime.
sclent.
The eBusiness Systems Innovators™
www.scient.com
Information Session:
October 18, 1999, 7-8:30
Rudder Hall
Rm 402
Interviews:
Tuesday, October 19th, 1999
Contact Ryan Steirwalt:
rsteirwalt@scient.com
Hear the one about the
Students find
owning business
rewarding
BY JEFF WOLFSHOHL
The Battalion
T ake an idea and put it to good use. Start
a business that can benefit the world. A
person who remembers this can become
the next member of the Fortune 500. But when
the person also happens to be a full-time stu
dent, academics and business compete for
time and effort.
Tfavis McHam, a senior journalism major, is
Webmaster for companies and individuals. He op
erates his business from his home.
“I design, implement and create Web sites,"
he said. “1 do everything from graphic design to
taking pictures. From start to finish, I do the whole
Web-creation process.”
McHam chose the business is largely because
of his love for computers.
“Two years ago, my boss asked [me] to learn
how to build a Website,” he said. “I found that I
loved it. I then began developing Websites for or
ganizations that I was in.”
After these experiences, McHam decided to
turn his hobby into a business.
“1 started finding people around town that
needed help [approaching] me before 1 would
ask,” he said.
McHam’s friends and family began to recom
mend him by word of mouth, which led eventu
ally to his decision to go to business for himself.
“A lady overheard me talking about the Web
site I was designing, and she asked for help on a
project she was working on for Dell,” he said.
“After that, it's been nonstop. I have the work if 1
need it.”
After being in the Webmaster business for
more than a year, McHam said he has realized
many people are still unfamiliar with computers.
“Most of the people 1 work with are computer
illiterate, so they aren’t familiar with the process
of Web hosting and design,” he said.
McHam said creating one’s work schedule is a
tremendous advantage for those who own and
operate their own businesses.
“1 feel more comfortable being in charge of
my work and the output 1 create,” he said. “I
have high standards, and if 1 am in charge of
the whole process, then 1 can be sure to meet
those standards.”
McHam said his Internet business is some
thing he is in for the long run.
“I’ve found myself in a pretty good position
with the experience and the connections I’ve
made with companies,” McHam said. “I feel
like my career has already been established,
and school now is more like a formality.”
Ben Taylor, president of Kappa Sigma,
the fraternity in charge of "Wicked
Woods,” an outdoor haunted house and a
senior management information systems
major. He said student organizations inter
ested in a business venture should be pre
pared to plan in advance.
"We are in the process of building some
things [for Wicked Woods] right now, but we
started putting together ideas at the beginning
of the year,” Taylor said.
He said the haunted house does take up
much of his time.
“I take a break when tests come along, but
I’m used to balancing my schedule anyway,”
Taylor said. “This is not an 8-to-5 job: at times
it can take more than a regular job.”
Despite the time he must put into the pro
ject, Taylor said it is well worth it.
“We are helping the community and peo
ple have fun,” Taylor said. “We especially like
to watch the high school kids come out and
get scared.”
Perennially cash-conscious students must
identify potential financial pitfalls and plan ac
cordingly. Taylor said the land used for the
Wicked Woods is on Kappa Sigma’s property,
allowing the fraternity to save in rental costs
and ultimately to increase the profits.
“We give the majority of themone
the Ronald McDonald House,” hee
mainder helps to suppon the housesl
Students who begin a business,r.j
school can reap the rewards of hard
Anthony Scabron, Class of'94,r>|
of Universal Tan.
Scabron said he worked hiswaytijiB
at another tanning salon while hew,
and learned from his experiencesho»i§
operate his own business.
“After 1 graduated, I left my job soil
my own thing,” he said. "1 tookedauf
were doing and saw what would rai
their business.”
As a student worker, Scabronsaidlt
first to hear complaints, which ultaf
him with his own business venture.
“People would tell me thingsbeca
a student,” he said. “It was like inside
during work.”
Scabron said the owner of a busins
ability to control his work environmen
power is accompanied by responsibi
"We, as owners, don’t manageatalii
cause your level of intensity is h
you have to do it,” Scabron said.
Scabron said he does not believetlei
of getting to ownership is imponatii,li| I
one does when they get theownerslif [
is more important.
"Sometimes you make unreality
even I’ve done that — and whenyoutal
them, you can get depressed,” tiesai’
why you must work to be realistic:w
and follow through in order to accost
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