Published 2011-12-13T20:11:00Z”/>
Kjerstin Wood
Two Chico State graduates who made their names in the business world offered insight into their entrepreneurial endeavors Thursday.
Peter Straus, professor in the College of Business, introduced Robert Strazzarino, who has a degree in computer science, and Andrew Gazdecki, who has a degree in business administration, at the event. Straus recognized their significant accomplishments as entrepreneurs and Chico State graduates.
“We keep hearing about how bleak the economy is, how difficult things are,” Straus said. “And then you see a couple of young guys, both in their 20s, who are every day creating their futures.”
Strazzarino is the founder and CEO of College Scheduler, LLC, known as the Wildcat Scheduler on the Chico State campus but also used by 29 other universities.
The Wildcat Scheduler was created during Strazzarino’s time at Chico State when he became frustrated with his own difficulties planning classes. His first two clients were Chico State and Sacramento State.
Mentors are keys to success, Strazzarino said. Having someone who has been in the same situation helps not just in the business aspect, but with personal things as well.
“I had some really low times when I was spinning my wheels,” Strazzarino said.
Students are in good situations to start businesses, because they have less to lose, more time to give and the excitement needed to start a company, Strazzarino said.
Gazdecki is the CEO of Bizness Apps, which creates mobile applications for small businesses, including the app for the Wildcat Recreation Center. Bizness Apps is not just featured in the United States, but also provides services internationally to businesses in countries such as New Zealand, Japan and Portugal.
Emphasizing the importance of credibility and ease of use for a product, Gazdecki said competition is a good thing and that building his own business has been a “roller coaster.”
Gazdecki’s company is projected to earn between $2 million and $5 million next year, he said.
Some students attended the event for extra credit but ended up taking away more than a few class points.
Tyler Leen, a senior business administration major, was impressed by the graduates’ abilities to take what they had learned in classes and use it in real-world applications.
“It makes you think,” Leen said. “What if one of the ideas when you are driving down the road could be the next big thing?”
An entrepreneurship minor is available at Chico State, in which students can create business plans and develop different skills, Straus said. Having students who graduate and take their skills beyond Chico State to become successful “is the greatest feeling in the world.”
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<strong>Kjerstin Wood can be reached at
</strong><em>[email protected]</em>
