Reddit co-founder and 2005 University graduate Alexis Ohanian discussed his new book and spoke with a packed crowd of students Friday night in Rouss Hall.
Fourth-year Commerce student Uzair Minhas, president of the Entrepreneurship Group at the University, said he hoped the talk would motivate students as well as spotlight a growing trend.
“We wanted to highlight entrepreneurship at U.Va. and show that it’s a way of thinking,” Minhas said. “You don’t have to start your own business, you just have to get out there and try.”
This message of simply trying was evident throughout Ohanian’s talk.
“Everyone has great ideas, but the people who get up and do things are the ones who will change the world,” Ohanian said. “You will find yourself in situations where you don’t know what you are doing and that’s okay.”
Third-year Commerce student Kristie Moy said she came to the talk to hear from a former University student on how to be successful, and that she appreciated Ohanian’s message of believing in yourself.
“I came tonight to try to figure out what I’m doing and it was helpful to hear from someone who had been through the same thing,” Moy said. “I like that Alexis acknowledged the fact that it is going to be hard and that you have to believe in yourself one hundred percent.”
Ohanian emphasized how much his time at the University impacted his success.
“My years at U.Va. were invaluable,” he said. “I met my current co-founder of Reddit my first year, my professors gave me life advice that I will never forget and most importantly, I learned how to think critically, write well and analyze data thoroughly.”
The event was organized by HackCville, an organization that supports entrepreneurship locally and at the University, and the Entrepreneurship Group.
Ohanian is currently on a tour promoting his new book, “Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed.” He plans to attend around 75 universities total.
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