Making the transition from University to the Real World - Going Pro!

by Startacus Admin
Dubem Menakaya, young entrepreneur & kind supporter of Startacus, highlights why the transition from 'University to Career' includes entrepreneurship as a career option and the similarities it has to boxing...
"Going Pro – Making the transition from University to the Real World"
So another academic year is in the books. For many it's merely the passing over from one year of University to another – the workload increases, the responsibility increases but essentially it's still the same thing. However for some of us this is the end of the road. The point of no return. This will be the last summer we ever take off!
What was the point of that intro and what does this have to do with Startacus some of you may be thinking (admittedly I just described a process that's been going for hundreds of years!). Well for those of us aspiring entrepreneurs we are the new generation. We are one of the first to have been passionate and involved in some sort of way with entrepreneurship during University. So as we graduate it's a test case of that transition from University education to the real world hustle and bustle world of entrepreneurship.
I'm a big boxing fan and I see many similarities between the transition from amateur boxing to professional boxing. Amateur boxing is usually fought over 3 rounds of 3 minutes and boxers have headgear, while in professional boxing it's generally 10-12 rounds of 3 minutes with no headgear. It is a training ground for future pros where they can harness their techniques, fight against different styles from around the world and get used to what it's like in the ring.
For aspiring entrepreneurs University is essentially the same thing – it's an environment where you can try new ideas, attend events by enterprise societies or NACUE, be actively involved with an enterprise society and generally get a feel of what it's like to be an entrepreneur.
One of the biggest differences between the amateur entrepreneurship game and the pro game is the cost of failure. Just like in amateur boxing, if you lose it's generally not that much of a big deal (unless it's at the Olympics). However if you lose when you go professional it can have a great detrimental effect on your career. Similarly to entrepreneurship – if you fail in University (have an unsuccessful startup, don't finish what you start and so on) the effects are not that significant. In fact viewed as a vital learning experience. However if we do that in the 'real' world you could end up living on the street. That's not me saying that to scare anyone, it's just the truth. This is a key component of the game though and should ever be feared. The risks of being an entrepreneur and the ultimate highs and lows that it brings is part and parcel of the life.
Some of you may not have had an 'amateur' career in University – you may have discovered entrepreneurship late during your studies, you may have even gone 'pro' early and started a business that was generating a lot of revenue for you at the time. Well that's where there is another similarities – the best amateur boxers are not always the best pro's.
In fact no UK Olympic gold medallist has ever won a world championship. Floyd Mayweather Jr (the number 1 pound-for pound boxer in the world) controversially only got a bronze at the Olympics. I say this to state that having a good grounding in the university entrepreneurship world brings no guarantee of success.
One of the beautiful things about entrepreneurship is that you never stop learning – even the best pro's still go to seminars, networking events, read business books and are always looking to improve. That is the one of the factors that will define your success going forward. I believe retaining that hunger, passion and being willing to learn from your mistakes and those of others will make you a successful pro whether you start a business straight away or in the future.
By Dubem Menakaya @dmenak
Thank you Dubem, it's a pleasure you writing for Startacus and we look forward to further offerings over the next few weeks. In terms of the subject matter - making that step from University to starting your own business can be a tough transition so here's a couple more articles to help motivate you along the way...
- From Graduate Job to starting her own business - Charlotte Nash of early stage startup Kick Campus tells us her tale...
- Incubate that Idea with the Startacus virtual Workspace!
- From Uni project to Social Enterprise - Celebrate my Library tells us their story
Join the Self Start society! If you like what you see here on Startacus and want to get involved yourself, why not become a member of our growing community by joining for free here!
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Carbon marketplace experts JustCarbon urge businesses to consider carbon credits to offset carbon emissions now or to bank them while market prices are low.

The UK’s fastest-growing plant-based meat brand, THIS™ set to launch Seedrs campaign to support further innovation, bold marketing and international expansion.

New mentorship programme aims to enable Hootsuite employees to shed light on their lived and sector experience and support BYP Network members’ career development.

CropSafe, a platform revolutionizing the future of farming, announce that they have raised over $3M in seed funding and have opened U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles.

Voicy, the online content platform for discovering, creating and sharing sound-clips and sound-effects secures investment to support team expansion and global growth.

Career Masterclass has launched a new website to showcase its offerings, as a strategic partner for businesses wanting to bolster D&I policies.

NI Startup? Fancy showcasing your startup at this year's Digital DNA event? We've got up to 10 spaces for NI startups to do just that. Here's the details!

Germany's leading digital solar platform, Zolar secures major investment to support roll out of new digital energy products.

Metro Bank seeks startups and scaleups with a focus on customer experience, community banking, optimisation of systems & data and sustainability for its second innovation lab.

Need a little extra motivation to get your daily step count up? Treekly will help you do your bit for the climate crisis with every step you take...
Published on: 7th August 2013
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Voicy lands €1.2 million pre-Seed from Global Founders Capital to build the GIPHY for sound 20th May 2022 Voicy, the online content platform for discovering, creating and sharing sound-clips and sound-effects secures investment to support team expansion and global growth.
- Zolar Lands €100 Million Series C On The Back Of Surging Demand For Affordable Green Energy 19th May 2022 Germany's leading digital solar platform, Zolar secures major investment to support roll out of new digital energy products.
- Metro Bank opens call for participants for second Magic Makers programme 17th May 2022 Metro Bank seeks startups and scaleups with a focus on customer experience, community banking, optimisation of systems & data and sustainability for its second innovation lab.
- Storyblok Raises $47M Series B to Make Headless Content Management the New Standard 17th May 2022 Storyblok secures major investment to further accelerate product innovation and growth into the US and Europe.