Starts with a Whim
At Playground, we aim to bring visibility to the student perspective in entrepreneurship. This post is 1st in a blog series by our student ambassador, Karin Ito, who explores self-discovery, purpose, and community through her own entrepreneurial journey. These blogs are more than her story — they’re an invitation to reflect, start conversations, and learn from each other.
My journey in entrepreneurship started on a whim – motivated by boredom.
It was the middle of summer break and I was going insane. I had watched all the videos on Youtube and my Instagram feed was starting to repeat itself. So, I changed my game plan: I was going to rot… efficiently.
It took me an afternoon to find 2 startups in Japan looking for help. First step done. But now what? I put in the work so… guess I had to reach out? But I was just a bachelor’s student, much less didn’t any experience with entrepreneurship, what could I possibly…
Screw it
And that’s what started it all. My entrepreneurial journey.
So many of these “whims” have grown to become defining moments in my journey through self-discovery and purpose, and my journey with entrepreneurship is just that.
Hi, I’m Karin! I’m a student ambassador at Playground and also the Branding and Marketing Director for Toekies, an Enactus enterprise where we organise drawing sessions for refugee children on their dreams, spreading their dreams on socks.
As a student ambassador and part of a student enterprise, it might sound like I’ve been deeply involved with entrepreneurship. But it’s only been a year since I started playing an active role and honestly, I’m just figuring it out.
So, when someone asks me if they need to be qualified to start their entrepreneurial journey, I completely get it. To be fair, I had the same doubts and fears as you did. Because:
What does a student have to offer to a startup or an entrepreneurial community?
But I promise, every single entrepreneur would promise you that you have nothing to worry about. Because, at the end of the day, it’s about learning by doing. It’s not about qualification but action. And you know what? Reading this blog post already makes you part of the community! Welcome!
Do you want to consult a fellow student about how to get involved in entrepreneurship alongside your studies, or just sit down for a coffee chat? Feel free to reach out!
About Me
Hi, my name is Karin Ito. I’m the student ambassador of Playground for the Faculty of Geosciences, and Branding and Marketing Director of Toekies. Through this blog series, I’ll be telling you about my journey with entrepreneurship – everything from the pains to the lessons learned.
Links: Toekies | Enactus Utrecht | Enactus Netherlands