Business student at Northeastern, Boston
I'm a queer business student showing that LGBTQ people belong in business, and that business belongs to us too.
Right now: I'm looking for a co-op in business, travel or entrepreneurship, ideally somewhere close to the founder.
Get in touchMy take
In five years, nobody will be surprised to see a queer founder.
A lot of LGBTQ people skip business because they think it isn't for them, or that it's too hard to break into. They never see anyone like them doing it, so they assume the door is closed.
That belief is the biggest barrier, and it falls apart once you see someone like you actually doing the work. So I want to be that person, and teach what I learn as I go.
Long term, I want to build my own company instead of spending my career in a 9-5.
What I talk about
Budgets, pitches, market sizing and how companies actually get started, explained for people who were never told business was for them.
I spent my first semester of college studying in Lisbon. I speak French and I'm learning Portuguese. Travel taught me that you can figure things out in places you've never been, which is a lot like starting a business.
Also into sports, scuba diving, cooking and baking, saxophone, and collecting coins.
What I've done
I run the budget for a club for LGBTQ+ business students. I track spending, handle funding requests and reimbursements, and help plan our networking events and speaker panels.
Why it matters: this is my take in practice. It's a room where queer students see that business is for them.
I built the business case for a gamified sustainability app, with competitive analysis, financial projections and a six-page proposal. Our team took it from idea to launch plan: pitch deck, a React prototype and a go-to-market plan.
Why it matters: it's what starting a company looks like on a small scale.
I helped build a marketing strategy for an early-stage startup. I did market research, sized the total addressable market and helped choose the first market to go after.
Why it matters: real startup work, done in a new country.
I joined the beer, wine and cheese department knowing nothing about wine. I taught myself varietals well enough to give customers pairing advice, while still under the legal drinking age.
Why it matters: I learn fast when I don't know something yet.
Contact
If you're a founder or a business looking for a co-op who learns fast and wants to see how a company really gets built, send me an email. I'm also always happy to talk about queer representation in business.
Email mehphughes528@hotmail.com