YouAlberta
It was great talking to Mehul about his ambitions and goals as a budding entrepreneur at University of Alberta as he continues to grow as a leader and an individual who strives to make an impact in the business community.
Tell me a little about yourself.
I am an international student in my 4th year, pursuing a Bachelors in Commerce with a focus on Strategy Management & Organization (SMO) from the Alberta School of Business at University of Alberta. Along with a BCom, I am pursuing a Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) and another Certificate in Leadership. When I am not studying, you can find me involved with various student organizations on campus. I am currently one of the Co-Presidents of Enactus UAB, which is one of the largest student-led organizations focused on social entrepreneurship. Also, I am a big soccer fan and an avid supporter of FC Barcelona.
What’s one big problem you want to solve through your work at Enactus?
I want to increase the positive perception of social entrepreneurship on campus. With that being said, I want to shift the focus of businesses from personal capitalistic intentions to a more socially aware business model. At Enactus UAB, we strive to solve pervasive social problems that the world faces including poverty, endemic hunger, and similar issues that align with the goals of the United Nations (UN). Currently, we have four different projects that help us do this: Bio 6, Insta serum, Verdant, Speech Dojo.
What does the word innovation mean to you?
Creative thinking and/or turning an idea into reality through creative and collective efforts.
What has been your biggest “aha moment” - in life or work - so far?
There have been several aha moments in my life, such as individual and team achievements with Enactus and registering my own business. Something that I am extremely proud of is when I got to be a part of the leadership certificate cohort after several rounds of interviews.
Today, I enjoy collaborating with those extremely talented individuals, some of whom are my close friends.
How do you or your team come up with your best ideas? (Do you have any rituals or habits that trigger your creative spark, for example? What do you do to create space for innovation?)
Usually, it’s through collective effort and continuous feedback on each other's creative thoughts. I believe as a leader, I encourage everyone to share/voice their opinion even when it is not something easy to agree upon. However, it is important that you guide everyone to the right path through discussion rather than practicing control.
What’s your favorite thing about leading Enactus UAB?
All of us are a group of friends and talented individuals with our own ambitions and exciting goals. Everything that Enactus UAB has achieved is credited to the team and their talent and I genuinely enjoy spending my Tuesday evenings furthering the impact of entrepreneurship on campus. Moreover, I am really enthusiastic about the events we host throughout the year, including pitch competitions, speaker events and a yearly Gala. I welcome you to be a part of our community and participate in events hosted by Enactus!
What’s next for you? Do you have any new projects on the horizon?
Upon graduation, I plan to move back to India to further my plans with Shamras and pursue projects in hospitality and real estate.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a budding entrepreneur?
You need to be comfortable with failure. Throughout my entire journey I failed countless times, however, it was my desire to get back up and give it another go that led me to where I am today. Embrace failures and success shall be yours for the taking in due time.
About Shamras:
Shamras is a beverage company registered in India that is working on creating and promoting Indigenous alcoholic beverages to the world. Currently, Shamras is working on their research and development of two different alcoholic beverages.
