Alec Murphy went a bit out of his comfort zone to find inspiration for a new business.
While visiting his older brother over the summer, Murphy attended a party where he suddenly was in the presence of lawyers, doctors, data analysts and more.
“This was a little bit of a weird environment for me to enter, because I’m about to graduate and I’m sort of having a quarter-life crisis trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life,” says Murphy, a Columbia College senior.
Murphy took advantage of the opportunity to seek advice from individuals established in their careers. Recognizing not all students have access to those types of interactions, Murphy started planning his business, Pathsync Inspire, which aims to provide direction and connect career-seeking students with mentorship through a website-based platform utilizing artificial intelligence.
The platform will use AI to assess individuals’ needs and provide detailed insights about career paths. Ultimately, “Pathsync’s main purpose is to connect users with an experienced professional in the field they choose,” says Murphy.
Murphy’s presentation of this business concept earned him first place at Columbia College’s Fall 2024 Student Business Pitch Competition on Thursday, Dec. 5.
The Steven & Barbara Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the showcase at the Robert W. Plaster School of Business in New Hall, awarding more than $10,000 to four student finalists who can put the funds toward their budding companies.
Murphy, who also won the previous competition, earned the grand prize of $5,000 after presenting his business to a panel of judges. Samantha Strohschein finished as runner-up and received $3,000 for her business Ignite T1; Austin Jansen took third and received $2,000 for Austin’s Automotive Restoration; and Andrew Voss was fourth and received $500 for FarmFuel Athletics.
Dream Tree Academy CEO & Founder Raymond Hall and For the Love of Systems co-owners Kristen Lux and Greg Grimes served as judges for the contest.
“This showcase demonstrates ideas the Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship is putting into practice, both for Columbia College students and for the Columbia community at large,” says Jay Sparks ’99, director of the Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship. “I would like to thank the business leaders who volunteered their time to interact with our participants. These students have put in a tremendous amount of energy and effort, and we are excited to continue seeing the fruits of their labor.”
Mikel Fields ’08, owner of Castello Branco Fields LLC, addressed attendees in a keynote address. Castello Branco Fields manages strategy for personal brands and businesses. The company also owns and operates a mobile device repair shop in Columbia called Cracked Up Mobile.
“It seems like not too long ago I was in your seats,” says Fields, who studied business and marketing at CC.
Fields, a member of the Fishman Center Advisory Council, encouraged the students in attendance to know their value and worth and to not let fear keep them from putting themselves out there.
“If you are treating yourself like gold, it really can help mold your mindset through tough decisions,” says Fields.
