‘Everyone has innovation within them’: Shelsy Aguilar, political science, international studies  

Are you currently working on a startup or developing an idea for one?  

I’m working on developing Too Social, which is a social media consulting business with marketing services. Our main aspect would be kind of the whole education behind social media, especially for those older demographics. I’m currently starting that through the [Start Something LAS Academy]. Within the next year, I’m hoping to have a prototype made and start getting customers in the Ames community. 

How have you demonstrated innovation or entrepreneurial skills during your time at Iowa State University? 

I think with innovation, in a group setting, being able to have those leadership skills to think outside the box and not being scared of putting your own creative say into group projects. Being motivated, because to be an entrepreneur, you need to have some passion behind your project. 

How have Iowa State’s resources, such as the Start Something LAS Academy, contributed to growth academically and/or professionally? 

I have been provided with a lot of mentors – the board of advisors and my Start Something LAS Academy mentors, but I think the biggest impact has been the people within the class. I’m the youngest one in the class, so I was a little scared at first, just walking in there with all upperclassmen, but they’ve all been super welcoming and we’re all in the same boat. We’re all just starting something. So it’s a very welcoming environment. 

What are your career goals/aspirations? 

I want customers in the Ames area to see my services – I think I will start with complementary services just to get my name out there. My biggest thing is educating them on [marketing]. So I think just getting more customers and developing a team, and then eventually, by the time I graduate from the Start Something LAS Academy, I’ll be able to start providing these services and have a structure of business ready to go. 

What career-enhancing skills have you gained through the Start Something LAS Academy? 

The biggest one is innovation. I think our professor, Jeff [Bull], has done a great job at providing us those background skills that you need to be an innovator and leader in a group. 

I want to go to law school and a big part of the Academy is being able to speak at pitch competitions; pitching your business, your idea, yourself. Public speaking is one of the biggest things and just being confident in what I’m saying and what I know. 

How do you see yourself employing a mindset of innovation throughout your career? 

I don’t want to be an attorney. I don’t want to do the courtroom. I want to work for the government and work with foreign policy. So with that, I think innovation plays a huge role, especially as conflicts rise between countries. Being the person who has those ideas, like outside the box, and being able to be empathetic and thinking ahead. 

In what ways has your engagement with innovation and entrepreneurship at Iowa State shaped your perspective on the world? 

We had a guest speaker come in and she talked about not wanting to be an entrepreneur, but wanting to be next to them for the whole process. So that got me thinking about the whole world. Sometimes you don’t want to do something [yourself], but you want to be there to help and say you saw it come to life. It puts it into perspective for me, you don’t necessarily have to be the person in charge, you can put in as much help as needed and have equal collaboration with everyone. 

Why should someone be interested in joining the Start Something LAS Academy – even if they don’t want to start a business? 

I think it’s a great opportunity to develop public speaking skills, entrepreneurship skills, and innovation skills. This will take some [people] far in life because it shows the creative aspect of them. It is a great group setting to collaborate and be able to be heard in a room full of people that share the same values and motivation as you. I think it is a lot of 21st century skills you don’t get in any classes.  

The Academy gives you great opportunities like getting to meet with a lot of mentors and entrepreneurs throughout the Ames community, and you get to learn about their stories. And those really motivate me. So it’s great to just be able to meet those people. 

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in innovation, but doesn’t know where to start? 

Definitely reach out. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you’re lost, the main thing about being an innovator is asking questions. You need to be able to seek guidance from other people and not be close-minded. So really knowing where to get help and finding those resources is my advice. Everyone has innovation within them.