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What inspired you to make the Exclusive Club Card?

I came here as an international student. I didn’t know anything about the city and for the first year, Hamilton was unknown territory for me. I hated every time that I would do something I would have to go to Toronto. But when I started working and living in the city I started falling in love with it. I started seeing James Street, Augusta Street, Ottawa Street, Concession Street, streets that have a lot of historical meaning. These are places that are under explored or under utilized by students... [we wanted] to get students out to the city and help local businesses.

What is it like being a recently graduated student entrepreneur?

It’s difficult because there’s a lot of uncertainty. At the same time though when you go to downtown Hamilton there is a really good vibe for entrepreneurs. We’re based off a place called Commotion on King, it’s a new coworking place and there are so many recent Mac graduates there doing the same thing, launching their own business. They’re excited about the city, they have a lot of great ideas, they believe in the potential of the city and being in that environment really motivates you to make something happen.

It’s really amazing because right now is a time where people still underrate the city and there’s a lot of potential in the entrepreneurs and the people taking risks right now. We really believe in the city and we want to take it to the next level. Hamilton will be booming within the next 10 years.

For sure. Just the past few years I’ve been here, the change has been incredible.

You can sense the change right? Even the attitude and the way people speak about Hamilton. The downtown core is revitalizing slowly. A couple years ago when you walk by at night, the businesses were closed. There were all those cash for money places. I was, like, what’s going on, right? But now there’s a new company called Ambitious Realty and they’re renovating businesses and opening up new places. Commotion on King is the perfect example. A building that was run-down has been renovated and now entrepreneurs are moving in and a new lounge is moving in downstairs. So it’s definitely a very cool time to be in Hamilton and be an entrepreneur.

Can you go into your background in business and what you studied in school?

I didn’t have a background in business. I did Political Science here at Mac. For me, that’s the biggest challenge. The biggest challenge is not having the background to fall onto, the fact that I didn’t take business classes, the fact that I didn’t really have much business experience before. But the people I’m working with and the network I’m trying to build with Exclusive Club Card as well really helps... People are willing to collaborate with us and a lot of the young entrepreneurs we’ve talked to really think our plans have potential. This is how we’ve kind of started off strong and can do the student card and everything else. We’re trying to grow our network within McMaster, within Hamilton, all over the place.

You finished school and then went on to do this venture. What do you think about people who drop out of school to pursue a business venture?

I am of the opinion that school is essential because those four years of school really made me learn a lot and formed me as a person. I definitely agree that you can drop out of school and launch your own business, but for your personal development, your development as a person, school is more than just going to class and writing exams and that’s it. School is also about growing as a person. For me I came here at 18 years old not knowing anybody. I didn’t know one person in Canada. I came from El Salvador in Central America and I moved here by myself. So the network of students around McMaster, associations like the Latin American Student Association, the McMaster Political Science Society, just the network of communities that McMaster has is really embracing. That for me is essential. I don’t think I could be doing what I’m doing without my four years at McMaster.

And the networking I assume helps with reaching out to other people once you’ve graduated and started this venture. 

Yeah, exactly. The more people you know the more people are willing to help you out and, you know, right now there are so many associations. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of Hamilton Hive, this organization with the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce which we recently became part of. They’re really pushing people to go out and take risks and do what they believe is going to be successful, especially in Hamilton. So there’s really a good support network from the University and from networks and organizations in the city. So even though it definitely is difficult, you do feel like there are people who are there to push you forward and telling you that you can do this.

What advice do you have for a student entrepreneur who is in school right now?

If they have an idea and they believe strongly in it, I think they should definitely pursue it. For me, for example, when me and my partner, John Gabriel, started getting the vision of Exclusive Club Card I really saw the potential and I really believed in what this card can provide to both businesses and students. I think it’s a good idea and I think if it’s done well it could be really successful. So applying that to people who have their own ideas, if they really believe in them, that’s what will drive you to work hard, to network, to put in the time when it seems like it’s uncertain. Because you never know. When you start your own business uncertainty is going to be everywhere. So I think that if you believe and you’re passionate in your ideas, cliché as that may sound, when you wake up in the morning and there are ten things to do, that’s what differentiates whether you’re passionate or not.  When you’re passionate about it, those ten things are not chores. The passion is what determines your level of excitement. And that makes a huge difference.

Do you have any additional things you want to talk about the Exclusive Club Card that you haven’t had a change to say thus far?

Our goal right now is to get students to know about our card because it’s really difficult for them to use it without them knowing what it is. This free card we’re giving them is so they can explore these places and see that Hamilton has more to offer than what they’ve heard or what they’ve seen before. I want them to think that it’s worth their time to go out into the city and check out these local businesses that are exclusive to Hamilton, can’t find them anywhere else, and slowly but surely if they do that, the student community will start embracing Hamilton, thinking that it’s their city. That’s ultimately our goal. We want everyone in the community to come together, and our card will hopefully help with that.

For more information visit www.exclusiveclubcard.com