Small businesses and young entrepreneurs often struggle with gaining attention and collecting massive views on their Youtube videos. This is not the case for Kaeya Majmundar, 19, a Sophomore at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She was simply submitting her video for an elevator pitch competition that will take place November 2-3. What happened next was unexpected and it continues to grow. The video, which is simply titled “ElevatorPitch2012” has received over 59,000 Youtube views in less than a week!
So what is the invention that has exploded onto Youtube in less than a week? Would you be surprised if I said a cardboard box? Well don’t be. Kaeya’s invention is a cardboard box that is significantly easier to assemble than the standard packing box. Although she does not yet have the name decided on for the box, she is already working with UPS to carry her patented box.
How does a college student come up with an idea for a cardboard box? It all started with a bad moving experience while trying to help a friend move. After having trouble packing and assembling the boxes, more problems were still on the horizon as her friend had incorrectly assembled the box and the bottom of the box came undone as the contents tumbled out. “I figured there had to be a better way” said Kaeya.
As you can imagine, being a budding entrepreneur and a full time student is not an easy task, so how does she do it? I would say that two things are most important for me this year: balance, and Prioritization.” Kaeya is a Human Biology and Anthropology major. There are, of course, sacrifices that have to be made; while it’s tempting to join my friends at concerts, dinners, or school events, you could probably find me in my dorm either studying or working on my invention.
Although she has her time invested in her current product and in school, I asked Kaeya if she has any other products in the works. “I practically see an invention idea everywhere I turn! I’ve always wanted to be an ‘inventor’…I do plan on acting on some of them but as I’ve learned with my current project, it takes a lot of work to turn an idea into reality. So for right now, I’m sticking with the box.”
The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) National Elevator Pitch Competition will be held on November 2-3 in Chicago at the CEO National Conference. 60 Competitors will go through a series of rounds in hopes of winning the top prize of $3,500 and the press and exposure that comes along with placing in the competition. Past contestants have been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc. Magazine, and several have also received an equity investment from an investor in attendance.
Kaeya is a dedicated fan of Shark Tank and has been studying flaws that many of the entrepreneurs on the show have made. “It has become a dream of mine to have the opportunity to get in that Shark Tank. So, when I found out about the (CEO National) Elevator Pitch Competition, which is very similar, I had to grab the opportunity.”
Results of the competition will be released on November 3rd, but I think it is safe to say that Kaeya will be successful no matter her placing in the competition.
