I Haven’t Done Anything | Srinjay Verma from Buzly: Episode 21 of Twist of Fate 

‍

Srinjay Verma is the CEO of Buzly, a social media platform connecting students and faculty from the same university together. As a student himself at Sacramento State, he put together a team and built far more than a minimum viable product (MVP). He’s getting ready to expand his platform into the West coast, and it’s an exciting time considering the response he’s had introducing it to his own university. 

‍

Yet, this leader doesn’t really count any of that in terms of experience and still believes that he has a lot more to prove. This kind of insatiable hunger is one that many would cringe at. What kind of life can you lead where you’re never satisfied? But it’s an attitude that most entrepreneurs know well. On Twist of Fate, Verma talks to host Douglas Younger III about his trajectory, how he deals with the inevitable ups and downs of owning your own business, and what entrepreneurs can learn from his experience. 

‍

Unmet Needs 

‍

People talk a lot these days about the ethos of business. They often dance around the issues instead of the nitty-gritty  of how exactly they’re going to connect with their target demographic. CEOs see their industry in one light, only to find that their target demographic sees it very differently. Sometimes, it’s too late to change anything once they see where they went wrong. 

‍

With so many social media platforms out there, Buzly is entering a very crowded space. The difference is that Verma and his team have done the research about what’s missing. Their platform isn’t a highlight reel of people’s pets, hairstyles, and vacations. 

‍

This is a place where people from Sacramento State can tell other people from Sacramento State real details: howthey went about finding financial aid, where they can find parking permits, and what kinds of professors will they mesh with. It’s faculty connecting with students connecting with each other. And because every campus has its own vibe, each Buzly space has its own vibe. Plus, the network isn’t monetized by ads, it’s funded by universities who want to keep their enrollment up and their students happy. 

‍

Roller Coaster 

‍

Trying to start a business as a student comes with its own set of pitfalls that aren’t always easy to navigate. It’s incredibly difficult to do even when you don’t have to worry about how you’re doing in all your classes. Verma says that when you’re trying to juggle it all, the gut punches are incredibly real and they’re not always easy to get past. 

‍

Part of what drove him to keep going was the people who were skeptical of his plans, but what really shakes him up is when he’s caught without a contingency plan. Again, this is something that all entrepreneurs will likely be familiar with. What’s the right way to respond when everything blows up? Do you call it quits or do you try a different way? How many times can you fail before you have no other choice but to pivot? 

‍

No one can answer these questions definitively because it’s different for every business. Verma knows that Buzly has a lot going for him, but he’s also getting in on a crowded landscape. He also knows that his dreams aren’t rooted in fame and glory. What he wants to do is solve a problem: How can people feel more connected to their colleges — particularly now that the pandemic has made so many people feel so far apart? The Buzly team isn’t trying to get rich, because they know what this is a service that students need to be more successful during their pivotal college years. 

‍