Navigating New Frontiers: How FORGE Became My Launchpad for Success
FORGE Student Venture Pathways Fellow Benjamin Lemon reflects on his experiences at the University of Arizona and what FORGE taught him about entrepreneurial mindset. He will graduate at the end of the 2023-24 school year from the Honors College and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law with a minor in Psychology.
Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, I was always an explorer. I used the desert landscape as my playground - constantly finding new paths to create and new friends to share adventures with. When the University of Arizona offered me the opportunity to move to Tucson, after graduating from high school, I was thrilled. Tucson was just far enough away from home to be a new, exciting frontier, but close enough to see family and take a break when I wanted. I loved the beautiful campus, friendly people, and the PPEL (philosophy, politics, economics and law) degree that the University of Arizona offered. I couldn’t wait for my college experience of trying new things, meeting new people, and unlocking my highest potential. Then in March of 2020, the entire world shut down due to the pandemic.
In the following months, it was unclear whether I would be able to move into the dorms or even attend classes that fall. I decided that even with the restrictions and social distancing, I wanted to take the leap and move to Tucson.
Although my freshman year was not how I first pictured the college experience, I met some of my best friends and grew to love everything about The University of Arizona. I still had the desire to get more involved, and I needed a job to earn money. I wanted to find a role that would allow me to intellectually engage with my work and develop useful skills. Thankfully, this is when I came across an interesting listing on Handshake for a “Student Venture Pathway Assistant” at FORGE.
From my very first interview, I knew that the people and the vision behind FORGE were exactly what I wanted. Over the last three years, FORGE has given me opportunities not afforded to many students in college. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to CEOs, like Cindy Jordan of Pyx Health and Ray Flores of Flores Concepts, who inspired me as an individual and an entrepreneur. I've been able to network with student entrepreneurs, present to large groups, and work directly with FORGE leadership to design and implement meaningful programs that further entrepreneurship across campus.
Beyond all, FORGE taught me the value of an entrepreneurial mindset. I learned how important it is to be self-reliant, work with others to find innovative solutions, adapt to challenges life throws at you, and constantly seek opportunities to improve and capitalize. I knew when I accepted a position at FORGE, I would learn more about what it took to run a business, but I had no idea I would feel empowered to go and start my own.
The ability to recognize a great opportunity is a huge part of entrepreneurial mindset. That helped me see the need for a high-quality construction cleaning and window cleaning service in Phoenix as development increased. My company started with just two of us knocking on doors during the summer. It has since grown to create jobs for many people and serve the needs of hundreds of clients throughout the Phoenix area. I am thankful to have the support of my team to continue pursuing my education full-time while also working tirelessly to support growing business operations. I am also thankful for the time management and communication skills I learned at FORGE that helped me balance my responsibilities. The experience of being a business owner deeply enriched my college education and allowed me to put the fantastic knowledge I absorbed at FORGE into action.
The entrepreneurial mindset instilled in me an ability not just to recognize opportunities but to immerse myself in them and never place limits on what I can achieve. FORGE taught me that when you are willing to explore and attempt new challenges, amazing things will happen. As a good friend once told me, the key is to always “be willing.” Be willing to believe in yourself to such an extent that others may even think you are delusional. That’s how great ideas get put into motion.
Benjamin Lemon presents a Support + Share session to fellow student entrepreneurs. He shared stories of founding and running his own company, Paradise Washing LLC.
I wish more people knew that FORGE is not just a place to grow your startup. It’s a place to define your purpose, explore your wildest ideas, and create limitless possibilities for your future. My work with FORGE assisted me through many obstacles during my time in college, and I’m sure my experiences will continue to benefit me for years to come. I also wish students knew about the incredible people within this organization and how much love they have for the work they do. Everyone I work with at FORGE has been a large part of my development professionally and personally, but, I owe special thanks to FORGE staff members Paul Valdez, Kelly King, and Julie Barbier Bularizk. I’m lucky to call them my friends and mentors. They guided me in doing great work at FORGE and supported me through young adulthood. I could not ask for better people to work with and their impact on my life will continue to live on.
As I approach graduation, I am excited to announce that I will be moving to South Florida to attend the University of Miami School of Law. I am thankful for the opportunity to continue my education in a beautiful place with a robust market. My experiences at FORGE prepared me to face any challenges that come my way with confidence, flexibility, creativity, and a firm belief in who I am and the values I represent. As I move on to pursue a career as an entrepreneur and attorney, I will always strive to reflect positivity, empathy, kindness, dedication, and the highest level of integrity in my endeavors.
As a lifelong explorer, it is time for me to enter new and uncharted territory once again. Feeling equipped with an entrepreneurial mindset further affirms my belief that I am capable of anything I set my mind to. In my experience, life has a funny way of taking you exactly where you’re meant to go. You just have to be willing.