ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University had a visit from a Shark Tank business analyst Jason Hollander on Thursday.
Over a decade ago, Hollander worked on the popular television show that evaluates potential business ideas. He would help contestants try and make their ideas better before pitching them on the show.
Students gathered in the College of Business and Information Systems building with hopes of learning about Hollander’s path to success.
Christyan Norman graduated from South Carolina State University in 2021 and made sure to be back on campus for this discussion.
"His story definitely solidifies that there is not one way to make it,” Norman said. “There's multiple paths you can go down to get to where you want to go, even if it's not what you envisioned yourself."
Hollander, who has over thirty years of entrepreneurial experience on shows like Shark Tank, Undercover Boss, and United Shades of America, wanted students to know the many routes they can take after graduation.
"One of the most important things is controlling your own destiny, and that's something that I think that, in a way, society is kind of taught us that we can't,” Hollander said. “That we are supposed to follow a very, very traditional career path, and I certainly hope that the students here look at this and say, you know, you can create your own opportunities. Pursue everything you can, but always be looking for those things that you can control that help give you the power over your own life."