A New Vagabond Interviewed: Sean Coleman CEO of OrangeSlyce

Working the 9 to 5 makes vagabonds go crazy. (Photo: aphasiafilms)

If you read my very first post about quitting my job, you may have noticed I hinted toward an interview with a fellow college student resigning his job as well. Sean and I were in the same college club, an outdoors club.

And here he is, Sean Coleman, joining the ranks of my definition of a vagabond.

Here is a little bit about Sean:

Sean graduated with a B.S.E in Computer Systems Engineering in December 2009. With an extensive background in technology entrepreneurship, Sean has successfully run a profitable web development firm for five years while developing extensive business relationships.

Additionally, Sean has completed his thesis on open-source software success through the mentorship of ASU’s University Technology Officer, Dr. Sannier. Sean successfully completed ASU Technopolis’ Launch Prep Entrepreneurship Course offering in-depth training of business development, marketing, and sales, led by seasoned entrepreneur Mr. Dan O’Neil.

His combined entrepreneurial passion and technical skills brings excellent leadership to OrangeSlyce.

Check out the awesome interview below, it is filled with some good stuff. Comments in (italics) are from me. There are some affiliate links, feel free to click them or not, it is fine either way.

Tell us a little a background about yourself Sean.

I’ve been very entrepreneurial ever since I was young. Before I knew anything about business, I started my first company in junior high building and fixing computers for friends and family.

Continuing in my entrepreneurial spirit, I started getting into graphic design in high school by selling my logo design services on eBay. I worked with hundreds of clients across the country using the name Peak Graphics, most of which had no idea I was 17 years old.

A turning point was the summer before starting at ASU when a local business contacted me to meet about working on some designs.

I had to explain to him that I wasn’t his typical designer and was just starting college. He really didn’t care whatsoever, and it turns out we worked with each other for the next 5 years.

I continued to attract new clients through referrals and started doing web design. Most of my clients were frustrated with the overpriced, mediocre services provided by larger designers/developers with “years of industry experience.”

They all loved that I was young and willing to devote so much energy to make sure they were satisfied.

There was a common theme though–they all said it was very difficult to find students, and ASU was little help. Then the idea behind OrangeSlyce was born…

What made you decide to become a full-time CEO of the OrangeSlyce?

I knew that the only way OrangeSlyce, or any entrepreneurial endeavor for that matter, would be successful is to devote all my passion, time and energy into the company.

It’s also extremely difficult to maintain a full-time job while having meetings during business hours with investors, partners, etc. (I became full-time CEO of my company around the same time as Sean).

As CEO and founder of OrangeSlyce, would you tell us more about it? Who it is for? What it has done for you?

OrangeSlyce is an online community that brings together small businesses and college students for freelance projects and internships. Small businesses can easily find and hire students for any project while saving money and benefiting from their flexibility and dedication.

College students take advantage of opportunities to start applying their skills before graduation in order to develop experience. We exclusively focus on college students and small businesses with 0-10 employees.

Although we don’t turn away the Intel’s and IBM’s, our product is catered to the needs of small businesses and is generally too simple for the complicated HR processes of large companies.

Small businesses love the simplicity of being able to find students without complex interview schedules and the university bureaucracy.

As we may know, the important first few steps we take mean the most in starting a journey (such as reducing our expenses and saving money from our jobs). What first few steps did you take to begin your journey of financial freedom?

The first steps started back in high school when I began freelancing. I learned the potential earnings of marketing myself to companies, and aggressively pursued the most lucrative opportunities.

This, in combination with disciplined investing and savings (partly influenced from my internship with Charles Schwab), put me in a good financial position.

For the past 5 years, I’ve worked extremely hard to earn and save without really knowing what for. It wasn’t until several months ago that I realized this would allow me to quit my job and live without an income in order to build the business.

What are some tips you can give to others who want to take a leap like you?

If you are serious about it, stop making excuses. Every day you don’t take that chance is another wasted day. Tough love usually helps. (Definitely stop making excuses not to work and just take action).

What experiences in your life would you say influenced you the most to take the action you are taking now?

All the influences came from the people I surround myself with. Adrian Sannier, my mentor and ASU’s Chief Technology Officer, helped nurture my goals.

If you surround yourself with the “same ‘ol, same ‘ol 9-5er’s” as l like to say, plan to have your passion and lofty goals sucked out of you, very much like the robots in the War of the Worlds.

What books, if any, do you recommend?

Every American should read The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman. It will transform your perspective of the world and help you see that other countries are striving to become better, faster and stronger than America. Many are succeeding.

I’d also recommend Robert Reich’s The Future of Success. It explains why our generation doesn’t have any job security, and that your parents’ goal of working for a “large, secure company” is as obsolete as their VCR player.

Do you plan to travel with your new found freedom?

Fortunately, my duties as CEO will require me to meet with university leaders in California, Nevada, Texas and Florida to expand our markets in our second phase of OrangeSlyce.

Although it will mostly consist meetings and work, I will certainly get some time to visit friends. Travelling the world is a passion, but that will come after OrangeSlyce. (I recommend Sean read the 4 Hour Work Week after hearing this last sentence, many vagabonds are traveling the world and running successful businesses).

Do you have any negatives about working for yourself to tell people on the fence or starting out?

There’s tons of negatives. Working for yourself isn’t by any means all glory. When you work for yourself, no one is telling you what to do–or telling you do anything for that matter.

You have to be very disciplined and passionate about your goals. No one gives a damn if you sleep in until noon every morning. No one will care if you stop work before 5:00.

When you have your own company, your bosses are your shareholders. Generally that means you. If you aren’t the type who has this level of discipline, you better keep your day job. (Yep, I’m glad I don’t need an alarm to wake up, though it does take discipline sometimes to work).

What about the positives of working for yourself?

I see the biggest positive as being able to achieve my life goals. I want to change the world, and I realized that working as a software programmer for Mitel wouldn’t quite let me do that.

Being able to take a vacation whenever you want really isn’t a positive–it doesn’t happen that much. (Delegate Sean! Take as many vacations as you want when you have other talent running your business for you).

What fears, if any, do you have after giving your two weeks resignation to your job?

My fear is that I no longer have any excuses not to succeed, whether it be OrangeSlyce, or the 5th company I start after 4 failures. (This is the best fear for entrepreneur, it makes success inevitable).

Do you have any fears about your future?

My only fear was that I would end up programming for a software company, 9-5 everyday, for the next 40 years. I’m very glad I no longer have that fear.

Anything you would like to mention not asked yet?

I don’t have a ton of experience, but I truly believe that one key to success is holding yourself to a higher standard than anyone else does. It’s really the only thing that will keep you moving forward. (Hold yourself to a high standard daily and surround yourself with people you want to be like, and success will happen).

–

Check out Sean at OrangeSlyce. He mentions it in this interview, OrangeSlyce is to connect college students with businesses. If you are a student or a business check it out and get in contact with Sean ASAP! Currently it is only for the Phoenix, Arizona area, talk to Sean about expanding to your city.

Posted on January 28th 2010.