Student entrepreneurship: Marketstuff
Studying is about more than spending time in the lecture halls and the library reading your ass off. It is about developing yourself to become a young professional. One way to do this is to do extra-curricular activities. There are a lot of forms to do this. One way is to become a board-member. Another way is to become a student entrepreneur. Jean-Luc Tuinstra is one of those and I asked him some questions why he chose to embark on the journey that is setting up your own business while still studying.
Why did you become a Student entrepreneur?
In my early years I was always busy with ideas about starting a business or selling stuff. Up until the moment I started the master Entrepreneurship it were only ideas but never the real thing. The first opportunity to become an entrepreneur was during this master where we needed to set up a student company and that is when me being an entrepreneur started. We started Eduboox.nl, a website where student could buy and sell their textbooks. After a while I noticed that students needed, next to textbooks, a lot of other stuff like furniture, electronics, bikes, household equipment etc. This made me expand the business with a new name and new website called www.marketstuff.nl. Marketstuff is the first online marketplace for student and the first marketplace that is in English and Dutch in the Netherlands. We give students, whether they are international of national students, the opportunity to sell and buy all student related stuff in an easy and efficient way. Students save a lot of money by going second hand, stuff gets a second live and doesn’t end up in the dumpster. Marketstuff is for students, but a lot of other people can and are selling stuff on the website as well. As long we can help people connect and make people happy with saving or making money on second hand stuff we accomplished our goal.
Why Marketstuff?
Like I already mentioned, a lot of students where looking for second hand stuff that are offered on Marketstuff now. We saw an opportunity to help students find what the need or provide a service where they can sell stuff they don’t need anymore. When people use Marketstuff, they not only help themselves, but help others as well. One mans ‘trash’ is an other ones treasure. All together we even help the environment because by going second hand we prevent a lot of stuff being dumped. The website is 100% Free so everyone can sell & buy stuff they want without paying anything on Marketstuff. We also have the possibility to become a full member for €9,95 a year and you can benefit from several full member features that help selling your stuff faster. Full member ads will be promoted even more so more people will see the ads and the chance of selling increases.
(Dis-)advantages of becoming a student entrepreneur?
When you start your own business nothing is nicer than working on that and growing your business. The difficult part on studying and running a business is dividing time. You want to spend all your time on running the business but you need to make sure you get your diploma. This can be difficult sometimes, but definitely doable. Time-management is of sheer essence.
Wanna have more information about Marketstuff our Jean-Luc. Just send a message to info@marketstuff.nl
Joep van Agteren
I was born and raised in a town called Geleen, sited between the hills of the Dutch province of Limburg. I'm a 25 year old Psychology Master student and a member of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN). I will enjoy shedding my critical light on life itself and share it with you while I am at it.