10 answers
Shae
Student
Miramar, Florida
1
Question
Updated
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What should I focus on from day one in college if I want to build my own tech business in AI and software?
I’m a high school senior who plans to study Artificial Intelligence Methods and Applications at Penn State. I’m interested in AI, software development, and entrepreneurship, and my long-term goal is to build my own tech business instead of only following a traditional job path. I already have some experience with coding and I’m trying to think ahead about what actually matters most once college starts. Should I focus more on internships, personal projects, networking, business knowledge, or something else? I’d really appreciate advice from people who have worked in software, AI, startups, or tech entrepreneurship and can speak honestly about what helps the most early on.
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10 answers
Brandon Lee
Founder @ Zone of Genius Institute
3
Answers
Updated
Brandon’s Answer
"internships, personal projects, networking, business knowledge"
Internships -- this is more about the right internship more than anything. The right one IMO would be one that is AI-forward and takes a vested interest in your development.
Personal projects -- this is basically building your portfolio and skillset. If you don't have a internship, this should be a must IMO.
Networking -- This should be strategic, quality over quantity. Network with people who 1) might lead to internships 2) encourage/support your personal projects (e.g. hackathons)
Business knowledge -- This is better learned just-in-time. If you build something and start asking "ok, how do I sell this?" you'll start asking the necessary business questions. Alex Hormozi is probably one of the most exhaustive (and free) resources here once you reach this stage.
So IMO:
High priority -- Personal projects / optimized internship
Medium high -- Strategic networking
Low (not now) -- Biz knowledge
Internships -- this is more about the right internship more than anything. The right one IMO would be one that is AI-forward and takes a vested interest in your development.
Personal projects -- this is basically building your portfolio and skillset. If you don't have a internship, this should be a must IMO.
Networking -- This should be strategic, quality over quantity. Network with people who 1) might lead to internships 2) encourage/support your personal projects (e.g. hackathons)
Business knowledge -- This is better learned just-in-time. If you build something and start asking "ok, how do I sell this?" you'll start asking the necessary business questions. Alex Hormozi is probably one of the most exhaustive (and free) resources here once you reach this stage.
So IMO:
High priority -- Personal projects / optimized internship
Medium high -- Strategic networking
Low (not now) -- Biz knowledge
Guillermo Martinez
Manager
2
Answers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Updated
Guillermo’s Answer
I’m a big believer in learning by doing. If your goal is to build a tech business in AI and software, the most important thing to focus on from day one in college is starting real projects as early as possible.
Don’t wait until junior year, an internship, or a perfect idea. Pick a real-world problem—something that annoys you, your classmates, or a small business—and start building a simple solution now. You’ll learn far more by struggling through real constraints (messy data, unclear requirements, users who don’t behave as expected) than by only completing polished coursework.
Don’t wait until junior year, an internship, or a perfect idea. Pick a real-world problem—something that annoys you, your classmates, or a small business—and start building a simple solution now. You’ll learn far more by struggling through real constraints (messy data, unclear requirements, users who don’t behave as expected) than by only completing polished coursework.
Steve Akilan
Software Architecture
20
Answers
Cincinnati, Ohio
Updated
Steve’s Answer
Focus on learning, be a critical thinker ... how can you improve products, how can you solve probelms you observe!!
and learn how AI can help accelerate solving problems and delivering value. You will find your area :-)
and learn how AI can help accelerate solving problems and delivering value. You will find your area :-)
Riyadh A
IT
2
Answers
Updated
Riyadh’s Answer
Work on personal projects that address real business challenges. While in college, try to identify common issues and patterns that people encounter. Create products to solve these problems and seek feedback. Don't stress too much about the business side; many tech CEOs hire finance experts for that. Concentrate on the big picture, discover product gaps, and develop solutions to fill them.
Liam Rielly
Data Center Technician
195
Answers
Manassas, Virginia
Updated
Liam’s Answer
Personally I would recommend to start small and get used to selling code early. Too often I find that students trying to get into the field have their eyes set on being the next tech giant, and that leaves them trying to mimic what tech giants did. I they started getting used to making an application and putting a price tag on it, they could learn how to make money and a better impact at the same time and actually market something in the meantime.
Figure out something you can make, doesn't matter the platform or if its AI made or related or not, and figure out how to actually sell it as a product. Don't worry about major impacting software, don't worry about making your life's work, don't worry about your dream project, make something small and simple you can slap a $5 price tag on and sell. Figure out how to sell it. Sell it on microsoft store, apple store, google play, steam, flatpak (I think you can sell there now?), or similar platform. See how it does, change it as it suits you, scrap it if it doesn't work.
People want secure software. Think about how you can make it stand alone, think about if it is made with AI how you can label it so consumers know, think about how you can add onto it in the future when its feasible to make it a larger platform overall. If you want to work for a large company, it is going to look really great that you already have a portfolio and store with your work for sale. I know a few people that did similar in their careers and made a nice amount of money up front because they sold their project to a major tech company and then did the rest of their career working on other projects after.
Again, focus on the business while you code. Be as creative with your marketing as you are with your code. Be ethical and modest to start and you will have no issues achieving your goal or pivoting into a business supporting the same role!
Figure out something you can make, doesn't matter the platform or if its AI made or related or not, and figure out how to actually sell it as a product. Don't worry about major impacting software, don't worry about making your life's work, don't worry about your dream project, make something small and simple you can slap a $5 price tag on and sell. Figure out how to sell it. Sell it on microsoft store, apple store, google play, steam, flatpak (I think you can sell there now?), or similar platform. See how it does, change it as it suits you, scrap it if it doesn't work.
People want secure software. Think about how you can make it stand alone, think about if it is made with AI how you can label it so consumers know, think about how you can add onto it in the future when its feasible to make it a larger platform overall. If you want to work for a large company, it is going to look really great that you already have a portfolio and store with your work for sale. I know a few people that did similar in their careers and made a nice amount of money up front because they sold their project to a major tech company and then did the rest of their career working on other projects after.
Again, focus on the business while you code. Be as creative with your marketing as you are with your code. Be ethical and modest to start and you will have no issues achieving your goal or pivoting into a business supporting the same role!
Thank you, Liam!
Shae
Thanks Mr. rielly this actually helped a lot. I like what you said about starting small and learning how to actually sell something instead of getting stuck thinking about some huge idea right away. That makes a lot of sense. If you were starting from zero in college what’s the first kind of small product you’d try to build and sell?
Shae
I know most CE classes have students make a weather app or similar, then have them sell it on a mobile platform store. I would start with a progressive web app, that people you know need, and put it on one of the stores to see if and how it sells.
Liam Rielly
Sandeep Khandelwal
Software Engineer
145
Answers
San Ramon, California
Updated
Sandeep’s Answer
Hello Shae,
From day one, focus on building real projects and solving real problems. Try to create small AI or software products, even simple ones, because building things teaches you much more than just coursework.
At the same time, work on internships, networking, and learning some business fundamentals. Sharing your projects on platforms like GitHub/Bitbucket and connecting with builders on LinkedIn can open doors and help you understand how technology turns into real products
From day one, focus on building real projects and solving real problems. Try to create small AI or software products, even simple ones, because building things teaches you much more than just coursework.
At the same time, work on internships, networking, and learning some business fundamentals. Sharing your projects on platforms like GitHub/Bitbucket and connecting with builders on LinkedIn can open doors and help you understand how technology turns into real products
Thanks for the help.
Shae
Thank you Mr. Khandelwal this helped. I like what you said about building real things and not just relying on classes. That’s honestly what I’m trying to do more of. The part about learning some business fundamentals stood out to me too because I don’t just want to code, I want to eventually build something of my own. What’s one mistake you see students make early in AI or software that I should avoid?
Shae
Lisa Carey
Resource Manager
15
Answers
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Updated
Lisa’s Answer
Tech and AI are always changing, so it's important to get strong tech or coding training. But you should also study liberal arts like history, English, philosophy, and math. These subjects help you build skills in communication, writing, and critical thinking. Being great in tech or AI is important, but you also need good judgment, a critical eye, and the ability to communicate well. Good luck!
Chris Ahn
Consultant
3
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Chris’s Answer
What a great question! It's not a secret that AI is making knowledge and software (development) cheap, so studying this field in college will help you develop the tooling muscles so that knowledge and software is cheap for you, when you start your career journey. Applying this in the real world requires other dimensions that AI won't replace so easily:
1. seeking out friction and using your developed AI muscles to solve for that friction
2. developing a teaming framework to amplify your impact with like-minded talent
3. innate work ethic to solve problem at order of magnitude (10X, not %'s) improvement
These are behaviors that you can start practicing in college while you're getting the tool/tech side down. Apply it personally, your studies, your part time job - anything that you're spending time on. We all share the same amount of minutes per day, and how you choose to spend those minutes is a strong signal of future success in chasing your ambitions.
All the best!!
1. seeking out friction and using your developed AI muscles to solve for that friction
2. developing a teaming framework to amplify your impact with like-minded talent
3. innate work ethic to solve problem at order of magnitude (10X, not %'s) improvement
These are behaviors that you can start practicing in college while you're getting the tool/tech side down. Apply it personally, your studies, your part time job - anything that you're spending time on. We all share the same amount of minutes per day, and how you choose to spend those minutes is a strong signal of future success in chasing your ambitions.
All the best!!
Sandeep Khandelwal
Software Engineer
145
Answers
San Ramon, California
Updated
Sandeep’s Answer
Hello Shaee,
A common mistake I see is students focusing too much on learning tools or technologies instead of solving real problems. They keep taking courses and tutorials but don’t actually build something useful or complete projects end-to-end.
Try to avoid that by picking a simple problem and building a working solution, even if it’s not perfect. Finishing and learning from real projects will teach you far more than constantly preparing without applying.
A common mistake I see is students focusing too much on learning tools or technologies instead of solving real problems. They keep taking courses and tutorials but don’t actually build something useful or complete projects end-to-end.
Try to avoid that by picking a simple problem and building a working solution, even if it’s not perfect. Finishing and learning from real projects will teach you far more than constantly preparing without applying.
Vincent Senawi
Managing Director
3
Answers
Scottsdale, Arizona
Updated
Vincent’s Answer
Don't think of it as choosing just one thing. Internships, personal projects, networking, and business knowledge all matter. If I had to rank them, I'd say personal projects are most important, followed by internships, networking, and business learning, which should be a constant part of everything. The reason is simple: in AI and software, those who stand out can build real things, explain them clearly, and show they've learned by doing, especially since entry-level jobs are harder to get and employers value practical experience over just having credentials.
My top advice is to start college by building a portfolio, not just attending classes. A few strong projects will teach you more than a long list of courses, especially if they solve real problems and mix AI with usable software. Good examples are AI tools people can interact with, like a tutor, workflow assistant, interview coach, or niche productivity tool. These projects help you learn about product development, user feedback, and technical skills all at once.
While you should definitely go for internships and research opportunities, treat them as a complement to your projects, not a replacement. AI jobs are growing, but competition is fierce, and the best internships often go to students who can already show they can build and learn on their own.
Don't overlook networking. In tech, networking isn't just fake socializing; it's about being part of the right communities, sharing your projects, joining hackathons, contributing on GitHub, and being visible to people who care about the same issues. This is crucial now because remote hiring and AI-driven recruiting mean opportunities often go to students who are active and visible, not just talented in private.
Since you're interested in entrepreneurship, here's something many students miss: learn business early, but in a practical way. You don't need to be a finance expert right away. What matters is asking: What problem am I solving? Who will care? How do I know? Successful student founders usually do well because they find a real problem, build a simple MVP, get feedback quickly, and improve from there. AI makes building easier, so the real difference comes from good judgment, understanding customers, and execution.
Most importantly, don't focus only on getting hired if your long-term goal is to build a company. Focus on becoming someone who can build useful products, understand customers, learn quickly, and earn trust. Internships help, projects help, networking helps, but the real advantage is combining all three with curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to test ideas in the real world. AI skills are becoming standard, so your edge will come from using them better than others, not just knowing about them.
My top advice is to start college by building a portfolio, not just attending classes. A few strong projects will teach you more than a long list of courses, especially if they solve real problems and mix AI with usable software. Good examples are AI tools people can interact with, like a tutor, workflow assistant, interview coach, or niche productivity tool. These projects help you learn about product development, user feedback, and technical skills all at once.
While you should definitely go for internships and research opportunities, treat them as a complement to your projects, not a replacement. AI jobs are growing, but competition is fierce, and the best internships often go to students who can already show they can build and learn on their own.
Don't overlook networking. In tech, networking isn't just fake socializing; it's about being part of the right communities, sharing your projects, joining hackathons, contributing on GitHub, and being visible to people who care about the same issues. This is crucial now because remote hiring and AI-driven recruiting mean opportunities often go to students who are active and visible, not just talented in private.
Since you're interested in entrepreneurship, here's something many students miss: learn business early, but in a practical way. You don't need to be a finance expert right away. What matters is asking: What problem am I solving? Who will care? How do I know? Successful student founders usually do well because they find a real problem, build a simple MVP, get feedback quickly, and improve from there. AI makes building easier, so the real difference comes from good judgment, understanding customers, and execution.
Most importantly, don't focus only on getting hired if your long-term goal is to build a company. Focus on becoming someone who can build useful products, understand customers, learn quickly, and earn trust. Internships help, projects help, networking helps, but the real advantage is combining all three with curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to test ideas in the real world. AI skills are becoming standard, so your edge will come from using them better than others, not just knowing about them.