“We want to help the local community ... A lot of people would say entrepreneurship is something you want to do for financial gain. But in our club the emphasis is on how can we use this to help people and solve problems.”

Senior Eli Krasnoff Co-founder and Co-president

When sophomore Blair Sontag was asked what she enjoyed about the Entrepreneurship Club, she talked about being with students who have similar hopes and dreams.

“I have enjoyed meeting all the people coming to meetings and events and hearing their personal interest in entrepreneurship,” Blair said. “I hope this benefits me as I take it outside of Loomis and into my personal life. We talk a lot about trying to solve problems through products or ventures, so I think that is something I would like to do — find a problem close to my heart.”

That approach is in line with the club mission, which is described on its website as seeking “to spread the values of Loomis’ mission, taking the approach that entrepreneurship and innovation is how we will be our best selves for the common good.”

On its website, the club also says its vision is “to bring together a collective of similarly motivated students who seek positive transformation through entrepreneurship. These individuals will go out into the world and enact positive change in every community they join.”

Ben Sharf ’15, co-founder of Platter, a toolkit designed to increase profitability on Shopify stores, was impressed after meeting with club members via Zoom in October, then in person in December. He has no doubt that students will achieve what the club envisions.

Events: Throughout the year, the club schedules many events, some with alumni. This school year’s events include From Idea to Product, The Basics of Networking, and What Makes an Effective Pitch. The club worked with the Alumni & Development Office to arrange a visit from Ben, who worked with entrepreneurial students to help them try to turn their ideas into products or services. “The level of curiosity displayed by the students who showed up was all I needed to see to know it was a special group,” Ben said after the December event. "A common trait among the most successful entrepreneurs I’ve encountered is the combination of obsession and curiosity, and to see that displayed by high school students resonated deeply with me.” 

Leadership team: Senior Eli Krasnoff, co-founder and co-president; senior Ryan Wang, co-founder and co-president; senior Noah Nye Wenner, co-president; sophomore Blair Sontag, creative director.

If someone wants to join, what would you tell them that they would gain? “The connections and the community,” Ryan says. “I think what we have done so far is to foster an environment where like-minded individuals can discuss entrepreneurship.” Ryan also spoke about community service as an element that the club is discussing. Outside of Loomis, Ryan founded the Farmington, Conn., branch of the Alliance of Youth Leaders in the United States. He has been involved in community events such as a local park cleanup and has helped at fundraisers.

More on the community aspect: “We want to help the local community ... A lot of people would say entrepreneurship is something you want to do for financial gain,” Eli says. “But in our club the emphasis is on how can we use this to help people and solve problems.”