- Syracuse's motto is "Knowledge
crowns those who seek her." And as a freshman, I had
a certain understanding of what that means. And every year it feels like that understanding just grows larger. (smooth music) So I'm Kelsey Davis,
founder and CEO of CLLCTVE. CLLCTVE is a software technology company that's a portfolio platform that connects creators
to paid opportunities. And so we work with companies
like Chime, HubSpot, AT&T, connecting them with freelancers
all across the country. - Well, my
first question for you is, why did you start CLLCTVE? And would you say that
the goal in starting it, did you accomplish that? - You know, I started CLLCTVE because I identified a problem
in the market, you know? I was someone, you know, by
the end of my sophomore year I was traveling across the world, producing freelance content
with global consumer brands. And saw a lot of issues with
how creators and brands connect from an onboarding, staffing,
recruiting standpoint for creative projects, an
d so I was like, "Hey, there's not really a
technology software company that makes it easy to
facilitate these connections." And so I saw the opportunity,
I saw the market need, and I went off to solve for that. - So you were a student here. What is your advice to students who are at Syracuse University right now and maybe wanna become an entrepreneur but don't really know where to start? - Yeah, for sure. You know, CLLCTVE, our tagline is, "Every human is a creator." I really do believe we're
a
ll giving these gifts and these abilities to problem
solve and to critically think and then to do something about that. And so I would say if
you're an entrepreneur, if you're a student, wherever you are, just understanding who
you are as a creator and then going out and making stuff shake is what I would say is my advice. - Being part of the Orange family and being an alum from
this university, I mean, what does it mean for
you to be here today? - Yeah, you know, being a part of the Syracuse co
mmunity is
a privilege. Everywhere I go, honestly, all around the world, just being able to always,
anywhere you are, you know, just know that you're kind
of one connection away just by the power of the network. Syracuse really created a foundation and really like a launch
pad and a playground where I could really,
as a student be curious and play and learn and break things and fail fast and forward is really what Syracuse
University was for me. And so I think if anything,
you know, understandin
g how to dive into a research
institution like Syracuse and take advantage of everything
it has to offer, you know, you get rewards and rewarded
in moments like this because of that curiosity. - Thank you so much. (smooth music)
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