CHARLES SHIMA

What brought you to KPU and your program of study?

I graduated with a BBA - Accounting. I dropped out of Simon Fraser because I felt that their program was wasting my time and wasn't fitted to my area of specialization. When I started my studies there as an already mature student, I was enrolled in the BA-Economics Major because I didn't meet the requirements for direct admission into the BBA. Some of the required courses included Biology! I didn't enjoy the class at all.

We also had lectures in a major study hall with over 100 students. I researched and found out that KPU had small classes with instructors who had firsthand knowledge of the industry, and no biology classes if enrolled in Business. So I came to study at KPU. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made

Can you briefly describe your current position and your main day to day responsibilities?

I am the Founder/CEO/Chief Storyteller of my startup Tourifique - a travel marketplace for travellers to discover and book things to do through short-form reels. Currently, I am travelling in Albania to participate in the filming of Season 2 of The Founder Games.

As an early-stage founder, my day-to-day responsibilities at this moment are:

Reaching out to investors via email and social media to raise funds
Competing in The Founder Games Season 2, a business reality show that has 20 founders do challenges in marketing, sales, pitching, and go-to-market in order to win €300K
Overseeing the building of the Tourifique web app as product manager and sometimes software engineer (self-taught)
Researching and creating content for TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram

Which skills, knowledge, or experiences from KPU have been most valuable in your career so far?

KPU gave me valuable skills in group projects and teamwork, as we worked on several group projects together. There was also a presentation component to those projects, which improved my public speaking. In my entrepreneurial class, we had a business simulation class that I still refer to to this day

What advice would you give current KPU students who want to build a successful career after graduation?

Dream big and leverage your KPU education to find your next career or build the next billion dollar company. Also, network! Whatever you do in the future can't be achieved alone. And reach out to KPU alumni! We are one of your greatest resources.