How To Start A Million Dollar Business In College

TL;DR

A college student created a turnkey tailgating service where he charged groups $200–$500 per game to set up their tailgate spots, eventually making thousands per semester. The idea was scaled nationwide by Tailgate Guys, which partnered with universities for exclusive licenses, reaching $30–$50 million annual revenue before a private equity buyout.

Key insights

• Asking "did you have a side hustle in college?" is a useful icebreaker for entrepreneurial groups.
• The original side hustle began because the student was already holding a parking spot overnight for his family and then set up their tailgate, so adjacent groups started asking him to set theirs up fo
• He priced at ~$200 initially, then increased to $500 per group per game as demand grew.