Ron Ting continually asks himself, “Why not?” before making decisions in life. Ron is a recent graduate of the Real Estate and Housing program who won third place for his website idea, LeoBold, in the 2012 Nicol Entrepreneurial Competition.
Ron, like many CME students, took the opportunity to work with real world problems through a hands-on project. CME is committed to offering students experiential learning opportunities through co-operative education, service learning and business competitions. These experiences attempt to transform student understanding of their disciplines and develop essential skills for success. Ron admits that his perceptions of business have changed through his classes and extracurricular activities within CME.
Ron received his BA Architecture from Carleton University in 2009, and he is passionate about designing houses for others. Ron hopes to start his own architectural business and chose to get a second degree in BComm to hone his business skills. When asked why he chose to study Commerce, Ron responded, “I knew I had a passion for designing houses, but I lacked the professional skills to maintain a healthy, striving business. I was also impressed with CME’s Real Estate and Housing program, only one of two undergraduate programs offered in Canada.”
Upon starting his last semester, Ron’s “Why not?” attitude led him to create his website idea, LeoBold, intended to help people in their search for a new home. LeoBold would serve as a central hub of information for home buyers when researching potential homes. The website would offer various language options to support non-native English speakers looking for residence. Ron quickly transformed his idea into a hands-on project and pitched his website model in the Nicol Entrepreneurial Competition. His idea was well received and he was awarded third place with $1000 to apply to his website.
As a result of the Competition, Ron has received valuable advice regarding his idea from Erin Skimson, Director of the University’s Business Development Office, among others. According to Ron, “The Nicol Competition was a great way to communicate my idea to others. I learned a lot from the experience and I plan to enter additional competitions in the future.”
Ron recently finished his final semester and hopes to develop his website in the coming months. Ron was a remarkable student with an entrepreneurial edge who believes, “If you have passion and drive, you will succeed. “ Ron is a great example of how CME students strive for success and push the boundaries.
