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Coggin College of Business
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UNF alum turned entrepreneur encourages students

Steve Elder talking to a group of studentsUniversity of North Florida Coggin College of Business alum Steve Elder is an accomplished entrepreneur who took a $20,000 investment and turned it into iRocker, a water sports and lifestyle brand company now worth approximately $70 million. Elder was named Florida’s Entrepreneur of the Year by EW in 2021. 

After seeing great success, he came back in September to his alma mater to speak with Coggin College of Business students who are aspiring entrepreneurs. In the workshop, he answered student questions and shared the story of his entrepreneurial journey, the process taken to build a company from the ground up and tips for early-career success. 

During the interaction with students he recounted his experience as an employee at a Fortune 500 delivery company and how Elder branched out on his own while expanding his family as his wife was having children and his personal responsibilities were growing. Through it all, though, Elder encouraged students to remain true to their vision and that is ultimately the quality that builds businesses such as iRocker, he said.

Consider becoming a guest speaker, click here.