Making the jump from a ‘wantrepreneur’ to an entrepreneur

James Czerew, a 2007 College of Technology alumnus, started his first company, TechConnect, LLC, in 2011 after a period of working in the healthcare industry.

“For most of my life, I had the idea I might one day start a company. I quickly learned that there is a big difference between the dream of starting a company and the reality of actually running one,” Czerew said. “Everyone has a ‘million-dollar’ idea, but what it comes down to is execution. That is where business and innovation skills are needed.”

Czerew’s goal was to develop TechConnect, LLC as a technology consulting company, providing innovative technology solutions that were stable, secure and elegant for both local and international companies.

“Making the jump from a ‘wantrepreneur’ to an entrepreneur was one of the scariest things I have ever done. However, it has also been one of the most rewarding things I have ever accomplished,” Czerew said. “Thanks to the many positive business and technology experiences at DU, I feel I was set up for success.”

The inclusion of business courses in his IT degree path gave him a strong business foundation and the courage to launch his technology and security company.

Through DU, he had access to advanced technology equipment while getting practical hands-on experiences from instructors who were experts in their fields.

Czerew’s more recent startup project, “radi8er,” is a combination of three of his favorite passions in life: music, community and technology.

Radi8er is introducing a new type of music streaming app to the airwaves. The app focuses on localized music discovery, empowering artists to connect directly with their fans while enabling music lovers to discover music based on their location and listening preferences.

“Radi8er is being called the world’s first hyper-local, crowd-powered, real-time music discovery platform,” Czerew said. “We are hoping to help people experience that ‘I just discovered my new favorite band’ feeling more often. We want to enable those moments of discovery and restore connections between a music scene and its community.

Czerew spoke at the inaugural Entrepreneurship Alumni Panel about how he went from a ‘wantrepreneur’ to an entrepreneur.

Czerew will be joined by:

• Mike Dokter, ‘10, EMBA, ‘13, Partner and SVP – Motown Property Group
• Ann Vidro, ‘91, ‘96, Owner, CFO – Creative Studio Promotions
• Carlos Sanchez, ‘07, Director – Latino Business and Economic Development Center