EET facilitators are highly accomplished young entrepreneurs. Speakers share their stories—both triumphs and challenges that they have faced—in addition to advice on how to leverage the entrepreneurial mindset regardless of what career path you choose.
Interested in being a speaker on the tour? Visit our call for speakers page to learn more.
Josh Kowitt
After only a month in college, Josh Kowitt founded ResFridge etc, a student-owned appliance rental business. With just one hand-truck he built the business one customer at a time. From mini-refrigerators, he moved to shipping and storage with Collegeboxes. Under Josh’s leadership, Collegeboxes grew to 60 campuses. In 2006, the Wall Street Journal recognized Collegeboxes as the nation’s largest collegiate shipping and storage company. In 2008, Collegeboxes was acquired by Store-to-Door.
Josh has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as a “Top 30 Entrepreneur Under 30” and by the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Today, Josh operates a boutique consulting firm—Josh Kowitt Consulting—to help small businesses “deliver on the promise” to their customers, employees, and stakeholders.
Josh resides in Boston and enjoys playing piano, cooking, boating, and traveling.
More about Josh
Biggest obstacle overcome...
My biggest obstacle is myself. I'm scared, I'm timid, I'm anxious, and I'm not confident enough in my own abilities to succeed. Humans, at least this human, is naturally risk adverse Overcoming these fears and pursuing something entrepreneurial is a hurdle I battle every day.
Biggest business mistake...
There was a point in 2006 when our business forgot about the basic notion of "deliver on the promise." We were promising our customers one thing, but put other priorities (e.g. marketing, sales) ahead of this ideal. Our customers killed us when our service was sub-par. Now we listen to them attentively. This ensures we deliver on our promise to customers each and every time.
Biggest vice...
Wow. I can't speak freely about all my vices. I love to eat. I would eat until I grew to 400 lbs., but then I wouldn't be able to move freely and I wouldn't have any money left--that would be bad.
Biggest advice for others...
Three suggestions for success: (1) Deliver on the promise (do what you say you're going to do; don't say things you can't do), (2) Don't quit (in a competitive situation, most opponents can easily be beat by sticking with it), and (3) Live each day as if it's a vacation (I bought a moped last year so I could ride around the Italian neighborhood in Boston and pretend I'm in Italy).
What I do for fun...
I love to eat (did I mention that before)? I'm in a band and play piano.
