Navigating global horizons: Alec Shi's entrepreneurial path at Rotman Commerce
Finance & Economics Specialist Alec Shi (BCom ’25) has carved a distinctive path at Rotman Commerce, leveraging the program’s rich resources and global perspectives to evolve his talent development startup, EduBeyond, on an international scale.
Early entrepreneurial instincts
Some know early on that business is their calling. For Alec Shi, this instinct was in part inspired by his father and in part by his early startup initiatives. Even before graduating from high school, Alec had already been involved with several startups of his own. As a maturing entrepreneur, Alec sought a post-secondary business program that would continue to foster his growth. RC emerged as the natural choice due to its standout faculty and abundant resources, which made it the front-runner among other similar programs he researched. U of T’s ambiance was also a consideration: “When I was young,” Alec exclaims, “I also had a chance to visit the U of T campus, and the architecture and landscaping made a strong impression on me!“
Alec began his studies at RC with preexisting skills and high hopes of developing them further. In particular, his interest in investment thrived in the Finance & Economics Specialist program, which allowed him to experience different aspects of Finance beyond the scope of his expectations, thanks to the expertise of faculty members and their readiness to offer support.
Alec Shi, BCom ‘25“At RC, it was great to be able to explore both my casual interests (day trading and portfolio management) and professional inquiries (company finances and legal strategies).”
Applying RC learnings to business ventures
The pivotal moment for Alec’s startup EduBeyond came as he gained valuable access to industry professionals through RC, which he recognizes as “the main gamechanger” in the company’s evolution. Alec first co-founded Edubeyond in 2020 as an online tutoring program to bring about equitable education by working with local school districts. Capitalizing on RC’s rich pool of resources, Alec validated and optimized his startup to a much greater extent, creating more robust company structures and rational R&D timelines.
Not only did Alec’s learnings inform his technical knowledge, but RC’s international lens and diverse student body also played a crucial role in catalyzing EduBeyond’s eventual global expansion. Alec tapped into the RC network of over 3,000 students—39% of whom are international students from around the world—to gain insights into new target markets and improve user experience.
Having now done work in other countries such as Indonesia, Alec contends that foreign markets should be approached with informed awareness but no rigid expectations. He recalls personal experiences of having miscommunicated: “I found that social cues were something I missed quite a bit when meeting with prospective clients from different cultures (and some had unfortunate implications), and it’s always important to read the room.” A sense of cultural sensitivity proved essential in communications with overseas markets, and a program with a student body as diverse as RC’s definitely helped in developing important intuitions in international work.
Future aspirations
Alec’s journey at Rotman Commerce has exemplified the fusion of entrepreneurial passion and a program that emphasizes global vision and future-preparedness. Looking ahead, Alec contemplates a venture into a personal interest, ancient history, which he intends to explore after being inspired by a conversation with an RC professor. This potential side project aims to combine ancient history with Alec’s knowledge of business and education. He would like to make the potentially intimidating subject matter more digestible for the average person through personalized learning approaches—and he will undoubtedly find support in RC along the way.
Alec has several pieces of advice for current and prospective RC students. Most importantly, he stresses the importance of a work/study-life balance.
Alec Shi, BCom ‘25“Being a full-time startup person (hours-wise) while attending school is tough. I’ve definitely learned some tough lessons about prioritizing health. I realized it’s important not to get caught up in the excitement of things and to maintain a sustainable lifestyle.”
In addition, Alec has thoughts on the topical subject of artificial intelligence. Though his startup does utilize certain AI features, Alec advises against an over-reliance on AI performance metrics.
On the other hand, he very much encourages taking advantage of one of the most valuable RC resources at students’ disposal—the peers and professors who are always happy to impart diverse and insightful knowledge:
Alec Shi, BCom ‘25“To this day…I am still talking to classmates and professors in areas such as fundraising, accounting, and sales techniques…I did have high expectations coming into the program, which were all exceeded by everyone’s expertise and willingness to help.”
By Rebecca Wan | December 1, 2023
