Brianna Campbell / The Collegian
Who would have thought that losing $20,000 on a dune buggy would lead to success?
Adam Mortanian, business administration major at California State University, Fresno, faced this loss at 20 years old, after building a dune buggy from scratch, hoping to sell it for profit.
Sand Sports magazine featured Mortanian’s work, sparking the interest of a buyer in Los Angeles, for a much lower price. Despite the setback, his failure served a purpose.
The now 23-year-old student has created multiple businesses, which range from buying and selling dirt bikes, handling foreclosed properties and a venture he calls iRESUME.
iRESUME is an interactive Web site that allows applicants to attached a resume as well as post a video.
Mortanian pitched iRESUME at the 90-second elevator competition.
“I was out one Friday night and I had a brilliant idea to post resumes online. I woke up Saturday went and pitched it, and I won,” Mortanian said.
Mortanian earned an office in the student hatchery at the Lyle’s Center and an all expense-paid trip to Chicago for his creative idea.
Mortanian’s past endeavors include Adnic Asset Management, a company that manages foreclosed houses in Fresno County.
“I found an advertisement on Craigslist, called it up and it started to expand,” he said.
Six months and 1,500 properties later Mortanian sold Adnic Asset Management for $100,000.
“I went out and partied,” Mortanian said. “Then I put the money into four new businesses.”
Mortanian now shares his learning experiences with local high school students through the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a program that the Lyle’s Center runs for underprivileged students.
AJ Johnston, Program Coordinator for Education Outreach at the Lyle’s Center, coerced Mortanian into the program three semesters ago.
“When I first saw him, I said, ‘Who is this kid and why is he so loud?’” After questioning him, Johnston felt confident enough in him to encourage him to partner with NFTE.
Johnston believes that students relate to Mortanian’s high-energy approach. “He speaks to them about his mistakes and the lessons he has learned from them,” Johnston said.
Mortanian currently has multiple businesses in the works ranging form trying to market his eco-friendly water spot remover, to “YoGo,” a wellness program providing yoga to corporations to lower health insurance costs and increase employee productivity.
“Everyone has a little entrepreneurial spirit,” Mortonian said. “They just might not know it yet.”