By Founders Veer Parkash and Samir Arif

Throughout high school, we were both deeply interested in business and eager to gain hands-on experience. We joined numerous clubs and organizations in hopes of learning how business works in the real world. However, most of these programs focused on theoretical concepts and simulations. While valuable, they did not offer the immersive, real-world learning we craved.

Driven by this gap, we spent three months organizing an initiative to start a new student club focused on working directly with small businesses. We created social media channels, drafted a year-long plan, and began recruiting student leaders. With a group of 30 motivated students on board, we presented our proposal to the school in hopes of gaining official club status. Our vision was to connect students with real business challenges and offer them the chance to apply their skills in a meaningful, practical way.

Despite our efforts, the school rejected our proposal, citing similarities with existing organizations such as Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and the Entrepreneurship Club. While we understood the overlap in theme, our approach offered a distinct and essential difference: real-life, client-based experience. Our vision wasn’t to simulate business—it was to do business.

Faced with rejection, we didn’t give up. Instead, we reimagined our idea outside the boundaries of a school club. Using savings we had earned from reselling sneakers, we took a leap of faith and founded a nonprofit organization: Market IRL (In Real Life). We invested in application fees, branding, scheduling tools, and volunteer recruitment. It was a risk—we had no guarantee of success—but we believed deeply in our mission.

Over time, our work began to gain traction. Students were eager to join, and local businesses were open to collaboration. Market IRL became a platform for high school students to volunteer by offering services like marketing, graphic design, video production, and web development—all in support of real businesses. In return, participants earned verified service hours and developed marketable skills through genuine experience.

A pivotal moment came one year after our original club proposal was denied: we were invited back by our school’s Entrepreneurship Club to lead a hands-on marketing workshop. For two weeks, we mentored 35 students in creating marketing strategies for MagnaGleam, a local toy company. The students presented their campaigns directly to the company’s founder, aiming to have their ideas implemented. It was a full-circle moment—proof that our model worked, and that our perseverance mattered.

Market IRL was born out of rejection, but it has grown into a thriving platform of opportunity. Our journey taught us how to lead, build community, and solve problems creatively. Most importantly, it showed us that hands-on experience doesn’t just prepare students for the future—it empowers them in the present.

As we continue to grow Market IRL, our mission remains clear: to bridge the gap between education and real-world business through meaningful, student-led service. With continued support, we aim to expand our programs, reach more students, and uplift more small businesses—one project at a time.

Last Updated: June 5, 2025