Matt Connolly, DMSB'16 has always been interested in entrepreneurship, starting his first e-commerce business, as a 14-year-old at home in Troy, New York. During his freshman year at Northeastern, what began as clipping and selling coupons on eBay evolved into M13Y, a wholesale bulk seller with four main pillars: Gatorade, Jelly Belly, recycled wine corks, and restaurant supplies.
Connolly chose to attend Northeastern because of its co-op opportunities and deviation from traditional college practices, focusing heavily on entrepreneurial ideas and creative instinct. In addition to running his own business, Connolly, along with two other students, won the Husky Startup Challenge his freshman year for their startup Coherent Clothes. He later became a mentor for the Husky Startup Challenge, working with a number of companies including New Grounds Food.
Connolly held a co-op at Amazon as a member of the e-commerce team in the role of a financial analyst intern. He left his mark on the company, developing a plan to save time and money when handling internal technology procurement. As a result, his findings changed the manner in which Amazon updates its technology, approved by CEO Jeff Bezos. His full-time position with the company begins this summer.
When asked what advice he would give to incoming students, Connolly focused on the importance of chasing passions and meeting new people, “I would say if you're passionate about something, follow it and find someone else who is passionate about it or someone who can help you with it. At Northeastern, there are people from many backgrounds and who are doing a ton of different things. You're bound to find someone who can help you with something, or find a professor who can champion you for that cause. Take advantage of the network that is Northeastern.”