The Technograph

Open your Illinois Email account. I guarantee you that there will be an email from Eat CU at least once a month. Eat CU is a very useful resource for students, as it introduces students to restaurants of many cultures on campus. The emails from Justin Gorrell and Dan Glazer – founders of Eat CU – alert students of discounts and promotions in Champaign-Urbana.

Justin Gorrell and Dan Glazer were two college students struggling to seek out restaurants with a variety of food before they had the idea for Eat CU. At one point, they were just so fed up with eating at the same places due to lack of knowledge of restaurants around the Champaign-Urbana area. Gorrell and Glazer had the idea of Eat CU in the back of their minds, but finally decided to take action during their sophomore year at UIUC. Gorrell and Glazer were able to start Eat CU with their parents’ help, where their initial capital came from. In March 2007, they teamed up with a company in Baltimore that would help them develop the website and the ordering technology. Gorrell and Glazer also met up with owners of the local restaurants in the C-U area to help them launch Eat CU. Through hard work and dedication, EatCU.com made its debut on Aug. 22, 2007.

It would seem as if Justin Gorrell graduated from the College of Business at UIUC; in fact, Gorrell graduated with a major in Psychology. During his free time, he listens and composes music. Another passion of Gorrell’s includes outdoor activities.

Justin Gorrell’s motivation and persistence in entrepreneurship came from his father, who racked up debts from dental school to start his own practice. Gorrell envisioned himself starting another company or being part of a start-up in the future. More importantly, Gorrell sees EatCU as an important part in improving UIUC’s dining experience.

What advice does Gorrell have for upcoming entrepreneurs? He has three points: “Don’t be afraid to fail, believe in your idea and product wholeheartedly, and be persistent in whatever you do. There will always be people who don't take you seriously and the best way to convince them is by never backing down from the idea or product that you believe so strongly in.”

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