Since age 14, Jordan Rapps hasbeen mastering the art of business.He has not yet completed universityand has already developed threebusiness ventures, from a swimprogram to an e-commerce serviceand a media production company.

“I’ve always had anentrepreneurial drive,” says Rapps.

During his time at WestmountColligate Institute, Rapps noticedearly on that his peers had apropensity for procrastination.Seeing a golden opportunity, hedecided to sell his meticulous studynotes to the cohort of frantic andunder-prepared classmates before

major tests and exams.Marketing the packets as Rapps’

Relief Guides, he lit the fire of hisentrepreneurial spirit whilesimultaneously lining his pocketswith fun money in the process.

“People came to me, asking tobuy them [Rapps’ Relief Guides],and I figured, why not make a littlemoney off of something I wasdoing anyway,” he says.

Rapps also began a crash swimcourse startup called Swim Bros.Once again profiting offprocrastination, Rapps providedteens heading off to summer campwith the necessary swimmingaccreditations in a hurry.

Swim Bros, at theswimbros.com,still runs from May to June, nowwith a July to August expansion. Heand partner Brody Dehond are even

looking into renting space at anindoor pool, so that they can runthe business all year round.

In Grade 11, Rapps co-foundedan e-commerce service calledCartoon Me with high schoolchum Daniel Mester. The website,cartoon-me.com, allows clients tosend in photos and have themreturned in cartoon form for a fee.

Now in his second year atWestern university, studyingbusiness, Rapps is focused on hisrapidly growing media productioncompany, Little Goat Media.

The company, fronted by Rappsand roommate Jonny Solomon, is aplatform for local artists to sharetheir music. Rapps and Solomon,taking a page from famed musicstartups such as the Black CabSessions and NPR’s Tiny DeskConcerts, produce high-qualityvideos of intimate acoustic sessions;calling them Little Goat Sessions.

Little Goat Media also dabblesin social media strategy and smallbusiness promotions. CBC Musiceven featured one of the sessionsfrom the group Eh440 onSearchlight, a cross-Canada contestin search of the best up and comingmusicians.

This summer, Rapps will start aninternship with computer giantHewlett-Packard Enterprise(HPE), working on corporate videosolutions, facilitating audiovisualcontent for corporate events andcreating YouTube content forHPE’s products and services.

Moving forward, Rapps showsno signs of slowing down.Although he values his schooling,he believes life is learned and madeby doing.

“I’ve learned more fromexperience and business venturesthan I have from school,” he says.

Rapps’ latest venture is Little GoatMedia, a media production company

Triple threat tycoonJordan Rapps on starting three companiesbefore getting a degree by Darcy Streitenfeld

REPORT CARD STUDENT:

Jordan RappsGRADUATED:

Westmount Collegiate, 2014BEST SUBJECT:

Business

WORST SUBJECT:

French

CURRENT JOB:

Entrepreneur

“Why not make alittle money off ofsomething I wasdoing anyway.”

LOCAL GRADUATESLIFE