Kevin Rustagi | Action and Thought

“Bite off more than you can chew, and then chew like hell.” - Peter Brock 2013 GOALS 1. CREATE 2 NEW PRODUCTS THAT PEOPLE LIKE (AND BUY). USE THAT TO FUND OTHER PROJECTS. 2. RECORD AN ALBUM. BUILD A STUDIO TO DO SO. INVESTIGATE NEW MUSIC STARTUP CONCEPTS USING THE STUDIO. 3. DO A TED TALK ON SHARING IDEAS. [DONE, SEE BELOW] WRITE AN E-BOOK TO GO WITH IT.

TEDx Youth@CharlesRiver

A good speech should be like a woman's skirt: long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest. - Sir Winston Churchill

VIRAL CONSUMER PRODUCTS

The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. - Malcolm Gladwell

APPLE iPhone 5 Mfg. Engineer Summer 2010 Working on the best ways in the world to make speaker holes for the iPhone 5 (see the design section). Laser-testing, spark machining, and micro-drilling. Had the privilege of working with some phenomenal people. MINISTRY OF SUPPLY Co-Founder 12/2010 - 12/2012 Started with friend at MIT. 1st $600k+ in sales, 5k+ customers in 2 years. Standing Kickstarter fashion record ($429k raised, $30k goal). MassChallenge Gold Award (of 1,237 teams). Forbes, Popular Science, NPR Boston. INCREDIBLY ABSURD Founder 01/2009 - 10/2010, 12/2012 - Present Laser-etched aluminum business cards. Puts Patrick Bateman to shame and it never fades, why not? See the design section for the different versions and here for test user reviews. For sale Spring 2013!

Incredibly Absurd Reviews

A joke is a very serious thing. - Sir Winston Churchill

DESIGN

I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything. - Nikola Tesla

Music

Music changes the world because it changes people. - Bono

Dischord 2004 - 2005 My high school band - so much fun, so much to learn. My first real self-directed team. Our first gig: 4/16/2005 at the Cardi's Club. The good ol' days. The Guitar Knives 2008 - 2010 My MIT band, most notable for, beyond our few originals, devoting ourselves to the cause of starting, and leading the MIT Live Music Connection. The Executives 2010 - 2012 My MIT cover band, formed by the executive board of the Live Music Connection to stay sharp and have fun. We did a live album as I was learning how to record. X & the Y's 2010 - 2011 Mark Ellis II and I hacking out several songs as a duet. The Sweeter Song is still my favorite original, though I admit that my vocals can improve. The Future 2008 - Future My current band, a Texas power trio. An interesting blend of rock, indie eastern, and everything in between, we are recording our first album this year.

WRITING

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Ben Franklin

Thesis My undergraduate thesis from MIT: advised by Prof. Maria Yang, taking early concepts to initial implementation. Insight from John Harthorne: MassChallenge CEO, Seth Godin: popular author. Read >> E-book My mission is to author an e-book by the end of 2013. The current topic is virality. I'll be talking to the most relevant people I can find that are a part of ideas spreading virally. Blog Things that I notice about startups, design, interviews with interesting people, as well as my personal journey - elements of my life: hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Read >>

LEARNING

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. - Nelson Mandela

Massachusetts Institute of Technology BSc Mechanical Engineering | Product Design, Chinese Class of 2011 | Baker House, Phi Beta Epsilon MIT was a fascinating experience, with lots of tough p-sets and fond memories. Raised over $20,000 and started the MIT Live Music Connection, recruiting, recording, producing, and releasing MIT's 1st 3 student music albums. Launched Camp Kesem's teen program. CK: for children of cancer patients. 2011 MIT Sigma Phi Epsilon Balanced Man Scholar (only 2/year); named Marshall & Rhodes finalists, Member Pi Tau Sigma MechE Honor Society. Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA | Pre-Admitted to Class of 2016 Entrepreneurship | Design Entering in the fall of 2014, Stanford will be a place to melt down the sword, re-forge, and sharpen it repeatedly, gaining a deeper understanding of the past and preparing for an exciting future. I look forward to learning from amazing peers and taking design classes at the world-renowned d.school. Design Curriculum Development Trash Can Drumming | Water-jet Marble Clock Workshop Experiments in Rapid Design Thinking Instruction I'm fascinated by how basic skills can allow advanced learning rapidly. Spring 2011, 2012: Raised $3k+, developed design process for, and managed small team for water-jetting marble clocks as gifts. Also advised undergraduate student who orchestrated and ran a follow-up class. Additional info: thesis. Fall 2012: Discussion-based startup workshops with high-school students. Spring 2012, 2013: Successfully wrote curriculum for and instructed pilot trash can drumming class at MIT (initial class of 9 students), follow-up with 20 MIT students and pilot workshops with 20 regional high-school students. Guerrilla Education Reading | Interviewing | Mentoring Business | Design, Social Sciences | Cognitive Psychology 2013 is a year of on-the-ground learning, and I'm learning on the go. Tons of reading, recently: game theory, The Startup Game (VC), Obliquity (natural design), The Dip (grit), Mastery (skills), Lovemarks (branding), Nikola Tesla's Autobiography (invention), The Idea Factory: Bell Labs... (innovation) I'm going for it and writing an e-book: I love learning from others - engaging thought leaders is a huge part of that. Their perspective is invaluable. Mentoring: This goes both ways. I do a lot of coaching for grad programs, and MIT's Camp Kesem. I seek out mentors 2, 5, and 20 steps ahead. Startup Advising: I advise early-stage companies on minimum viable product, route to market, and crowd-funding.

Kevin Rustagi is one of the most ebullient and driven students I have met at MIT. He will go places. - Dr. Sanjay Sarma, MIT Director of Digital Learning, RFID Pioneer Kevin applied to MassChallenge and was rejected. Undeterred, he came back and won $50,000. For Kevin, failure = flint, and risk = tinder. Kevin is a classic entrepreneur with the unique ability to humbly lead and inspire others to tackle visions of what the world can be. I strongly recommend him. - John Hathorne, CEO|Founder MassChallenge (Global Startup Accelerator) Having had Kevin in class and then been a front row observer of the birth of Ministry of Supply, I have been so impressed with Kevin’s commitment to excellence, his energy and creativity. He should do great things. – Bill Aulet, Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship Kevin is a dynamic person. In the three years that I have known him, he has attacked every challenge with intensity, energy, and a drive for perfection ... designing a mechanical part, Ministry of Supply, or music he has always wanted to apply engineering and design sensitivity to his craft. - Kate Bergeron, Director of Macbook Product Design

TOGETHER

A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. - John Lennon

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