MSL alumna Jenna Dobry has recently launched a social impact start-up in Canada; her company, re-give, is collecting unused or partially-used gift cards, consolidating them, and distributing them to community organizations around Calgary. Jenna credits the MSL with helping her develop the mindset and knowledge to start this company; see Jenna’s student profile here. I recently sat down with Jenna to get the scoop on her new company.
Nicole Schneider: What were your favorite classes in the MSL program and why?
Jenna Dobry: I didn’t necessarily want to take Entrepreneurship Law, but I ended up taking it because it fit well into my schedule. I had previously been involved in founding a not-for-profit company during my undergrad days, and I thought I could bring some interesting perspectives to the class, but I didn’t think of myself as an “entrepreneur” per se. As it turns out, I was wrong. Recently, I was out with a friend and we noticed the number of gift cards we had in our wallets, with no idea how much was left on them and no real confidence they would ever get used. I’m willing to bet many people have found themselves in this situation. We were immediately inspired to try to turn this inconvenient plastic into something that served a purpose. And that’s how re:give was born. re:give seeks to reduce monetary waste by collecting and consolidating partially-used and unused gift cards into larger value cards to be donated to community organizations. If anyone wants to learn more or follow along on our journey, check out our website at www.re-give.com.
Nicole Schneider: How did the MSL program prepare you to launch re:give?
Jenna Dobry: The coolest thing about our idea for re:give was that I knew exactly what to do to get us off the ground! The formation and launch of this company actually felt possible, thanks to the MSL program! I pulled out my notes from Entrepreneurship Law, Business Formation & Structure, and even Privacy Law & Regulation and we got to work on our business plan and incorporation documents. More than just the literal knowledge I learned, it was the way to approach problems that was really valuable.
As we were working through our business plan, we kept asking ourselves, “What could go wrong with this part?” or “What could go wrong with that part?” and I know this perspective on planning came from the substance and conversations in my various business and contract classes. After all, a contract is all about preparing for things to go bad and knowing what happens if/when it does. These cautious conversations are sometimes difficult, especially when starting a business with a friend, but I had the voices of Steve Reed, Darren Green, Esther Barron, and Emerson Tiller in my head reminding me of all the things that could happen if we didn’t have these conversations, and I knew it would be so much worse if we didn’t have them.
Nicole Schneider: You still have a day job as a Clinical Research Associate. How does being the co-founder of re:give fit together with that?
Jenna Dobry: My day job as a Clinical Research Associate allows me to stay connected to my love of science and medicine and ensure our team is able to provide top-notch care to our patients, while remaining compliant with all the overarching regulations.
My passion project, re:give, allows me to engage my creativity and problem-solving skills to deal with all the unexpected twists and turns of the start-up world.
Nicole Schneider: What knowledge did you gain from the MSL program that you use regularly in your positions?
Jenna Dobry: The most unique thing I gained from the MSL was a perspective on the American regulatory system. I was an International Student (from Canada) and was initially worried that the information I learned would not be applicable to me in my own country. Again, the MSL proved me wrong. I interact with the American healthcare and research regulatory frameworks on a daily business in my work as a Clinical Research Associate; we are consistently dealing with Investigational New Drugs (INDs) and clinical trials that are also sponsored by the National Institute of Health (under the National Cancer Institute). It is so valuable to understand the inner workings and motivations of the administrative agencies while we work to maintain compliance with their regulations. Additionally, during the program, I would consistently compare and contrast the American system with the Canadian system, which provided me a unique perspective on how my own government and regulatory frameworks work on the international scale.
Nicole Schneider: What moment in your career are you most proud of to date?
Jenna Dobry: The coolest thing that has happened with re:give so far was probably getting a spot on our local morning show to promote it! We had a local PR firm interested in our idea and they pitched us to a number of media outlets.
A special thank you to Jenna Dobry for sharing your experience with us!
