Jacob Mueller, Entrepreneur

Jacob Mueller is a 2013 graduate of Hillsdale’ Economics program; upon completion of his degree, he devoted himself fully to his startup business, an enhanced iBook publishing company, Phalereus Publishing. The founding partner, Jon Lewis, and cofounder, Mr. Mueller, have managed to land a number of sizable contracts for their Michigan-based business, and they are currently working on expanding, rebranding, and hiring. We sat down with Jacob to ask him his opinion on the value of a Hillsdale education.

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Do you believe that your education at Hillsdale, particularly the classes within your major, prepared you well for your career?

Yes, and here’s why. The economic way of thinking is invaluable, and my introductory (to economics) classes revolutionized how I view the world. Primarily, they showed me the importance of incentives in business and how incentives affect people. This is invaluable for me since business is all about people and knowing how to engage their talents, dreams, and desires.

What advice would you give to a student currently pursuing this major?

Read current events, and apply what you’re learning to the real world. What makes you valuable to employers is a deep sense of understanding of how the world fits together. Being able to analyze critically is vital and is one of the first things I look for in potential employees.

What were your favorite class(es) related to your major?

Dr. Pongracic’s Money and Banking, as well as Healthcare Economics. Both were fascinating, and they helped me get a perspective on some of the larger problems facing our country and the world as a whole.

In what way do you think your education would have been different at another school?

Well that’s difficult to say, as I’ve never been enrolled at another school, but I firmly believe that Hillsdale is one of the best schools in the country—probably one of the best in the world. I’ve done a lot of research on different colleges for my business, and Hillsdale is without a doubt a cut above the rest. Without the specific education I received, I would not have started my business for the right reasons. It’s not about making money; it’s about being able to serve others with our products, as well as helping others through the employment opportunities we create. Going back to incentives, Hillsdale really showed me how all of these play off one another.

Any concluding remarks?

Again, I can’t stress enough how firmly I believe that Hillsdale is one of the world’s top colleges. The method of thinking that was emphasized to me has proven itself invaluable in the early stages of starting up my business where personal motivation and an ability to learn mattered most. The students Hillsdale attracts and the ideals it teaches are unique in the best sense possible.