SoFi Blog

We recently announced the newest members SoFi Entrepreneur Program, a group of promising SoFi members who are starting businesses while also paying off student loans. As they progress through the program, we’ve asked each member to share important lessons they’ve learned on their road to startup success.

With the average student loan debt burden on the rise, it’s little wonder that loans often hold people back from pursuing their entrepreneurial goals. At SoFi, we’ve heard these stories time and again – friends, classmates and SoFi members who dream of starting their own businesses, but who feel trapped in a traditional job because they need to make that loan payment each month.

Refinancing student loans can be a great strategy for saving money when you’re done with school, but you can also take steps before even applying for loans that will pay off over the longterm.

However, getting accepted to an MBA program is challenging.  So much so that by the time graduate students are admitted to a program, many of them want to secure the first funding options available without pausing to thoroughly assess all the options.

Paying for a wedding these days is no joke. With the average cost weighing in at more than $31,000 (a five-year high) it’s little wonder that a growing number of couples are looking for ways to save on the big day. But at the same time, you (ideally) only get to do this once, so you want to do it right.

If you’re in this camp, check out these five easy swaps that keep your budget under control – without compromising your vision for the special day.

A year ago, SoFi member Elena Foukes Lucas was the lowest-level analyst at a Fortune 200 company. Today she’s a co-founder and CEO of a renewable energy startup. Elena’s adventurous path to a more fulfilling life and career, including her experience with SoFi Career Strategy, is an inspiring story for anyone who’s pondered the pros and cons of starting a business while repaying student loan debt.

Read the full post about Elena’s experience over on Women 2.0.