When I arrived at Fuqua, I knew I wanted to build something meaningful, but I didn’t expect to launch a startup while balancing a full MBA schedule, graduating with a 3.9 GPA, and successfully recruiting for Amazon’s MBA Leadership Development Program.

As an international student, I’ve experienced the complexity and stress of the U.S. immigration process firsthand. But the real “a-ha” moment came during my internships at venture capital firms. I saw promising startups struggle to hire top international talent. Many of these companies passed on brilliant candidates — often my own classmates — because they didn’t want to deal with immigration paperwork.

That insight hit hard. The system wasn’t just broken for students — it was broken for companies, too. So, I decided to build a startup to help fix it.

Leveraging AI as an Entrepreneur

Our platform, Let’s Get Visa, simplifies the immigration process using AI, making it easier and more affordable for students and small businesses to navigate. My team and I pitched our venture at the 2025 Duke Startup Showcase, hosted by Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and won the Dean Yep Jr. Prize, an award honoring the late Fuqua alumnus.

Rahul Narang, a student at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, holding a check labeled as the Dean Yep Jr. Prize in front of a project screen with a slide reading: Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Startup Showcase

Balancing academics, a startup, and recruiting was no small feat. There were long nights, missed events, and plenty of moments where it felt like I was sprinting in every direction. But staying anchored in my goals helped me manage it all — dedicating my days to coursework, evenings to the startup, and focused effort on recruiting when the time came.

To incoming international students, here’s what I’ve learned:

  • Be laser-focused. There’s no shortage of options and opinions in business school. The key is knowing what you want and not getting swayed by what your peers are doing. Your journey is your own.
  • Be clear on what you need. Whether it’s visa guidance, alumni support, or clarity on your goals, ask early and often. Fuqua has the resources, but you need to activate them.
  • Stay true to your “why.” You’ll hear about job offers, career pivots, and startup wins all around you. Celebrate them, but don’t lose sight of what brought you here.

This past year taught me how to build under pressure, stay grounded amid noise, and turn a personal challenge into a real solution. If you come to Fuqua with a clear sense of purpose and a willingness to hustle, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.