Justin French's journey from MiraCosta College graduate to a seasoned entrepreneur and marketing professional exemplifies the power of education.

Back in the early 2000s, Justin was an ambitious teenager who had just graduated from Oceanside High School. He was excited to take the next step in his academic journey, but he also wasn’t going to let that stop him from jumpstarting his career. 

While enrolled at MiraCosta College, Justin juggled a busy schedule running an IT consulting business full-time. 

Shared Justin, “Building a company of my own was something I was always drawn to. I still remember riding in my grandfather’s truck and hearing him tell stories about the steel company that he started.”

Justin’s grandfather was a World War II veteran who spent most of his life as a steelworker. He later founded his own steel company in San Bernardino County and would take a young Justin to work to show him the ropes. Naturally, those early memories left a lasting mark. 

Continued Justin, “There was just something so special about creating something from scratch and watching it grow.”

To do that though, Justin knew he needed the right environment in order to succeed. That’s why there was no better place for Justin than MiraCosta College. The skills and knowledge acquired at MiraCosta College became the cornerstones of Justin's success.

“My dad went to MiraCosta College, my sister went there, and a lot of other family and friends took courses on campus,” explained Justin. “I knew MiraCosta College would provide me the perfect opportunity to grow my skills in the classroom while I pursued my passion as an entrepreneur.”

“It was the perfect bridge to everything that I wanted academically and personally. MiraCosta College laid the foundation that I needed to thrive as a young entrepreneur, and the business classes set me up for success when I transferred to Cal State San Marcos years later.” 

Yet even a world of ambition and industry expertise doesn’t always equate to long-term success. Sure, hindsight is 20-20 but that doesn’t make the challenges of the early 2000s any easier to cope with.

As we now know, owning a business during the market crash of the early 2000’s was a losing proposition for countless businesses. Like many of his entrepreneur peers, Justin saw his business go from making a million dollars in earnings over the course of five years to near-inactivity due to the 2008-2010 Mortgage Crisis.

“It was one of the toughest years of my life,” recalled Justin. “There were so many days where I felt like my entrepreneurial dreams were over. But over time, I knew I just needed to keep the faith.”

Taking what he learned at MiraCosta College, Justin ventured into the emerging world of digital marketing and founded a new company focused on helping companies meet their marketing goals. While growing his business, Justin served in a variety of freelance and internal marketing roles as he expanded his knowledge of the industry. In time, Justin became one of the leading thinkers and leaders in the space, which came full circle when he was asked to teach a business course at MiraCosta College years later.  

“Resilience is definitely one of the first words that comes to mind when I look back on my journey from MiraCosta College to now,” shared Justin. “Those professors and counselors on campus gave me the tools to keep pushing through every obstacle as an entrepreneur. Even today, I tell young students that MiraCosta College is the perfect community that breeds future success.” 

As he paves the way for the next generation, Justin encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to learn from both successes and failures on their path to success. From his early days shadowing his grandfather, to the foundation he built while at MiraCosta College, Justin’s resilience, adaptability, and an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit epitomizes the ethos of community college.