Oct. 14, 2026
Contact: Sara Diedrich, diedrichs@missouri.edu
Photo courtesy of Kelsey Raymond
Nathan Smith thought he knew what his summer would look like.
The University of Missouri business student had accepted a coveted internship with a Big Four accounting firm in Kansas City that offered valuable experience and a path to a full-time job after graduation.
Then another possibility emerged through the network Smith had built at Mizzou: the opportunity to work with entrepreneur, author and keynote speaker Diana Kander.
One internship offered a more traditional experience in accounting. The other gave Smith a front-row seat to entrepreneurship and the chance to learn how a successful leader turns ideas into action.
Smith chose the unexpected path.
That decision put him to work at Kander’s Kansas City-based consulting firm, where he developed strategies for book sales and speaking engagements and saw firsthand how experienced entrepreneurs approach problems, relationships and opportunities.
But the most memorable lessons for Smith had little to do with business strategy.
“Diana showed me that a good life is making time to enjoy the things you’re passionate about, having your priorities in order and being able to structure your life in a way that works for you,” he said. “The technical skills I learned were valuable, but the life skills were even more meaningful.”
An entrepreneurial streak
For Smith, entrepreneurship wasn’t new.
Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, he was always looking for ways to make extra money. In high school, he turned that hustle into a small business, buying furniture and fitness equipment online and reselling it at a markup. The venture helped him pay for an associate degree at a community college and later helped fund his education at Mizzou.
Smith transferred to Mizzou as a junior and enrolled in the School of Accountancy’s 150-hour program, which combines a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy with a Master of Accountancy at the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business.
But accounting wasn’t his only interest. Smith was also experimenting with another business: a startup that connects older adults with college students who help with everyday tasks in exchange for reduced rent.
“The matches we made were very successful, but we couldn’t generate demand,” Smith said.
Looking for guidance, Smith turned to Kelsey Raymond, BSBA ’11, executive director of entrepreneurship programs at Mizzou. She recommended he read Kander’s “All In Startup.” Smith did, and the book helped him recognize a flaw in his approach. He had built a business around an idea before determining whether there was enough demand for it.
A few months later, Raymond came to him with another opportunity. Kander was looking for a Mizzou student to intern with her firm.
The Mizzou connection
Connecting students like Smith with people who can expand their possibilities is exactly what Raymond hoped to do when she returned to Mizzou last year to lead its entrepreneurship programs.
“When I was in the entrepreneurial programs at Mizzou, the single biggest value I received was building my network while still in college,” she said. “So, it is my mission to help other students do the same.”
For Smith, the internship with Kander revealed just how far a Mizzou connection can reach. She encouraged him to think about networking not just as a way to find a job but as something worth investing in throughout his career.
“Diana told me that relationships are one of the best long-term competitive advantages you can have in business,” he said.
The connection has continued to pay off. Smith, who plans to graduate in December 2027, still works on projects for Kander. His younger brother, a Mizzou freshman, was recently hired by Kander, too.
For Smith, changing his summer plans ultimately expanded his idea of where a Mizzou education could take him.
“I’ve realized there are so many different opportunities at Mizzou that you don’t even know are there until you start building relationships,” he said.
