Business student Abdul Abdurasulov brings Plug portable power banks to campus, now available
Over the holiday break, Belmont introduced new charging spaces for students on the go — a new student venture called Plug. Plug power bank stations offer a portable power bank sharing service where chargers can be rented for convenient usage at the rate of $2 an hour, or $6 a day.
Plug was made possible by junior business student Abdul Abdurasulov who partnered with the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship to take actionable steps in bringing power banks to campus. The idea stemmed from a trip last summer to his family’s home in Uzbekistan, where power bank stations are regularly found at local coffee shops, restaurants and cafes.
It wasn’t until he was out late with friends one night and found himself needing a charger that he realized how useful the charging stations could be. “I realized it would be easy to start up at Belmont and further expand into Nashville,” Abdurasulov said.
Abdurasulov is hopeful that once the power banks are successfully implemented in daily life by Belmont students, he’ll be able to expand into the greater Nashville area. “The idea was to build an ecosystem where people could implement Plug into their lives,” he explained. “If their phone ever dies or they need to charge, you can go just about anywhere and find a power bank.”
After researching, Abdurasulov found the same supplier of the power banks in Uzbekistan and set up a virtual meeting to discuss pricing options. He gathered details about what it would take to purchase five stations and ship them to Nashville, then reached out to the Cone Center and connected with executive director Elizabeth Gortmaker.
“What stood out to me about Abdul was his passion, his knowledge about his product and his time management and ability to execute this idea,” Gortmaker said. “I thought he had a great product, and I agreed that Belmont’s campus would benefit from this.”
Abdurasulov felt supported by Belmont’s community every step of the way as Gortmaker and chair for entrepreneurship Dr. José González assisted him by attending numerous meetings with relevant offices across campus, advising him with pricing and creating thorough business plan as well as helping him sort out legal matters.
“I really wanted to champion him, cheerlead him and make that happen for him,” Gortmaker said. “I'm so glad that within one semester we were able, thanks to the support of Belmont leaders, to bring this to campus.”
Once the equipment arrived, Abdurasulov customized the machines to fit Belmont’s branding and added his company name. He then presented Plug in-person to relevant offices and explained his ideal placement for them around campus. “They all loved it,” he recalled.
Abdurasulov remembers the most rewarding aspect of this journey being the creation of a full business from nothing. “Watching the idea I had over the summer grow was the best part –– Just staying up at night and designing what I wanted them to look like, laying out the business plan, planning out what I’ll do once it launches,” he reflected.
Plug power banks are located on the first floors of the Barbara Massey Rogers Center and Janet Ayers Academic Center, the entrance of the Beaman Student Life Center and on the first and fifth floors of the Jack C. Massey Center.
About the Cone Center
Regardless of their course of study, any aspiring student entrepreneur can use the Center for Entrepreneurship as a resource and support system. They offer one-on-one mentorship programs with well-connected alumni, monthly coffee talks with local entrepreneurs, workshops, clinics, grants and much more.
Learn More
Learn more information about the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship.