Clean Start, Big Ambitions

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Some students arrive at college with a business idea. Nicholas Skjeveland ’28 arrived ready to make his happen.

On the first day of his freshman year, Skjeveland, a business management major in the Lubin School of Business, sought out Professor Kathy Winsted, PhD, to pitch an idea: a student-run cleaning company that would make life easier for students living on campus.

Today, that idea is Pace Cleans, a business headquartered in Martin Hall on the Pleasantville Campus, offering residence hall cleaning, mobile car detailing, and laundry services. And Skjeveland isn't just its founder. He's its general manager, gaining firsthand experience in everything it takes to build and operate a business.

"I didn't have everything figured out, but I knew I wanted to give it a shot," he says.

From Classroom Concepts to Real-World Business

Skjeveland recognized a simple problem: busy college students don't always have the time to maintain their living spaces. Rather than accept it as part of college life, he saw an opportunity.

Through Lubin's Center for Student Enterprise (CSE), which helps students launch and manage businesses on the Pleasantville Campus, he found the mentorship, resources, and opportunity to turn that observation into a working business.

"The Center for Student Enterprise has been a huge factor in that," Skjeveland says. "It has given me the opportunity to start my own business while gaining hands-on experience in what it takes to build and operate a successful company."

He credits Professor Winsted with helping make that opportunity possible.

"She gave me the opportunity and support to take my idea and run with it," he says. "Without her guidance, and willingness to give me a chance, none of this would have been possible."

"Just go for it. Don't hesitate, overthink, or wait for the perfect timing," he says.

That combination of mentorship and real-world responsibility is central to CSE's mission, giving Lubin students opportunities to develop managerial skills while operating businesses that serve the University community.

Making His Mark Beyond Campus

Skjeveland's entrepreneurial ambition is already earning recognition beyond Pace.

At the 2026 Entrepreneurs' Organization New York Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, he placed third among student entrepreneurs competing from across New York City.

For Skjeveland, the experience offered more than an opportunity to pitch Pace Cleans. It connected him with fellow founders navigating the same challenges of launching, managing, and growing a business.

"Getting to meet other like-minded, motivated, and goal-oriented students was one of the best parts," he says. "Having conversations about growth, exchanging ideas, and discussing the challenges we've faced while running our business gave me a completely different perspective on entrepreneurship."

And entrepreneurship is only one part of his Pace experience. Skjeveland is also a safety on the Pace Football team, a vice president of the professional business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, and a Northeast-10 Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll honoree with Academic Distinction.

Balancing those commitments while building a company demands discipline, leadership, and the ability to turn ambition into action.

An Entrepreneurial Mindset

For other Lubin students considering their own ventures, Skjeveland's advice is straightforward: Don't wait until everything is perfect.

"Just go for it. Don't hesitate, overthink, or wait for the perfect timing," he says.

It's a philosophy that has taken him from a first-day conversation with a professor to managing a student-run business and competing against some of New York City's promising young entrepreneurs.

"As I like to say, if you wait for the rain to water your garden, your crops will never grow. Take the initiative, put yourself out there, and don't be afraid to get started. You never know where one idea might take you."

Have a business idea of your own? Discover how Lubin’s Center for Student Enterprise helps students turn ideas into real-world ventures.