At the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE), we’re all about sparking innovation and empowering students to turn their ideas into reality. For Kevin Yanos, Lecturer for ENTR390: Intro to Entrepreneurial Design: Hardware, Coding, & IoT, that spark is more than just a job—it’s a way of life.
With a deep-rooted passion for entrepreneurship and a wealth of real-world experience, Kevin is dedicated to inspiring his students to dream big and build bold, impactful products.
A Family Legacy of Entrepreneurship
Kevin’s entrepreneurial journey began long before his time at the University of Michigan. “My father was a career entrepreneur, so I saw firsthand how carving your own path brought satisfaction and freedom through creating value for others,” Kevin shares. “I grew up knowing that I wanted to create products that could positively affect others’ lives and decided to more formally pursue that path once I started attending Michigan.”
While still a student, Kevin found the entrepreneurial energy on campus to be unlike anything he’d experienced before. “I found the energy and passion to be unmatched and contagious. Everyone was from such diverse backgrounds and working in such different spaces but shared the same drive and inspired work ethic. Work was no longer ‘work’ but something we loved doing.”
From Middle School Cake Seller to Product Leader
Kevin’s entrepreneurial journey started when he decided to sell unfrosted cake out of his backpack in middle school. “It taught me the importance of having a product that others wanted and not becoming distracted from the core value proposition.”
Fast forward to today, where Kevin leads the product development for Ara Labs, a startup focused on helping rideshare drivers increase their earnings. “At one point I was responsible for leading everything from support, marketing, growth, operations, and eventually product,” he explains. “We scaled to four countries and helped thousands of drivers increase their earnings.”
His journey continued as a consultant to early-stage startups and in launching four Airbnbs in Detroit, where he constantly looks for new ways to automate and scale operations.
Returning to the CFE as a Mentor and Educator
Kevin’s connection to the CFE started as a student, where he was part of the inaugural Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP) cohort. “I feel forever grateful for the mentorship, resources, and support the CFE provided during my time,” Kevin says.
After graduation, he stayed involved with the CFE as a mentor, helping the next generation of students as they navigated their entrepreneurial journeys. “Through my mentorship experience, I learned that I received a ton of joy in watching others grow and craft their own journeys.”
It was through this experience that Kevin realized the importance of teaching students how to “get scrappy” and build something from nothing. “The most common knowledge gap I saw was knowing how to get scrappy and build something from nothing, so I decided to focus my course around just that,” he says.
In ENTR390, Kevin helps students build a “toolbelt” of skills to quickly prototype ideas and bring them to life through passion projects. “It’s so fulfilling to see students gain confidence in themselves and their ability to bring any idea they have to life,” says Yanos.
The Joy of Student Growth
When asked about his favorite moments working with students, Kevin’s response is rooted in the joy he finds in their growth. “Students are the trendsetters of society and have energy, enthusiasm, and optimism that is hard to find elsewhere,” he says. “My favorite moments are when you can see a student realize that they CAN create products and bring products to life that were once ideas. This confidence is compounding and grows as they expand their skill sets and experiences.”
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Kevin’s advice to students interested in entrepreneurship is simple: “Surround yourself with people who are actually building things, not just talking about it. You become the average of the people closest to you, so if you want to get more involved with entrepreneurship, you need to surround yourself with entrepreneurs.”
He also emphasizes the importance of expanding your circle beyond your typical circles to avoid an echo chamber of ideas. “The campus gets so much smaller when you expand your circle to include people from different majors, organizations, and interests.”
Beyond the Classroom: Kevin’s Passion for Snowboarding
Outside of the classroom, Kevin enjoys snowboarding and plans an annual trip for nearly 20 people. “It’s the perfect sport to push yourself past your known risk levels and promote growth,” he says. He’s even taken students to a local hill to teach them snowboarding, sharing his passion and watching them develop a love for the sport.
A True Asset to the CFE Community
Kevin’s journey and his dedication to empowering students to build from the ground up make him a true asset to the CFE community. His experience, mentorship, and passion for entrepreneurship are helping shape the next generation of leaders who will go on to make their own impact on the world.