Alumni entrepreneur Chris Kossoyan brings his innovation skills to hospitality industry

Friday, May 24, 2019

Purdue Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTR) graduates often tell us how well the program prepares them for their careers, no matter what field they are in. The same can certainly be said of Chris Kossoyan, a 2008 Krannert and ENTR program alumnus.

Kossoyan is a LA-based former talent agent at Spin Artist Agency, where he represented music artists such as Bob Sinclar, CeeLo Green, and Erick Morillo, to name a few. As an agent, he was responsible for booking client’s shows at clubs and music festivals throughout North/South America, negotiating performance fees and engagement contracts.

In 2017, Kossoyan moved away from being an agent to become the director of Rooam, a new app for the hospitality and nightlife industry. Marketed as a revolutionary new way to pay a bar tab or restaurant bill, Rooam has the potential to transform the industry.

At Rooam, Kossoyan oversees all business-to- business sales and partnerships in Los Angeles, developing relationships with hospitality groups and nightlife venues to bring them onto the Rooam platform. He is very passionate about his work and the impact it is making on the growing sector of mobile payments in the hospitality and nightlife industries.

Kossoyan’s journey to Rooam has been a reflection of his time at Purdue in ENTR program.

"Studying entrepreneurship allows for exposure to every facet of a business i.e. sales, finance, marketing, etc. As a startup, not a day goes by when my team and I are not dealing in any of these capacities as we build the company,” he says. “The skills and knowledge I’ve gained in all areas from the ENTR program served as solid foundation to grow from in addition to my own professional experience."

Kossoyan also enjoys the lifelong friendships he made with students from different majors as a result of his participation in the Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program.

"The ENTR program provided a unique opportunity to learn the foundations of entrepreneurship and business in a diverse environment,” he says. “The format of the program allows students from various backgrounds and professional interests to collaborate, learn, and ultimately discover a shared passion for entrepreneurial pursuits."

Kossoyan believes that building relationships in business, like when working in teams in college, are the key to success.

"Above and beyond anything, I can say I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve been able to foster. If there’s a key to building and maintaining success in business, I think it comes down to relationships. Doing right by others as you pursue your own success is important."

By Kasie Roberson, Marketing and Communications Specialist, Purdue University

An earlier version of this story appeared in the spring 2019 issue of ENTRnews, the newsletter for the Purdue Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program.