It didn’t take long for Daniel Mendez to spot a problem worth solving during his time in leadership at the University of Iowa.

As president of Sigma Pi fraternity and vice president of the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, Mendez quickly realized that student organizations were juggling too many tools to stay organized. One platform for membership, another for finances, and a third for scheduling made things complicated, inefficient, and frustrating.

“The services we were using weren’t functional for that many students,” Mendez said. “It was hard to work around that, so I started looking for ways to make life easier for other student leaders around Iowa.”

That search led to Easy-Org, a centralized platform that streamlines everything a student organization needs into one place. With Easy-Org, executive boards can manage dues, events, and member data through a single intuitive dashboard, eliminating the need for multiple software programs.

To turn his idea into a real business, Mendez and his co-founder, University of Illinois student Gabriel Kolk, turned to the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) and joined the startup incubator that meets every Friday inside the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory. There, he found mentorship, encouragement, and a community of people eager to help him build something meaningful.

“There are always roadblocks, and you have to find ways around them,” Mendez said. “Iowa JPEC helps you come up with creative solutions to keep moving forward. The connections are second to none.”

From navigating legal steps, like finalizing Easy-Org’s operating agreement, to hearing marketing insights from guest speakers, Mendez said the Iowa JPEC resources have been invaluable.

“The network of students is another big part of it,” he said. “It’s easy to get caught up in classes and busy work, but coming here every week to share little wins, whether for your business or your personal life, is so motivating. In this space, we celebrate both the highs and the tough times.”

A senior from Chicago, Mendez plans to return home after graduation to work as an insurance broker consultant specializing in employee benefits. But he isn’t done with entrepreneurship. The back end of Easy-Org is complete, and a beta launch is set for Dec. 1, 2025, with four student organizations already on board to pilot the software.

With more than 700 student organizations at the University of Iowa, Mendez’s goal is to first partner with the university as a whole then expand to other schools across the Big Ten.

“After Iowa, the next step is bringing Easy-Org to other campuses,” he said.

Mendez first pitched his idea at IdeaStorm, Iowa JPEC’s entry-level pitch competition, and he’s gearing up to compete in the Innovation Challenge on Nov. 17, an event that showcases the most promising and innovative ventures on campus.

For Mendez, what started as a simple frustration has evolved into a way to help student leaders focus more on what really matters: Building community and creating impact.