Harvard Student Agencies / Let's Go, Inc.
Harvard Student Agencies / Let's Go, Inc. is a company.
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Key people at Harvard Student Agencies / Let's Go, Inc..
Harvard Student Agencies / Let's Go, Inc. is a company.
Key people at Harvard Student Agencies / Let's Go, Inc..
Harvard Student Agencies (HSA), also operating as Let's Go, Inc., is the world's largest student-run company, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1957 that employs over 900 Harvard undergraduates annually across 10-13 businesses, paying more than $2 million in wages to defray tuition costs while providing hands-on business education.[1][4][6] Its mission centers on educating, empowering, and inspiring Harvard College students through real-world management roles in diverse sectors like retail (e.g., The Harvard Shop, HSA Cleaners), tutoring, tours, publishing (including Let's Go travel guides), catering, advertising, and research services for clients like YouTube and Google.[1][2][4] Let's Go, a key HSA business, pioneered budget travel guides researched and produced by Harvard students, once publishing over 50 titles yearly but now diminished amid digital shifts, with HSA pivoting to e-commerce and campus services generating $13 million in annual revenue.[1][3][4]
HSA emerged in spring 1957 from Harvard student discussions amid rising tuition costs, starting with $7,000 in capital to acquire the university's weekly linen service rights, evolving into a multimillion-dollar corporation supplying campus needs and business training.[1] Let's Go spun off in 1960 (or 1961 per some accounts) when Harvard sophomore Oliver Koppell created a 25-page mimeographed Europe travel pamphlet on his dorm floor, targeting budget-conscious students; it grew into a global series with 75 titles across 90+ countries, all student-run, earning acclaim as the "granddaddy of budget guides."[3][7] Over decades, HSA expanded organically and via acquisitions, with Let's Go peaking in the 1980s-1990s before print declines; today, student managers lead operations under presidents like Catherine Turco.[1][2]
HSA/Let's Go rides the trend of student entrepreneurship and experiential education, bridging elite university talent with practical business amid rising edtech and gig economy demands, while influencing Boston's startup scene through alumni and services like software testing for local devs.[1][2][4] Timing aligns with tuition inflation since 1957 and digital disruption in publishing—Let's Go's decline mirrors shifts to apps like TripAdvisor, pushing HSA toward e-commerce and data services for tech giants.[1][3][7] Market forces favor its model: Harvard's prestige attracts clients, nonprofit status enables wage subsidies, and campus proximity taps dense student labor; it shapes the ecosystem by producing business-savvy grads for VC, tech, and startups, humanizing elite networks.[1][4]
HSA/Let's Go will likely expand digital arms like e-commerce at The Harvard Shop and research for AI-era clients, acquiring edtech or sustainability startups to align with student interests amid climate and remote work trends.[1][4] Evolving influence may grow via alumni scaling ventures or partnerships with platforms like Google, reinforcing its role as a talent pipeline while adapting to post-print realities—potentially launching app-based guides or VR tours. This student powerhouse endures by empowering tomorrow's leaders, true to its origins in accessible opportunity.[1][3][4]
Key people at Harvard Student Agencies / Let's Go, Inc..
