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From magic wallets to product management, Entrepreneur Scholar Devin Ajimine learned to take chances and embrace failures

Portland Magazine

Alumni

Franz Center

Engineering

June 21, 2019

This article is part of a series of profiles of Entrepreneur Scholar alumni. University of Portland's Entrepreneur Scholars program is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2019. 

Devin Ajimine

Class of 2019
Major: Computer Science

The Project

Devin AjimineParamine is a product design company—our first product is a magic wallet—and a community of creatives. We started from a successful Kickstarter, and we are now shipping wallets all over the world.

The Why

Wallets are an essential tool. Having lived in Hawai’i and Oregon, I always needed a wallet that was also made for the outdoors. So I thought, how might I make a nice wallet that is minimal yet durable? With experience making leather camera straps and an early understanding of design concepts, I created a wallet mixed with a magic trick I learned when I was little.

The Process

At the end of the day, what made the project exciting was being able to invite my friends and creative people to take part in the development process. Other than collaborating with photographers and creators to help capture content, the coolest collaboration was with a new friend and UP alum Nate DeVaughn ’16. We co-released a giveaway, and both our companies grew in following.

Lessons

I now know I can travel anywhere, build a network, and communicate an idea. I have also learned to take chances and embrace failures. Failures and brick walls have been the biggest asset in my entrepreneurial journey. If I didn’t try anything, I wouldn’t have lost anything, but I wouldn’t have learned anything either.

Superpower

Ability to focus on a passion project.

Weakness

Netflix.

Next Up

Product management at T-Mobile, while earning a master’s degree at University of Washington in human centered design and engineering (HCDE).