Jacques Bastien, B.A.’12

Eclectic Entrepreneur

By Jim Sciancalepore, M.A.’93

Founder and executive of multiple companies. Designer. Writer. College professor. Media personality. And that’s all within two years of graduation.

“I’ve been so busy for so long that I couldn’t imagine life simpler,” noted the multi-faceted Jacques Bastien. Born in Haiti, Bastien has been an entrepreneur since his high-school days in Brooklyn, when he created and sold music beats for aspiring artists. He continues to channel that energy in numerous directions.

These days, the 24-year-old Bastien is largely focused on running his Albany-based social media and interactive-marketing agency, Boogie. He started the company in his dorm room while a sophomore at UAlbany, and the venture has evolved and grown since then.

Bastien credits UAlbany for providing him a strong foundation for his business success, and he maintains strong ties to the University. He currently teaches an interactive design course as an adjunct professor, and Boogie employs several UAlbany graduates (including his wife, Dahcia, a fellow 2012 graduate).

Perhaps the most important skill Bastien learned at UAlbany was his ability to maximize his time.

“I’ve learned to operate effectively with four to five hours of sleep,” said Bastien. “It’s difficult to imagine myself not having so much to do.”