Is It Worth Dropping Out of College to Start a Business in 2026?

In this episode of ATAR360, we sit down with Matthew Vega-Sanz, entrepreneur and co-founder of Lula and Gail, to explore the journey behind building multiple companies alongside his twin brother, Michael. What started as a college car-sharing app, described as "an Airbnb for cars" grew to hundreds of campuses across the United States. But when that business came to a halt, Matthew and Michael were forced to rethink everything. In this conversation, Matthew shares the lessons learned through rejection, uncertainty, constant adaptation, and the mindset that helped him turn setbacks into new opportunities. We also discuss why the best founders don't fall in love with their ideas, they fall in love with the problems they're trying to solve. If you're interested in entrepreneurship, resilience, and learning how to pivot when the original plan no longer works, this episode is for you. Like this episode and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE. Follow our host Ariel Acosta-Rubio on Instagram @arieltadeoacostarubio https://www.instagram.com/arieltadeoacostarubio/ Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/atar360podcast/ facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556012784918&mibextid=LQQJ4d This episode is sponsored by CHURROMANIA® www.churromania.com https://www.instagram.com/churromania/ Timestamps: 00:00 - Why Was Outside the Classroom Better? 5:45 - How Lula started? 13:55 - 400 People Said No. Why Keep Going? 17:50 - What flipped the dynamic with the investors? 28:30 - Founder fund 34:28 - Real AI or Just Marketing? 36:00 - How you surround yourself with people smarter than you? 38:38 - Why He Chose Miami Over Silicon Valley 41:50 - Building a Business With Your Brother 47:00 - Business as a Sport 55:30 - How Do You Evaluate Intangibles?