For most college students, balancing classes, friendships and internships is enough to fill a schedule. For Elon senior Shaan Gandhi, it’s only part of the equation.

Gandhi spends weekends traveling across the country, coordinating signings with some of the biggest names in sports — from Barry Sanders and Larry Bird to Allen Iverson and Stephen Curry. Through his company, SAGAutographs, Gandhi has turned a childhood hobby into a fast-growing memorabilia business.

“It's kind of like a middleman between the consumer and the athlete,” Gandhi said. “These guys are not easily accessible. So for collectors who want to get their items autographed, they have to go through somebody.”

Sports memorabilia has been part of Gandhi’s life since childhood. Inspired by his father, he began collecting autographs and sports cards at a young age, often writing letters to athletes in hopes they would sign items and mail them back.

Later, while writing for Sports Illustrated Kids as a teenager, Gandhi continued building connections within the sports world. Eventually, he realized he could help fund his hobby by charging collectors to include their items in autograph signings he attended himself.

What started with a small signing with NFL quarterback Justin Herbert in 2023 quickly snowballed into a full-fledged business.

Now, Gandhi works directly with athletes’ agents and memorabilia representatives to organize autograph signings. Customers send in jerseys, helmets, cards and photos, which Gandhi handles during the signing process before shipping them back.

While the concept sounds simple, Gandhi said the behind-the-scenes work is anything but. 

“There’s a lot of backend work that goes on that consumers don’t see,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi carefully stores all shipments that are sent his way before transporting them to various signing events. He said his job depends on the athlete. Some may sign autographs fast, with little care for individual requests. Others work slowly, taking Gandhi’s instructions into account. 

The scale of the operation has grown rapidly.

For smaller signings, Gandhi may handle around 50 items. Bigger events can involve hundreds. One signing with Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders included nearly 400 pieces.

“That was the moment where I realized this could really be something legitimate,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi regularly works with athletes in the NFL, NBA and MLB. His parents help behind the scenes — his father handles travel logistics while his mother manages finances — but Gandhi oversees nearly every aspect of the company himself.

Despite meeting several famous athletes already, Gandhi said the nerves never completely disappear. That includes a recent signing with North Carolina native and four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry. 

“When Steph walked in the room, it was like, ‘Oh crap, that’s Steph Curry,’” Gandhi said. “That’s a different level.”

The pressure extends beyond celebrity encounters. Many items Gandhi handles are worth hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. A mistake during a signing could damage both the memorabilia and Gandhi’s reputation.

“Something could always go wrong,” he said. “That’s always in the back of your head.”

But last summer, Gandhi faced challenges far bigger than a difficult signing.

While helping at a football media event for his internship in Charlotte, Gandhi was struck by a city bus while walking to work early in the morning. The accident left him hospitalized for several days and unable to travel for weeks, forcing him to miss dozens of signings.

“It was a long six weeks of not really being able to move,” Gandhi said.

The injury temporarily disrupted the business, forcing Gandhi’s father and friends in the memorabilia industry to help fulfill orders and communicate with customers. 

Even from his hospital bed, Gandhi worried about keeping operations running smoothly.

“At the end of the day, it’s still a reflection on me,” he said.

After months of recovery, Gandhi returned to Elon with crutches and an electric wheelchair. Since then, he said the experience has motivated him to keep growing the business.

Recently, SAGAutographs launched its first official website, a project Gandhi said was delayed by the accident, and another milestone in the company’s expansion.

With the business growing, Gandhi said one of the biggest challenges is maintaining balance, admitting it can be overwhelming. 

Between travel, customer communication and schoolwork, Gandhi said stress management has become essential. He credits Elon professors and mentors with helping him navigate the pressure of running a business while still being a full-time student. 

Still, Gandhi believes the work is worth it.

“I get to hang out with athletes, get autographs and make money,” he said. “That just seems like a good life to me.”

Looking ahead, Gandhi hopes to continue growing SAGAutographs after graduation and potentially pursue it full-time. He’s already exploring partnerships with mentors in the sports memorabilia industry and sees the company as much more than just a college side hustle.

Still only a college student, Gandhi knows there’s plenty of uncertainty ahead. But for now, he’s focused on building something unique and meaningful — one signature at a time.

“I see an opportunity to do what I love and make money while doing it,” Gandhi said.

Editor's note: Kathan Gandhi and Shaan Gandhi are not related.