FOL-Entrepreneurship

Adelyn Dozier (Entr鈥�26)

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:25:09 +0000

Adelyn Dozier (Entr鈥�26) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/15/2023 - 10:25

Caley Kadlecek , Student Writer

Just weeks before her freshman year of high school, Adelyn Dozier鈥檚 family moved from Texas to Colorado. Like any other teenager, the prospect of having to build a new community of friends at a new school in an unfamiliar state weighed heavily on her. Then came a second blow.

Shortly after starting school, Adelyn was diagnosed with severe rapid-onset scoliosis, a condition characterized by the accelerated development of an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. It caused immense pain and discomfort, forcing her to undergo a complete spinal fusion鈥搕he insertion of multiple rods and metal screws into the vertebrae of her spine to keep it straight.

Adelyn recalls her slow recovery after the surgery: 鈥淚t was like learning how to walk again.鈥� But eventually, with her family's love and support, she was able to overcome the mental and physical hardships she endured.

By the time she graduated high school, the obstacles had shaped her into someone who knew how to face life鈥檚 challenges head-on鈥搒o much so, she decided to postpone college and help others overcome theirs.

鈥淚 think I got to learn the importance of having everything stripped away from me and feeling a lot more fulfilled in my life when I鈥檓 just serving others. I鈥檝e always believed that the more you can give love, the more you鈥檒l receive,鈥� she says.

She embarked on a service trip to help people in Guatemala, South Africa and Ecuador. She provided support in a myriad of ways: helping students in a classroom, preparing food behind a counter, and offering emotional support to those who needed it most.

鈥淚 feel much more confident knowing you can just take a risk and then learn as you go.鈥�

Adelyn Dozier (Entr鈥�26)

Today, Adelyn is studying Strategy and Entrepreneurship in her second year at Leeds. It鈥檚 something she鈥檚 always been drawn to; growing up, she watched her parents open their own coffee shop. Root House Coffee proved to be a steep learning curve for her parents, who had to learn everything along the way with no prior business experience. But Adelyn learned with them.

Now, she dreams of starting a business called Root for Each Other. She doesn鈥檛 know what kind of business it鈥檒l be yet, but she hopes it鈥檒l be one that will fill others' lives with joy. 鈥淚 want to bring purpose into whatever business I have and share my story through it,鈥� she says.

When it comes to business, and life, she鈥檚 learned that some risks are worth taking.

She tells the story of how her team won their final case competition in her Communications Strategy class. As the opening speaker for her group, she did so well that two of her professors recommended she speak at Leeds Launch Day, an orientation for incoming students.

Her first instinct was to reject the offer. How could she get up and speak in front of so many people? But she鈥檇 overcome challenges that scared her before, so she decided to take the risk.

Every life lesson she鈥檇 ever learned came back to her that day, giving her the courage and confidence she鈥檇 been cultivating for so long鈥揻rom when she was forced to rebuild her life in a new town to when she battled and triumphed over her health crisis.

She stepped up to the podium, and she nailed her speech.

When it comes to business, and life, Adelyn Dozier has learned that some risks are worth taking.

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Grace Vaughn (Entrep, Strat鈥�23)

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Grace Vaughn (Entrep, Strat鈥�23) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/21/2023 - 00:00

Executive Director, Kobu Foundation

Letting go can be hard to do. Grace Vaughn knows all about it.

Grace started volunteering with the Kobu Foundation鈥攁 food donation and distribution nonprofit created by Leeds alumni during the pandemic鈥攁s a sophomore, and when its founders graduated, they handed things off to her.

While she wasn鈥檛 exactly creating a business from scratch, Grace had to figure out how to turn an all-volunteer charity designed to operate amid lockdown into something that was a substantial part of the community鈥攆ood donations, yes, but also other kinds of help, like newsletters containing resources, to help people feel seen and supported.

And now, as she prepares to graduate, she has to hand Kobu off to the next generation鈥攊deally, someone who can grow it beyond Leeds and the Diverse Scholars Program, which has provided a strong set of regular volunteers. For her, passing that baton is the ultimate lesson in leadership.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize how much of a doer I have become through Kobu,鈥� Grace said. 鈥淎s much as I鈥檝e had the freedom to take initiative and make things happen, I鈥檝e had to provide a lot of structure and motivation for our executive team and volunteers鈥攎ost of whom haven鈥檛 been in this kind of startup environment, including myself. It鈥檚 been interesting learning that, as a leader, it鈥檚 not always about the big ideas, but how the little things get done.鈥�

鈥淎s a leader, it鈥檚 not always about the big ideas, but how the little things get done.鈥�

Grace Vaughn (Entrep, Strat鈥�23)

The opportunity to be a leader was an important consideration for Grace as she made the adjustment to college life. She chose Leeds in part for the mentorship programs it offered, including the Peer2Peer program that matches first-years with older students to help them get the most out of their Leeds experiences. Through Peer2Peer, Grace made a lifelong friend; the two of them will be relocating to New York to pursue work after graduation.

Mentorship matters

鈥淢entorship at Leeds really has lived up to my expectations,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I would talk to my other friends at other schools, they wouldn鈥檛 even have something as simple as a four-year plan, whereas I had the next three years lined up. It played a big role in deciding to graduate a year early and making sure I was on track.鈥�

Knowing what鈥檚 coming down the road has helped Grace be comfortable spending a lot of her time volunteering, with Kobu and SWAP鈥攖he Student-Worker Alliance Program鈥攚hich pairs students with campus employees seeking assistance in mastering English.

鈥淧art of this whole new business world is bringing empathy and compassion back into organizations鈥攁nd volunteering is an important part of that,鈥� Grace said. 鈥淪o much of charity work today is funneling money to a place you鈥檒l never see. The tangible impact of volunteering, of seeing the good you鈥檙e contributing to your community, is important for any business student. Doing that really hands-on work has a much bigger impact than just hitting a donate button online.鈥�

Creating impact

It鈥檚 probably no surprise that when it comes to her career, Grace is less interested in a particular industry and more keen on finding ways to make an impact on people.

鈥淭he most important impact you can have is within the 30, 60, 100 people around you,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to find ways to change business within one company鈥攚ithin one floor of one company鈥攖hrough caring about people.鈥�

As she figures out exactly what that looks like, she鈥檒l lean on experiences from Leeds鈥攅specially from her mentor and professors, who challenged her to find her voice and stand up for herself and others鈥攖o find the best way to create meaningful impact in business.

鈥淲hen I was a kid, and people would ask me what I wanted to go when I grew up, my goal was always to be a good boss, a good manager, and Kobu was my first real opportunity to do that,鈥� Grace said. 鈥淪o it wasn鈥檛 just about growing the team, but about making sure volunteers are prioritized, that the community feels valued, and that we establish Kobu as a real, visible presence in the community.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Undergraduate programs Diverse Scholars Program

Taking a nonprofit foundation from startup to stable is a challenge for even a seasoned leader. Grace has managed it in stride.

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Holly Henderson (MBA鈥�23)

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Holly Henderson (MBA鈥�23) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/03/2023 - 00:00

Founder, Free Takeout

It takes a special kind of person to launch her business in the frantic period between Thanksgiving and the beginning of final exams.

Holly Henderson is definitely a special kind of person.

鈥淚 love the chaos of it,鈥� said Holly, who launched the Free Takeout clothing brand on the first day of exams with two partners, both MBA students in her cohort; the company's latest release dropped March 2. 鈥淚t was the craziest, most insane two weeks ever. I was calling my business partners at least 10 times a day, and they would say, 鈥極h, my God, I鈥檓 so stressed out,鈥欌€攁nd I was like, 鈥楤ut aren鈥檛 you having the most fun you鈥檝e ever had?鈥欌€�

While starting a business at such a busy time has had its downsides, Holly said applying what she鈥檚 learned as a student has been an incredible complement to her studies. 鈥淲e鈥檙e in our second year in the program, so: Where are our gaps in knowledge, what do we need to know more about, how can we find more interest in the classes we鈥檙e taking, because we have something to directly apply it to?鈥� she said.

Like many entrepreneurs, Holly鈥檚 path has been far from straightforward. She graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in graphic design and a warning from her professors that she wasn鈥檛 cut out for agency work 鈥渂ecause I did projects the way I wanted to do them, not how they wanted them done,鈥� she said, laughing.

So instead of going the traditional designer route, she wound up at a startup retailer in Michigan, where she found she enjoyed the pace and size of a smaller enterprise. Getting an MBA was a way for her to get the business skills she needed in order to be prepared for her next move.

鈥淚t鈥檚 interesting being a leader in a room full of other leaders, because you really need to knock down your ego and let everyone shine for who they are.鈥�

Holly Henderson (MBA鈥�23)

The next move wound up being to 91福利社, as she looked to immerse herself in the outdoor culture of the West while benefiting from Leeds鈥� emphasis on entrepreneurship.

鈥楲eeds encouraged exploration鈥�

鈥淓specially coming from a startup, I鈥檓 not really big into the corporate world,鈥� Holly said. 鈥淎 lot of business schools try to push you in that direction, but Leeds encouraged exploration.鈥�

Holly has certainly made the most of the experience. In addition to her foray as a founder, she鈥檚 co-president of MBA Women in Business and vice president of community outreach for the MBA Association; she also ran a clothing swap in November to benefit the nonprofit TGTHR, in 91福利社. And while Free Takeout is a three-woman effort, hatched on a camping trip, Holly鈥檚 comfort in leading鈥攏ot to mention her fashion experience鈥攈as put her in the driver鈥檚 seat.

鈥淚t鈥檚 interesting being a leader in a room full of other leaders, because you really need to knock down your ego and let everyone shine for who they are,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith Free Takeout, it鈥檚 been an interesting challenge in leadership because it鈥檚 me and two of the closest friends I made in the program. Figuring out how to lead your two best friends has helped me grow and develop as a leader a lot.鈥�

That friendship is a key part of what fuels Free Takeout鈥檚 mission.

鈥淭he three of us all moved here for the mountains鈥攕kiing, hiking, camping,鈥� Holly said. 鈥淏ut what matters so much more is the memories we made with the great people we were surrounded by. We wanted to create a brand that embodies the idea of human connection and how important it is to value the people you鈥檙e spending your time with.鈥�

The designs in her latest collection, which debuts this month, feature vintage photographs from her family and friends skiing, including a hoodie featuring her mom and a T-shirt with her dad visible in a crowd. The look further speaks to her ideas around emphasizing the people you're with, more than the activity you're doing together.

As she works to complete her MBA, Holly is now figuring out what she鈥檒l do full time after graduation, though she plans to keep running Free Takeout on the side, with the hope of scaling it up in the future.

鈥淎t Leeds, I found the path for myself and had a self-exploration journey that helped me create something truly meaningful,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 couldn't have done it without the friendships I made through my MBA.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Leeds MBA programs Graduate programs

Starting her own fashion line as a student has been a challenge鈥攂ut it means Holly鈥檚 business gets the benefit of her MBA lessons.

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Laura Moore (Psych鈥�15)

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Laura Moore (Psych鈥�15) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 02/17/2023 - 00:00

Founder, Silk By Laura and program manager, Diverse Scholars Program

Silk by Laura is the story of a growing small business that very nearly wasn鈥檛.

Like some success stories, the business started almost by accident; in this case, Laura Moore鈥檚 friends and family telling her how much they loved her homemade shea butter, convincing her to set up shop as an LLC despite not having a business plan.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a financial plan, or a website鈥擨 was using a Google form for orders,鈥� Laura said.

She paused the business after the holiday rush to put a plan in place, build a site, restock her inventory鈥攁nd when she reopened, her customers were gone. Feeling defeated, she prepared to close out the business, attending one final event that she鈥檇 committed to鈥斺€渂ut that one day, I made $800 in sales,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat was the push I needed to keep going forward.鈥�

That鈥檚 not the only nudge she鈥檚 needed鈥攕he was accepted to the selective Catalyze CU accelerator, but turned it down before being talked into it by the program鈥檚 director鈥攂ut those little pushes have changed her outlook on her business.

鈥淲hen I have conversations with many people about Silk, they鈥檒l tell me, 鈥榊our story is unique, and it doesn鈥檛 just happen like that,鈥欌€� Laura said. 鈥淪o, I鈥檓 now taking every opportunity I can, because they鈥檙e presenting themselves to me.鈥�

Her homemade body butter is actually Laura鈥檚 side hustle. She鈥檚 better known for her work supporting students through their academic journeys as a member of the Office of Diversity Affairs at Leeds. She was a high-school student serving as president of the International Baccalaureate Black Organization when she discovered her passion for DEI issues and helping students feel a sense of belonging.

But being a part of the business school has helped her think about her own enterprise while making her an approachable expert for entrepreneurially minded students.

鈥淥bviously, my background is more in education,鈥� said Laura, who also owns a master鈥檚 in counseling from CU Denver, which she completed in 2021. She had a strong sense of business ethics from watching her father, who owned his own insurance agency with Allstate, 鈥渂ut I didn鈥檛 have a set financial plan, or speak the business lingo.鈥�

鈥淐atalyze helped me grow tremendously, and gave me confidence in my pitch and in talking to investors, because I was very intimidated by those kinds of conversations.鈥�

Inspiring student entrepreneurs

And Leeds students are taking notice鈥攂oth those she advises as well as those whom she teaches, especially in the required Design Your Leeds course all first-years take. She also started teaching a course called Dynamics of Leadership and Power this spring.

鈥淗aving Silk be a part of my life while being in the business school has been amazing,鈥� Laura said, adding that Silk was accepted into CU鈥檚 entrepreneurship law clinic in the fall. 鈥淎s a small-business owner, I鈥檝e really seen firsthand the lack of diversity, especially among women, in this space鈥攁nd I鈥檓 seeing how impactful it is for a lot of my female students, who feel they can learn from me and the example I鈥檓 trying to set.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 now taking every opportunity I can, because they鈥檙e presenting themselves to me.鈥�

Laura Moore (Psy鈥�15)

In her day job, Laura supports students in the Diverse Scholars Program as they navigate college life. Many of these students complete one of Leeds鈥� precollege programs in the summer, so she鈥檚 building relationships with the incoming class well before they start taking classes鈥攖he big reason she almost turned down Catalyze, though money from the program helped her hire an intern for the summer.

Her near-term plans for Silk include moving into B2B, so that other retailers stock her products, and developing philanthropic goals for the business, especially in the area of supporting people with disabilities. But she鈥檚 not planning to leave the Office of Diversity Affairs anytime soon.

鈥淚 truly enjoy teaching鈥攚orking with the students, providing workshops, and offering learning and professional development opportunities,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd being a co-advisor to the Women in Business group has been an incredible opportunity, as well.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Office of Diversity Affairs Catalyze CU

Like many startup success stories, Laura鈥檚 foray into founding a business was almost an accident.

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Chris Wirth (MBA鈥�97)

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Chris Wirth (MBA鈥�97) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/27/2023 - 00:00

Co-founder, Liberty Puzzles

Chris Wirth is in his element.

As the co-founder of Liberty Puzzles talks about the concept behind his business and the Leeds experiences that helped him build it, a steady stream of customers wanders into his Pearl Street showroom in search of unique holiday gifts.

鈥淔or us, 2022 has been kind of a normal year, like 2019 was,鈥� Chris said. 鈥淲hen we started the business, in 2005, we worked so hard just to get off the ground鈥攍ike 12- and 14-hour days. Those early years were the hardest, until the pandemic hit, when we worked just as hard to stay alive. Those two periods were the biggest challenge for us.鈥�

Unlike die-cut, cardboard puzzles, Liberty鈥檚 are wooden and filled with so-called 鈥渨himsy鈥� pieces, named because workers running jigsaws would cut them on a whim. Chris鈥� work is inspired by Falls puzzles, created in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, during the Great Depression; each Falls puzzle included a signature whimsy piece of a girl falling. The Liberty signature piece is an eagle, and each puzzle includes whimsy pieces unique to each work. A Forever Buffs puzzle, for instance, shows Old Main and includes pieces of buffalo, hikers, books, even the Colorado state flag.

Chris said he inherited about 30 Falls puzzles from his mother, and on vacations, the family would work together to solve one.

鈥淚t got to the point where I鈥檇 call my dad before we left for a trip, asking if he picked out a puzzle yet,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 finally had my a-ha moment when we were in Puerto Vallarta together. It rained all weekend so we stayed inside working on the puzzle, all having a great time. And I realized, if I could find a way to make these and sell them for $100, that would be a good business.鈥�

His grad school experiences were helpful not only as he overcame early-stage obstacles, but as he scaled up in response to demand.

鈥淲hat I learned in studying law and business was to understand the perspective of any kind of problem you鈥檙e up against,鈥� Chris said. 鈥淪o, when you鈥檙e finding solutions, you think, are we within the ballpark? Does this seem ethical, logical, reasonable? It gives you a level of judgment that is so helpful in running a business.鈥�

And he never needed creative problem-solving skills more than in the pandemic. In the first weekend of lockdowns, customers placed about 15,000 online orders.

鈥淥ne of the things we鈥檝e always been is entrepreneurial by necessity. We鈥檙e not afraid to tear stuff down and rebuild.鈥�

Chris Wirth (MBA鈥�97)

鈥淲e were panicking,鈥� Chris said. 鈥淲e had to close our factories because of lockdown, so we had no way to fulfill those orders. In the end, we went old-school鈥攖he two highest-level officers in the company making the puzzles, along with my laser floor manager鈥攁nd the three of us kicked out all the orders in two months.鈥�

Staying innovative

By then, even more demand had built up. To keep customers satisfied, Liberty created a token system that allowed people to reserve a token, which enabled buyers to order a single puzzle on the day it was valid鈥攄esigned to keep orders to a manageable 500 a day while not locking out customers who weren鈥檛 tech savvy. That involved changing the company鈥檚 website from a virtual storefront to a kind of Ticketmaster鈥攅specially when scalpers caught on, requiring even tighter controls.

鈥淥ne of the things we鈥檝e always been is entrepreneurial by necessity,鈥� Chris said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not afraid to tear stuff down and rebuild, like putting that token system in, or adding a new factory. But it鈥檚 interesting because, as we get bigger, it鈥檚 harder to be that. You can鈥檛 pivot as fast.鈥�

With 130 employees selling some 700 puzzle designs, along with three 91福利社 factory locations and the showroom, Liberty has comfortably outgrown its status as a small business鈥攂ut it hasn鈥檛 forgotten its roots. Chris showed off a 1,600-piece Falls puzzle of the British Isles that he has framed on his Pearl Street store, one of only two displayed designs his company didn鈥檛 create. He estimated its worth at $10,000.

鈥淚n the Depression, people wanted cheap forms of entertainment, and jigsaw puzzles fit the bill,鈥� Chris said. 鈥淢ore than that, they created this social experience as people solved them together. That idea of bringing people together was where our initial business concept came from.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Why Leeds Leeds MBA

A Leeds MBA was the missing piece Chris needed in order to successfully launch his puzzle business.

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Joe Constancia (Entrep, Strat鈥�24)

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Joe Constancia (Entrep, Strat鈥�24) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/02/2022 - 00:00

Plenty of students can tell you about how visiting the Koelbel Building, with its magnificent views of the Flatirons, helped them decide Leeds was the place for them.

Joe Constancia remembers his first time in the building, as well. But it wasn鈥檛 to look out the windows鈥攊t was to empty the recycling bins.

Joe called his time working with Facilities Management 鈥渢he greatest job I鈥檝e ever had in my life鈥濃€攑artly because it was a break from his work as a plumber and farmer, but also because it set him up for further professional opportunities and, eventually, coming to Leeds as a full-time student.

Leeds 鈥榩ut the clothes on my back鈥�

Joe emptied the bins at half the buildings on campus, including the Administrative and Research Center, where his big personality and love of talking to people played a role in getting work as a receptionist, eventually rising to work in talent acquisition and leave. On his last day of emptying bins at Koelbel, the team in Leeds鈥� dean鈥檚 suite surprised him with a cake and 鈥渢he nicest card I ever received, which had $64 and a whole bunch of kind words in it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 went to every Salvation Army and Goodwill in the surrounding counties, and with that $64 I got two weeks鈥� worth of professional clothing for my new job. Leeds literally put the clothes on my back.鈥�

While he enjoyed his responsibilities at work, being in a professional setting gave him a taste for bigger possibilities, which is what led him back to Leeds.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a degree, and there were certain jobs I wanted that required one,鈥� Joe said. 鈥淢y wife and I talked about it and decided it was time to rip the bandage off and knock it out.鈥�

Since then, it鈥檚 been an incredible ride. He was the lone Leeds student on the team that won the New Venture Challenge鈥檚 Cross-Campus Collaboration event in the spring, helping the engineers on the team refine their concept for a self-stopping braking system for four-wheeled walkers.

鈥淓ngineers definitely have their own lens of looking at the world,鈥� Joe said. 鈥淔or me, it was an opportunity to work with people who are incredibly smart and detail oriented, and be able to help them not let perfect get in the way of good enough. They鈥檙e smart, they have all the talent in the world, but are so hard on themselves. Instilling a little confidence was something my business education helped me do.鈥�

鈥淟eeds and CU have taken great care of me. Now, I want to do something meaningful with my work.鈥�

Joe Constancia (Entrep, Strat鈥�24)

Joe鈥檚 education also has helped him forge incredible friendships with students, who like to hear about 鈥渢he old guy鈥� in class and his perspectives on life and business.

鈥淲hen I was their age, I had a lot of people telling me what to do鈥攂ut not a lot of people encouraging me to do what I wanted,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 try to offer that perspective to help them navigate their way through life.

鈥淪trategy and entrepreneurship, to me, is about freedom鈥攎y schedule, my colleagues, my ways of working,鈥� Joe said. 鈥淚 never had that before I came here. Before they let me answer a phone, I was content to work until the day I died. Now, I want to do something meaningful with my work, and retire one day. Leeds and CU have taken great care of me.鈥�

More Faces of Leeds Why Leeds Undergraduate Programs

Joe鈥檚 first trip to Koelbel wasn鈥檛 for orientation. It was to empty the recycling bins.

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Kristin Apple (MBA鈥�08)

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Kristin Apple (MBA鈥�08) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/21/2022 - 00:00

President, LINUS

Sometimes, it鈥檚 the offer you don鈥檛 accept that winds up changing your life.

As an MBA student, Kristin Apple wound up interviewing for an internship at a consulting firm specializing in innovation and strategy鈥攁n opportunity she credits to her professors, who encouraged her to explore that path.

鈥淚n my second semester, I took a course in new product development鈥攁nd even though I did my undergrad in marketing, I had no idea that the type of work that I learned about in this class existed,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 turned down the offer, but started looking closer to 91福利社 to see if there were other companies that did this kind of consulting work.鈥�

In fact, the start of her 11-year career with Egg Strategy鈥攚hich ended with her as managing director of its health vertical鈥攕tarted 鈥渨ith me just calling to see if they needed an MBA intern, and they said yes,鈥� Apple said.

鈥楾he love continues鈥�

And, as she put it, 鈥渢he love continues with Leeds.鈥� Apple and her family moved to 91福利社 for her MBA, and still live near campus, giving her plenty of options to stay connected to Business Buffs. That鈥檚 not just giving guest lectures鈥攊t鈥檚 her book club, the friends her kids make and the talent she鈥檚 been able to hire at LINUS, a strategy and innovation consultancy focused on the life science, health and wellness industry.

鈥淲e鈥檙e always looking for talent from Leeds,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e curious, they鈥檙e driven, they go above and beyond.鈥�

And she knows firsthand the incredible faculty students get to learn from.

鈥淭he reason I chose Leeds was the close-knit community鈥攁nd it has paid dividends that I never even imagined.鈥�

Kristin Apple (MBA鈥�08)

鈥淚 chose Leeds because it was a small program, so I鈥檇 be able to get to know all my classmates and develop relationships鈥攂ut I didn鈥檛 realize how much of a meaningful impact that my professors would make on me and my career,鈥� Apple said.

That career has put her on the front lines of a healthcare industry undergoing rapid transformation, thanks to technology, regulation and the aftereffects of the pandemic.

鈥淚 love focusing on what鈥檚 next and asking how can we deliver healthcare in a better and more meaningful way,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ow do we use what we鈥檝e learned during the pandemic to be healthier, to be more informed and to alleviate the burden on our front-line clinicians?鈥�

As she and her company continue to help innovate in this industry, she鈥檚 grateful to do so with a group of thought leaders and scholars just a short walk away.

鈥淭he reason I chose Leeds was the close-knit community鈥攁nd it has paid dividends that I never even imagined,鈥� Apple said.

More Faces of Leeds Why Leeds Leeds MBA

As Kristin Apple can tell you, sometimes, it's the offer you don't accept that changes your life.

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Olivia McKeen (Mktg鈥�23)

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Olivia McKeen (Mktg鈥�23) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/15/2022 - 00:00

Founder, Marshall Fire Resource Guide

Olivia McKeen is good at turning tragedy into alacrity.

When her family lost their Louisville home to the Marshall Fire, McKeen鈥攍ike many others鈥攚as in shock, but she quickly pivoted to how she could help others affected by the disaster.

鈥淚 was able to get out safely, my parents got out, our pets got out,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e even got some of our stuff out. And that was certainly not the case for everyone.鈥�

Enter the Marshall Fire Resource Guide, a comprehensive website for those who lost their homes as well as people seeking to support displaced families. It鈥檚 the result of a group project McKeen led in her digital marketing course to develop and market a website.

A focus on user experience

The idea came from a Slack channel for fire victims, which had a lot of information, but was poorly organized. 鈥淎nd a lot of older people who lost their homes don鈥檛 know how to use Slack or Facebook, but they鈥檙e comfortable with a website,鈥� McKeen said.

Those audience considerations helped drive the site鈥檚 design aesthetic, which is equal parts professional and accessible. Even its logo and the shade of blue she used were chosen 鈥渂ecause it鈥檚 a calming color,鈥� she said.

McKeen is no stranger to digital marketing鈥攕he started doing internships in the industry in high school, as a way to explore her interest in the discipline鈥攁nd is currently interning with startup Sol Vae, founded by Bridget Thorpe (OpsMgmt, E鈥檚hip鈥�09). That opportunity came about after Thorpe spoke at a networking event at Leeds.

鈥淩ight now, it鈥檚 just the two of us, which is exciting,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like getting to be the head of marketing, with a lot of freedom to try new things and see what works.鈥�

She鈥檚 also very involved on campus, including membership in Delta Sigma Pi, Women in Business, the Dean鈥檚 Student Cabinet and Kappa Alpha Theta.

鈥淚 would love to use my degree to do something that helps people.鈥�

Olivia McKeen (Mktg鈥�23)

Developing the website was equal parts group and passion project鈥攁nd she continues to update it with news and resources鈥攂ut McKeen is now in talks with 91福利社 County about a takeover of the site, to further broaden its reach.

The project has helped McKeen think about a career doing digital marketing for a nonprofit.

鈥淚 wanted to come out of Leeds with a meaningful degree and a meaningful job,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 would love to use my degree do something that helps people.鈥�

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Her digital marketing course inspired Olivia when a devastating fire destroyed her home and countless others.

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Kai Suematsu and Samariddin Meliboev (Info Mgmt, Bus Analytics鈥�21)

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Kai Suematsu and Samariddin Meliboev (Info Mgmt, Bus Analytics鈥�21) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 02/11/2022 - 00:00

Co-founders, Kobu Foundation

Ironically, Kai Suematsu and Samariddin Meliboev realized they had good chemistry when they met in a high-school chemistry class in Denver鈥檚 George Washington High School.

Since then, the friends and recent Leeds graduates have been a force for change in helping Colorado鈥檚 less-fortunate population through several initiatives focused on food donations and delivery.

鈥淲hen people say, 鈥榃hat do you do for fun?鈥� and you say, 鈥業 volunteer,鈥� people think it鈥檚 weird,鈥� Kai said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 really just hanging out with friends, and volunteering while you do it.鈥�

Kai and Samariddin created Denver Club of Humanities, a food pantry, in high school with classmate Kelly Trang, also a 91福利社 student. Because of their different schedules in college, Kelly and Jamal Giornazi鈥攁nother 91福利社 student and Washington alumnus鈥攈ave not been as involved with Kobu, 鈥渂ut Kelly had such a big influence on how we run Kobu, especially in terms of how she helped us create a culture at Denver Club,鈥� Samariddin said.

The friends started Kobu after searching for ways to pick up the threads of Denver Club of Humanities, and found their answer when pandemic-related quarantine measures made it harder to get food donations to the people who needed them. Since then, Kobu has delivered some 150,000 meals, powered by both donations and the volunteer efforts of 91福利社 students who help prepare donations for delivery. On top of that, Kobu has awarded more than $15,000 in scholarships to students鈥攖he founders鈥� acknowledgment of the scholarships they received and their role in making an education affordable.

鈥淏usiness classes taught us how to network with the community, which helped us quickly get started when the pandemic hit.鈥�

Samariddin Meliboev (Info Mgmt, Bus Analytics鈥�21)

In turn, their education has given Kai and Samariddin invaluable perspective on how to build a better, more sustainable vision for their volunteerism.

鈥淏usiness classes taught us how to network with the community, which helped us quickly get started when the pandemic hit,鈥� Samariddin said.

Learning when to pivot

Kai, who also completed a certificate in entrepreneurship as part of his Leeds studies, said the ability to iterate and shift is core to almost every class he鈥檚 taken.

鈥淜nowing when to pivot, knowing what the big idea is and figuring out how to fill a needed role is something we learned about a lot,鈥� he said.

Their business skills are especially important now, as the pair decide what to do with the nonprofit they鈥檝e built. Both have started work after graduating early (Samariddin at Kaiser Permanente, Kai at Accenture) and are now weighing an acquisition offer from a larger, more established organization.

鈥淲e鈥檇 like to see Kobu get to the next level, and this organization has the systems, grant money and scale to do that,鈥� Kai said. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 also value in having it stay with CU students.鈥�

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The founders of Kobu delivered more than 150,000 meals to the needy during the pandemic while raising money for scholarships.

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Court Rye (Mktg鈥�06)

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Court Rye (Mktg鈥�06) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/21/2022 - 00:00

Founder and CEO, ElectricBikeReview.com

Court Rye knew there would be sacrifice involved in pursuing his startup business full time. So the two years he spent living in his Toyota Prius were all part of the plan.

鈥淵our business is a living thing鈥攜ou need to take care of it for it to work,鈥� Rye said. 鈥淚鈥檓 doing this because I want to have something authentic that helps people looking for honest answers when they buy an e-bike.鈥�

Rye鈥檚 business, ElectricBikeReview.com, offers thousands of bike reviews for hobbyists and newcomers alike. In almost 10 years, the site has generated millions of page views from people who come to EBR for simplicity and authenticity, instead of being sold on some fancy marketing.

Rye has worked at big companies鈥攊ncluding Google and Accenture鈥攁s well as smaller ones over the years, but he鈥檚 always had a taste for the startup life. On nights and weekends, he would practice programming and launch side projects, two of which he sold when he lived in Silicon Valley.

鈥楾here鈥檚 no extra credit鈥�

Turning to startups was a natural, but not always smooth process for Court. He participated in the entrepreneurship program at Leeds, but failed to earn the official certificate after receiving a C in the capstone course.

鈥淚鈥檓 really thankful for that C,鈥� Rye said. 鈥淚t was the lowest letter grade I earned at CU and it reflects the reality of business鈥攊t鈥檚 not just about how hard you work, and there鈥檚 no extra credit.鈥�

鈥淵our business is a living thing鈥攜ou need to take care of it for it to work.鈥�

Court Rye (Mktg鈥�06)

It鈥檚 safe to say the lesson stuck鈥擡BR shows no signs of slowing down. Rye still creates virtually all the content for the site, and even a brief sampling of his videos shows obvious enthusiasm for what he does. Luck and timing have played a role in his success, he said, but so does his hard work; the site is the longest running independent resource for e-bikes on the web.

鈥淚鈥檝e had a couple of good offers to sell,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 honest, it鈥檚 a special place, and I want to preserve that. My plan is to keep EBR independent.鈥�

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The ultimate sacrifice Court made for his company was probably living in his car for two years.

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