Progressive Insights from Zoë Tsoukalas: A Journey in Entrepreneurship at Mays Enterprise College

“I’ve all the time had the mindset of entrepreneurship. At a really early age, I started my journey in the direction of entrepreneurship with the everyday lemonade and snow cone stands. In highschool, I launched a clothes and jewellery enterprise, the place all the pieces I offered was handmade and considered one of a form. I continued with that enterprise till my sophomore yr in faculty. By that point, my workload bought loopy busy, and I needed to put that enterprise on maintain so I might concentrate on my accounting research. Recognizing at an early age that I liked enterprise/entrepreneurship and eager to observe in my dad and mom’ footsteps, I knew my ardour was for me to be my very own boss.”

“I took Professor Knoop’s accounting class, and surprisingly, after all of the rumors of it being a tricky class, I liked it and felt it was a very good match for me. In the future, Professor Knoop pulled me apart and stated, ‘You need to actually look into the PPA program; it’d be nice for you,’ so she guided me in that path. I additionally took the time to analysis it, talked to different Aggies who have been within the PPA program. Together with Professor Knoop’s encouragement and different Aggies, I knew that’s what I needed to do.”

“The PPA program has undoubtedly given me a bonus, as a result of with out understanding correct budgeting and monetary statements, one’s enterprise isn’t going to be open lengthy. I exploit what I’ve realized in accounting to my benefit when my assets and what I must get finished. Good accounting is the core to any enterprise, so should you don’t do it proper, you’re not going to have a profitable enterprise. Understanding how the cash works goes to maintain you on observe to succeed.”

“Mays has given me entry to so many assets: mentors, competitions, case research, and even panels the place individuals will speak about their companies, in addition to professors giving their testimonies. I’ve realized a lot via that, and it’s given me much more confidence as a enterprise proprietor to pursue that path after studying from individuals who have really gone via it.”

“The professors actually go above and past, they usually’re simply so educated. The alumni community and networking alternatives are additionally so useful. The Aggie Community is large, and so many Aggies are keen to assist and help you, so I really feel like that could be a nice worth that Aggies have and an ideal benefit.”

“All these shows that you simply assume aren’t that vital actually helped to know ideas, layouts, and how you can maintain all the pieces concise {and professional}. I actually used all these issues that I’ve realized, like getting the jitters out of presenting since I’ve finished it so many occasions now, so it was actually useful to construction my presentation, and I really feel prefer it actually impressed everybody on the Good Bull Pitch.”

“My greatest lesson from Mays is that onerous work actually pays off. What you set in is what you’re going to get out of it. The extra that you simply put right into a topic, the extra you’re going to study within the lecture. Numerous professors give real-world examples, however should you don’t do the readings earlier than, you’re not going to get the complete expertise.”

“Once I was in Dallas, I had my internship. I used to be residing there on my own — no household, no associates — so it gave me a variety of time to expertise espresso retailers and check out totally different matcha. I actually love matcha, however I noticed that there weren’t any good locations — they have been both too candy, too bitter, or too watery. It is a true craft, and it ought to be appreciated, so I took issues into my very own arms and was like, ‘I can do that myself.’ I crafted my very own recipe, attempting over 40 totally different matchas earlier than I discovered the proper mix of matcha from the proper season and site in Japan. I used to be drawing out totally different carts. I despatched it to my boyfriend and requested, ‘Are you able to make this for me?’ and he stated, ‘If you come again out of your internship, we’re going to construct it.’ Each single side that I needed, he constructed, and he made it a actuality as a result of it gave me a spot to really promote.”

“Zoläla Matcha is a cellular matcha cart designed to convey high quality elements and a enjoyable customized expertise collectively to create one thing memorable for the shopper and go away an enduring impression. Zoläla began with me, Zoë, and my canine, Lola. Zolola was already taken, so I believed Zoläla sounded enjoyable, it’s form of hip, and I saved the 2 dots over the ‘a’ to symbolize the 2 dots over the ‘e’ in my identify, so it’s form of like me. The emblem is my aspect profile, which I’ve had since 2019, and I liked how all the pieces sounded, so I simply saved it.”

“The largest problem was believing in myself and getting began. There’s by no means actually a proper time to begin one thing, so placing myself on the market was difficult. I bear in mind my first occasion, I used to be like, ‘What if nobody likes it? What if nobody exhibits up?’ That was most likely the toughest half. I simply needed to settle for that it was going to be okay, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out.”

“I like speaking to my prospects and seeing how they heard in regards to the occasion and what they loved in regards to the matcha. Everyone seems to be so distinctive, and I like speaking to them. I’ve had three individuals come to each single occasion, they usually’re like, ‘I can’t cease ingesting this, that is wonderful.’ It’s cute, and sure, individuals like it, however once they come again and let you know issues like that, you realize it’s really working, leaving an impression, and constructing a group.”

“I noticed the Good Bull Pitch Competitors in an electronic mail, seemed into it, and thought it was a very good alternative to really pitch my enterprise and see what different individuals thought of it. It’s actually totally different when your family and friends are telling you it’s an ideal enterprise, it’s scrumptious, and issues like that, versus somebody from the skin giving their sincere opinion. So I made a decision to see if this was all really actual and put all of my concepts collectively and bought accepted via the applying course of.”

“I used a variety of the issues I’ve realized at Mays to organize my Good Bull Pitch. I began out with objectives, my imaginative and prescient, my mission, and typing all the pieces collectively. After I put that every one collectively, I checked out market statistics to see how the matcha enterprise was rising. I additionally made pamphlets to emphasise all the pieces within the presentation so individuals would have a solution to look via it and see that I used to be passionate. I additionally created a two- to five-year objective and designed several types of matcha carts that I need to construct, together with a brick-and-mortar.”

“Profitable undoubtedly gave me an enormous increase of confidence. I’ve that verify hanging in my room. Seeing that different individuals consider in your imaginative and prescient and can make investments cash in your imaginative and prescient simply proved to me that that is one thing that might be my end-all, be-all, which is so motivating. I’ve additionally had college students electronic mail me and inform me that they like it and need to work for me, which is so humbling.”

“With the cash I gained from the competitors, I’m going to trademark my emblem. I really feel like that’s the most beneficial factor, and getting a patent is admittedly costly. I’m within the means of getting it fully filed, however my objective is to first patent the emblem, then patent the cart, and patent the recipes. I’m nonetheless involved with the McFerrin Middle for Entrepreneurship, and we’re going to be doing extra competitions, so I can probably get extra assist.”

“You must settle for issues and take them as classes and transfer on. I’ve additionally realized that onerous work pays off, and the extra you set in, is what you get out of it. Simply having that half-glass-full mindset is unquestionably going to make you develop. Issues can all be going incorrect, however should you have a look at it in a constructive manner, you’re solely going to develop relatively than repeat these errors. If there are climate issues or somebody’s not answering their cellphone, you’ve bought to discover a manner round it and have essential considering. Generally shoppers gained’t reply or are going to be actually impolite, so that you simply need to have that open thoughts.”

“Everytime you really feel most scared is when you must begin. I really feel like my mother has been essentially the most motivating and was the one who instructed me that if I consider it, I ought to simply begin it and never fear about what different individuals assume. She stated, ‘In the event you consider in it, different individuals will too.’ I’ve utilized that to a variety of components of my life.”

“Within the subsequent few years, I need to franchise and have a number of carts, in addition to open a brick-and-mortar retailer. I need to do this in a heavy-traffic metropolis, like New York or Chicago, the place individuals are simply continually needing caffeine. I additionally designed a custom-made trailer for my Good Bull Pitch, so I need to have one thing like that as effectively.”

“I need to have all of it. I need to be an accountant, I need to work at BDO, I need to have a household, and I need to nonetheless be working my matcha franchise. I additionally need to mentor different pupil entrepreneurs, as a result of I wouldn’t be the place I’m with out mentors. I need to empower different college students to do this as effectively. I need to be that alumna who helps A&M and comes again to speak on panels and listen to individuals say, ‘She’s the Matcha Woman.’ That’s the legacy I need to go away.”