| Tell us about your company: |
| niknak designs and manufactures officially licensed collegiate blind boxes. Our debut product was the USC miniMASCOTS Series – a collection of six unique figurines featuring the USC mascot. These collectibles are available both at the USC campus bookstore and online. Our goal is to give students, alumni, and fans a fun, nostalgic, and tangible way to celebrate their school pride through high-quality, officially licensed blind box figurines. |
| What inspired you to start your business? |
| niknak was founded by four close friends during a trip to China, just as post-pandemic lockdowns were lifting. We were struck by the massive lines outside Pop Mart, the leading blind box retailer in China, and we quickly fell in love with the concept ourselves. The designs were creative, the surprise element was addictive, and they made for great display pieces. When we returned to California, we realized that blind boxes and gashapon were just beginning to catch on in the U.S. That’s when we saw an opportunity to combine this emerging format with the passion and pride of collegiate identity, and niknak was born. (And yes, this all started before Labubu fever hit!) |
| What are your proudest achievements so far? |
| After a year of development, from concept and prototyping to manufacturing and distribution, it was incredibly rewarding to see our first customers sharing their excitement on social media. People were posting about their favorite figures, trying to collect the whole set, and even looking to trade with others. That sense of community and enthusiasm was exactly what we had hoped to spark. It was the ultimate validation of our vision. |
| What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs: |
| As someone much wiser once said: “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” In entrepreneurship, things rarely go according to plan. But the process of planning, thinking critically, stress-testing ideas, and preparing for contingencies, is what sets you up for success when the unexpected happens. |
| Please share a memory or thought about your alma mater: |
| UCLA truly transformed my life. It gave me the opportunity to move across the country to California, where I was immersed in a diverse array of cultures, cutting-edge ideas, and a community of ambitious, collaborative individuals eager to build, innovate, and make a difference. I owe much of my success to UCLA for introducing me to the world of startups, visionary entrepreneurs, and thought leaders, as well as to the incredible professors who guided me and the lifelong friends who continue to inspire me. |
Alumni Emporium 