Author: amyr rice
-
Meet USC alum Holly Paul, Co-Founder MIZO
Tell us about your company: MIZO makes bold, non-carbonated spiked juice pouches with 90% less sugar than leading flavored alcoholic drinks. No bubbles. Real fruit juice. No artificial flavor, sweeteners or dyes. What inspired you to start your business? A few years ago, I started experiencing chronic gut issues and was surprised to learn that…
-
Meet USC alum George Zhou, Co-Founder Buffs
Tell us about your company: Making the worlds first beef puff. What inspired you to start your business? Health and wellness affect more than your body, but your mind, focus, and productivity. We saw how important food was to our livelihood and wanted to make the best snack on earth. One made out of one…
-
Meet MSU alum JT Sarafa, Founder of JTS Growth
Tell us about your company: We help brands scale on TikTok Shop through short-form content, affiliate strategy, and TikTok Shop optimization. What inspired you to start your business? After scaling Pop Daddy Snacks (a family business we started in our basement 12 years ago) to the #1 food brand on TikTok Shop, other brands began…
-
Meet USC alum Karan Kanchan, Founder of Equilibrium by Vayu Technology
Tell us about your company: Democratizing musculoskeletal health, wellness, and fitness solutions to optimize performance, prevent injuries, and accelerate recovery for everyone. What inspired you to start your business? From athlete to engineer, I turned my injury experience into innovative solutions for improving human movement. What are your proudest achievements so far? Ability to empower…
-
Meet MSU alum: Mary Aipoalani, Founder PWR^UP
Tell us about your company: PWR^UP is the first collagen protein powder that turns functional nutrition into something people trust and crave. Forget boring snacks. Forget empty calories. No artificial ingredients/preservatives. Protein powered cocoa powder you can eat right out of the bag. PWR^UP is your delicious upgrade. Dip it, sprinkle it, blend it, and…
-
Meet UCLA alum Alan Smith, Co-Founder of Good Candy
Tell us about your company: Good Candy is the candy that refuses to compromise—sour gummy bites that taste like your childhood favorites, with 70% less sugar, electrolytes, zero artificial anything, and eye-catching retro packaging that makes you smile before you even open the bag. Founded by three dads who saw a broken candy aisle and…
-
Meet Rutgers alum Katya Eckert, Founder of A DOMANI
Tell us about your company: A DOMANI makes luxury sleepwear for when your internal thermostat needs extra love. Super soft, cooling, and soothing on sensitized skin. Made for rest when rest matters most. What inspired you to start your business? I started A DOMANI after postpartum night sweats ruined my sleep. When my mom was…
-
Meet UC Berkeley student: Aditya Banerjee, Founder of Posana
Tell us about your company: Started Posana this as a high school project to make protein exciting; I am currently a sophomore at UC Berkeley, studying Nutrition. Our cinnavanilla, matcha latte, and mango turmeric are made in small batches, with premium ingredients, and made with love in LA. Cheers! What inspired you to start your…
-
Meet NYU alum Tapasya Bali, Founder of 100 Cal Snacks
Tell us about your company: At 100 Cal Snacks, we focus on the most powerful driver of overall health—the gut–brain axis. When the gut is imbalanced, it sends stress signals to the brain, increasing cravings and disrupting mood and digestion. Our snacks are designed to restore that balance. Each bite is crafted with functional, clinically…
-
Meet MSU alum Allison Zaluski, Founder of Re-Route
Tell us about your company: Re-Route is a holistic wellness brand I founded to make emotional well-being more approachable, natural, and empowering. Our first product, In Its Tracks, is the original all-natural hard sour candy infused with adaptogens and vitamin D. It’s designed to engage the senses and help people pause and recenter when life…
