 “When you hold this Cafilia cup, you’re standing for local business and sustainability,” says Aleksandra Brankov, Founder of Cafilia, a startup that provides a subscription to quality local coffee shops while eliminating waste. We’re a huge fan of this startup, which combines three of our great loves: buying local, sustainability, and great coffee. Aleksandra recently spoke with UARF's EbaNee Bond about what she learned from living outside of Northeast Ohio, how she effectively leveraged mentors and customer discovery, and that scary, but thrilling moment of actually launching her business.
Tell me a little about yourself. Aleksandra: I went to The University of Akron for International Business. After graduating, I worked at an international NGO in downtown Cleveland and ended up moving to England shortly after. Since this all happened during the 2008-2010 recession, it was hard to get a job anywhere. I ended up applying for my Masters and was accepted into IE Business School, a top 10 business school in the world located in Madrid, Spain. After graduating, I worked for a startup, then a consultancy in strategy implementation for several years. But I wanted to be closer to family, so I moved back to Cleveland. This happened to be two weeks before the Cavs won the finals, so it was the really the best time to move back to Cleveland! I read in an interview that you had previous experience in startups. What was that experience like? Aleksandra: I worked for two startups. My first one was while I was living in Spain, where I was doing business development in the Spanish market for a German startup. The second one I worked for was after I moved back to the US, which was a health and wellness startup based in North Carolina. A friend I met that fall when I moved back was working for this startup and she told her boss about my skills and background, and he asked me to join as the head of marketing. Unfortunately, funds ran out after some time and after our jobs were let go, I remember saying that I never wanted to work for a startup again! (laughs.) It was a slightly chaotic situation, but maybe it was just that particular startup. Long story short, I ended up getting the idea for Cafilia in February 2019 and I decided to pursue it. I really believed in the potential of it. I know I wouldn’t have done it if I really didn’t feel like this could be something huge, so here I am. I don’t think all people are meant to be CEOs. But in my case, I was surrounded by incredible leaders that mentored me and recognized my leadership capabilities, and I have a self-confidence in myself in that. Obviously, there’s always unknowns, but I’m pretty good with organizationally compartmentalizing everything and getting help as much as I can at this stage. Right now it’s only me behind Cafilia, but I do have a wonderful intern I just brought on to help with digital and social media marketing. It's a lot – many hats for one person – but I’m managing.
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By Isioma Okenimkpe  Communication for me is as easy as putting ice in water! Yes, no matter what the situation or place, I am able to converse easily and have meaningful dialogue. But then, when I am around unfamiliar faces, I get tongue-tied and I start to think that communication is an inner gift that people are blessed with, little did I know that this was part of my trait as an introvert.
As an entrepreneur, I saw this as my weakness because I felt that I wouldn’t be able to communicate effectively what I needed to in front of my customers. At this point, I knew I needed to find a way to improve on my communication skill and with the help of my colleague, I carried out research on communication and communication for Introverts. So far, my findings have been my guide to effective communication with people. Below are my tricks and tips. By Nick Glavan I miss seeing live theatre. It’s something that can’t be matched by a recorded performance or edited films or tv shows. Being in a space where real humans have poured hours of their time into rehearsing and memorizing 2-hour sequences of storytelling, and being there as they perform it with the energy of an audience reacting…there’s no perfect substitute. However, innovators across the world have been finding ways to bring COVID-safe alternatives to life amidst these “unprecedented times.” Each means of producing and performing through/around restrictions has carved out a niche experience that never existed(to my knowledge) before. All while keeping every actor, crew member, and audience member safe and secure. So while I am eager to return to a theatre and physically settle in for a show, I wanted to reflect on some of the amazing ways theatrical artists have adapted their livelihood in the face of the virus, and extract lessons we can all apply to our own innovation journeys.  By Elyse Ball  We’ve all been told things like “you’ve got to tackle your problems head on” or “the only way out is through.” Well, as a student of Netflix (Class of 2021), I can tell you that’s not true. Over the past few weeks, I’ve binge watched my way through both Lupin and Queen’s Gambit and uncovered incontrovertible evidence that there’s pretty much always another way to win.
I suspect that I enjoyed these shows, because they’re about clever, creative problem solvers, who are definitely underdogs. If you have millions of dollars and hundreds of people on your team, a straightforward approach to overcome a thorny problem is perfectly fine. But if you’re a 20-something American chess protégé going up against Russian grandmasters, or a thief who came from nothing taking on the rich and powerful, or even a small group of innovators and entrepreneurs trying to get your first product to market, you might need to take a less direct – and more creative – approach. What does this mean? Interview by EbaNee Bond  In what other ways have others helped you out?
Alireza: I think in all aspects. You need to be open to learning from others, even those who reject you. I was rejected two times from the UA $10k startup challenge and two times from I-Corps Sites. Each time I reached out to judges and asked for feedback so I could improve. Also I’d like to listen to people who criticize my idea because they may have a point I can use to improve. Nate: When I was working alone, I was essentially developing things and not getting feedback. I wound up getting into Bounce and that really opened up a tremendous amount of networking; I met over 50 local entrepreneurs in 6 months of being there. I’ve worked with Alec at MAGNET, he’s a mentor. The I-Corps program was tremendously helpful. If it wasn’t for I-Corps, me and Ali wouldn’t have met. We went through that together! At the time, my business skills were lacking. What’s it like balancing the requirements of grant funding? Nate: From my experiences so far, in order to qualify for an SBIR, everyone involved in the startup company would need great titles and to be experts on paper. However, I think in order for a startup to be successful, it should not be full of experts on paper at the onset, but aspiring talents that have skin in the game. This is the team I have formed. If you were to apply for an SBIR grant, they are looking for a solid team of experts from the start. A startup should be free to transform so rapidly as it grows; the team should grow and change, striving to be great and evolving to become what the industry customers are interested in. In the case of the SBIR method, the starting team would not be the most efficient team at another level. That’s one thing I see being an issue with SBIRs because essentially, you’re supposed to establish a concrete team and it’s not flexible. What would you tell a student who was thinking about being an entrepreneur? Nate: If a student got really interested in this, it must be a passionate project for them. I don’t think anyone chooses to be an entrepreneur... maybe they do, I’m not sure. But if you just want to make it happen, I think that’s the first inspiration and at that point, everything is risky. You’ll be risking school, because you’ll be distracted. That’s how it was for me. I would actually compare it to having a girlfriend. I mean, it’s a commitment. Haha. I compensated by taking fewer classes every semester and graduated in six years instead of five. Alireza: Don’t do it, unless you enjoy it! In the startup world, you’ll face many challenges. You need to find a way or make a way in order to move forward. If you’re not enjoying it, it’ll get very hard. Nate: At some point people will question your decisions. My professor got me into a great grad school and because it was too big of a time commitment, I turned it down. In having that conversation with him, there were a lot of questions! That was a turning point for me. People are giving you advice but you’re not taking it and you think to yourself, that could be dangerous but if you find you’re turning into an entrepreneur and you’re pursuing your passion and doing what you believe is right… people will question and not be happy with how you live your life. I believe that’s kind of confirmation that I’m doing the right thing. At some point, you will probably be an outcast completely, which is kind of the phase that I’m in right now. As long as you believe you’re doing the right thing, eventually people will be like, hey, yeah, they’re doing the right thing. Alireza: In school you don’t find many people who think the same way as you do. Students do research or study for courses and this is what students are “supposed” to do but I was doing what I am really interested in, and I was different. Interview by Ebanee Bond The entrepreneur community is quickly growing, especially with the extra time everyone has seen in the past year. We are able to slow down for a second and rethink our steps from our past and rethink our future. Learning never ends, and what better way to learn than to hear from I-Corps participants and local entrepreneurs Nathaniel Hawk, CEO and Founder of Xadite Perceptions and Xadite Quantum, and Alireza Bagheri, CEO and Founder of G-Angel, who spoke with UARF's EbaNee Bond about their own journey and experiences through entrepreneurship.
What is your field of study and what inspired you to it? Alireza: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. So, my father is an electrician. I grew up with electrical tools around the house. As a kid, I used to fix my game consoles when I was 8 years old. My father encouraged us to study electrical engineering, and here I am. Nate: Electrical Engineering. My grandpa is an electrical engineer and his dad was a mechanical engineer. It’s weird, but engineers run back through our family. I think it’s kind of how our minds work; We take things apart and can learn how the systems work. When I was younger, when something broke like a computer or a lawn mower I would take it apart, figure out why it’s not working and fix it. What word/title would you use to describe yourself? Why? Nate: An applied researcher. I value fundamental research a lot, but now I really enjoy making practical products out of existing research. There’s soooo much research and a huge chunk that is untapped. Today, my day to day role is more like a Project Manager. Alireza: A problem-solver. When I see a problem, it gets me involved. What’s your day to day look like? Nate: I wear a lot of hats and I have a lot of interest in different things. I’ve tried to section it out into different days. Alireza: Wearing plenty hats too. There are days that I am writing a proposal for a grant or funding. Another time, I am writing codes for the prototype. Or, I am reading medical papers on the effect of Intravenous medications for different medical conditions. Or, I am preparing for a pitch or a technical presentation. Or, I am having a chat with potential customers. At the same time, I have responsibilities as a graduate teaching assistant too. And this list of tasks goes on and on. Sports and traveling is a part of my life too. I try different sports and I like competitive group sports like volleyball. I recently joined sailing and surfing club that’d be a new thing for me. By Shannon Marshburn
By Anna Radachy  Did you know there are people who raise bugs? There are companies and startups all over the world with bug farmers who breed, raise, and sell all sorts of insects for all sorts of purposes every day.
This market of raising and selling bugs affects many, many markets across the world. Some markets include things you would expect like reptile food and fertilizer, while other markets are more covert like dyes and fabric production. Around the world, people eat bugs, use them to feed their animals, make their clothes, and many other things every day, but how does this affect us? Have you ever looked at a beetle and thought “I could make a business out of that”? I am willing to bet the answer there is no. In reality, every single day we come into contact with hundreds of entrepreneurial opportunities that never even occur to us because we are unaware of their market potential. Raising bugs is not the only hidden specialized market out there and taking the time to think about these small things may lead you to your next idea! By Isioma Okenimkpe Paulo Coelho “A child knows how to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires.”  source: Shutterstock I recently became a mother for the first time, and since spending quality time with my little one and bonding with her, it struck me that babies are naturally born entrepreneurs so I thought it might be useful share.
Key Takeaway
First is the newborn baby’s growth. A newborn baby’s growth is like that of a startup, some babies are born bigger while others are born smaller. According to research, the average newborn will weigh in around 7 and half pound and measures about 20 inches long but one thing is for sure, the newborn will lose some weight in the first few days after birth. In fact, nearly all newborns will leave the hospital less than they did when they’re first born. In the same vein, whether you start big or small, every business is created, and nurtured from a basic idea to a functional company, and with this comes its own growing pain and weight loss. The fact is that more than 50% of all businesses will fail within the first 5 years and this is nothing to be afraid of because just like the newborn, you will recoup with the right amount of time, resources, and dedication. By Nick Glavan  I consider myself a very organized person. Family and friends alike are aware of my specific preferences when it comes to everyday situations like loading the dishwasher, retrieving the emergency pack of gum from the passenger-side glove compartment, or simply stacking and prioritizing pieces of mail.
And while I am far from the beacon of organization and order (I bow to you, Marie Kondo), being able to logically place items around my dwelling, and being able to locate and retrieve them when necessary, has been a much appreciated life hack. So, while I’ve been pro at organizing my physical space for many years, I have not always been so spot-on when it came to my digital environment. I have been guilty of saving many documents to the “Downloads” folder or to my desktop, and then scrambling to recall the difference between “Presentation 1 (1)” and “Presentation 1 (2)”. I’m pretty sure I am not the only one. In an effort to enhance my digital organization, I have created a few rules that have helped me to file away emails and documents alike, with a better sense of how to search and find almost anything on my computer. I am still far from perfect, but these are a few things that have vastly improved my process. |
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