When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur? What was your first entrepreneurial venture?
I’ve always been interested in ideas– How did they come up with the idea? What problem is this solving? As I grew up, my fascination with innovation evolved into entrepreneurship. My first encounter with entrepreneurship was co-founding a solar energy startup, PolarPanel, in undergrad. My team got to experience pitching in competitions, talking with investors, and managing the day-to-day. It was an incredible adventure for my first startup, and I learned so much about the startup world.
Your current venture, Goldie, is an online fit finder tool that allows users to find the perfect jeans for their body type. How did the idea come to fruition?
The idea behind Goldie started as an MBA class project in our introductory entrepreneurship class, New Enterprise. We were tasked with finding a “burning problem” to work on, and I couldn’t get over the nightmare of jean shopping. Sizing within women’s jeans has always been a mess, and you can even be 4 different sizes within the same brand.
My co-founders and I combined our backgrounds in Business, Tech, and Fashion and created Goldie, a jeans fit finder that uses your measurements to match you with the perfect jeans. Our users are able to get women’s jeans recommendations without having to decode the size chart, read reviews, or zoom into product photos just to triangulate their size. Users can find the right fit on the first try.
What traits do you think have benefited you so far in starting your own company?
Being inquisitive and curious about the world around me has led me to analyze industries and uncover burning problems, all of which is at the heart of entrepreneurship. The startup life is full of ups and downs, but a commitment to solving the problem is what keeps the passion going.
You recently took home the grand prize at the Napier Rice Launch Challenge (congratulations!) and completed your MBA. What’s next for you and for Goldie?
We’re ecstatic about the win! It has been really validating to know what started out as a school project ended up becoming something special. The support from the Rice Business community especially was overwhelming, and we’re glad to have them in our corner.
We’re excited for Goldie’s upcoming product updates to expand our database of jean styles and allow users to browse and shop based on their measurements. We’re hoping to grow our community of users and retail partners on our journey to create a better fit finder.
How do you define “excellence” in business?
An excellent business doesn’t have to be the highest earning or highest growth. At the end of the day, excellent businesses are the ones that add value.
How did receiving the TBHF scholar award impact your entrepreneurial journey?
Winning the T.T. & W.F. Chao Award validated my journey as an entrepreneur and opened up a network of legacies and changemakers. Texas has created a strong ecosystem of entrepreneurship, and I’m so honored to be recognized alongside these innovators. Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey, and I’m grateful to have the support of the TBHF community behind me. Thank you TBHF for investing in me!