Lee Geffert

Founder Spotlight: Lee Geffert

Building Tomorrow’s Founders: How Lee Geffert Turned a High School Classroom into a Launchpad for Entrepreneurs

At Richardson High School (RHS), entrepreneurship isn’t just something students read about in textbooks—it’s something they are already doing.

That transformation is largely thanks to Lee Geffert, the recipient of the 2025 Texas Business Hall of Fame Teacher of Excellence Award, supported by Jean and Jason Signor. Since arriving at RHS in 2014, Geffert has redefined what entrepreneurship education can look like at the high school level—moving it from theory to practice, and from the classroom into fully operational, student-led businesses.

When Geffert first joined RHS, opportunities for hands-on business experience were limited. The school had no certified school-based enterprises (SBEs), and participation in DECA—an organization dedicated to preparing emerging leaders for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management—was minimal.

Geffert knew there was potential and interest.

He began by reimagining a long-standing school tradition: selling Otis Spunkmeyer cookies. What had once been a simple fundraiser became the foundation for something much bigger—a fully student-run enterprise that would meet DECA’s rigorous certification standards. The process was no small feat. Students were tasked with developing business plans, tracking financials, conducting market research, and managing day-to-day operations, all while navigating a detailed certification process.

After early progress—and a pandemic setback in 2020—those efforts paid off. In 2021, Richardson High School’s PERCH food store earned Gold Level certification, marking a major milestone not just for the program, but for the students who built it.

Geffert didn’t stop there.

Under his leadership, students launched a second enterprise: ROOST, a custom retail operation that has quickly become both a campus staple and a community resource. Certified in 2024, ROOST produces customizable apparel and merchandise using professional-grade equipment, including direct-to-film shirt presses, laser engravers, and embroidery machines. From spirit wear to custom orders for local organizations, the business competes on both quality and price—just like any real-world company.

But the true impact of these ventures isn’t measured in sales.

Inside PERCH and ROOST, students take on roles that mirror real corporate structures: store managers, shift leaders, marketing specialists, and machine operators—known as “wingmen.” They learn how to lead teams, solve problems, manage inventory, and serve customers. They earn volunteer hours, but more importantly, they gain confidence and a sense of ownership that extends far beyond the school walls.

“They’re not just learning about business,” one observer noted. “They’re learning how to lead.”

That leadership extends to the program’s ongoing success. Each year, students must re-certify their businesses through DECA, completing a comprehensive application that can exceed 25 pages. It requires detailed documentation of operations, financial performance, and market analysis—an exercise that rivals the work of many college-level business programs.

Even as the program grows, Geffert remains focused on sustainability and quality. With rising food costs affecting the PERCH store, students are now tackling new challenges—researching products that meet pricing, nutrition, and district guidelines while still appealing to their customer base.

For Geffert, that’s exactly the point.

Entrepreneurship, he believes, isn’t about following a script—it’s about adapting, innovating, and experiential learning. By giving students the tools and confidence to run their own businesses, he’s preparing them not just for careers, but for leadership in any path they choose.

And at Richardson High School, that lesson is already paying dividends.

Note: Both the ROOST and the PERCH enterprises will be recognized and compete at DECA’s International Career Development Conference, April 25-28, 2026, in Atlanta, GA. Read more about DECA here.