Student entrepreneurs open up shop in the Mizzou Student Center and beyond

Article courtesy of Show Me Mizzou.

From customizable hats and sneakers to lotus-infused energy drinks, the products available from student-run storefronts this year run the gamut. Now open and based in the University of Missouri Student Center, this annual hands-on experience is sponsored by Griggs Innovators Nexus (GIN), Missouri Student Unions and U.S. Bank, offering innovative Tigers an opportunity to showcase their products and receive mentorship.

“The students who are selected for this program learn firsthand the processes behind business licenses, sales taxes and marketing and experience supply chain and inventory issues,” said Greg Bier, Mizzou’s executive director of entrepreneurship programs. “Being involved with the program also means that they have a cohort of fellow student retailers going through very similar challenges and opportunities. They learn that entrepreneurship is a team sport, and they have a team to support them when needed.”

To support their retail efforts, each student entrepreneur receives $2,000 for startup costs, a credit card reader and an iPad to manage sales. This year’s businesses are:

• ButtonsbyTaylor
• Columbia Sneaker Exchange
• Green Society
• Sips on the Go
• Soundcheck
• The Patch Co by Ave

Read on to meet the retailers from the Trulaske College of Business.

ButtonsbyTaylor

Location: Room 1212B
What it is: Premade and custom-designed buttons. 
Operator: Taylor McMahan, a junior finance and banking, economics and real estate major from Sullivan, Missouri.

"Being an entrepreneur in college was something I always dreamed of,” McMahan said. “It has provided a huge creative outlet, and I am forever grateful for the past few years I have had here on campus. Mizzou entrepreneurship programs have been a place of encouragement, growth and mentorship. Whether it's CEO, the Griggs Innovator Nexus or one of Mizzou's pitch competitions, there is a place for everyone to be involved. My biggest advice is to just go for it! Fear kills more dreams that failure ever will, but you have to take the risk! You never know how your dreams could come true and be bigger and more successful than you ever imagined.”

Soundcheck

Location: 110 Orr Street, Suite 104
What it is: A fully equipped music studio that provides musicians with professional-grade instruments, soundproof rooms and a seamless tech-enabled booking system. Beyond just a practice space, Soundcheck is a hub where musicians can connect, collaborate and grow their skills. Office space for the business is located in the GIN.
Operator: Kiley Grimes, a senior business major and economics minor, from Springfield, Illinois.

“As a musician for over 10 years, I’ve personally experienced the struggle of not having a proper practice space,” Grimes said. “I realized that creating a dedicated place for musicians to connect, jam and rehearse could reignite their passion for music. Much like how gyms offer a better place to work out, I’m offering a better place to play music. I’m excited to bring this vision to life in Columbia. Testing this concept here will give me the skills and capital to expand, allowing me to positively impact more musicians and transform music community across the country.”