Rachel Box presents her idea for an apparel company in the 2015 Burton D. Morgan Business Competition. Photo provided
Just ask Rachel Box (CSR '15), who as a senior in apparel design and technology won the $20,000 first prize in the 2015 Burton D. Morgan Business Plan Competition. Her company, "Guarders," designs women's undergarments with strategic pockets for unobtrusively stashing necessities such as a phone, key, credit card and driver's license.
With her winnings Box plans to hire a sales team, develop marketing materials, and complete the patent and trademarking process. She'll debut the product in a January 2016 Kickstarter campaign, where she hopes to reach 20 million prospective customers.
As CEO, Box is involved in every aspect of the business. "Starting your own company is definitely for people who don't want to sit in an office every day," she says.
She advises student entrepreneurs to take advantage of their university network. "People love to help students," she says. "Be confident. Never apologize for your degree in a creative field."
