The MS business project has cultivated nine student companies over the past year since its launch.
The five companies from the last Integrated Experience Business course ranged from selling apparel to necklaces and donated over $6,000 in proceeds to the charities of their choice, according to their website.
This year, the four teams will follow after their predecessors with the goals of building their businesses, learning valuable skills and raising money for charity along the way.
AgScents is a candle company that based all of their candle scents from the Aggie experience. The scents available are All- Nighter, Bonfire, Century Tree, Fish Camp and Gameday.
McKenzie Mull, MS business candidate and AgScents team member, said in order to chose their product, her colleagues set out to make a plan to use their networks to their full advantage.
“Most of the girls in our group were in sororities or women’s organizations and we thought to ourselves ‘What would women’s organizations love? Candles,’” Mull said. “They are relatively easy to make. We actually do use a manufacturer, but it was something we could make on our own if we got into a pinch.”
Mull said the interest in AgScents from the student body has exceeded their initial expectations and has taught the team valuable business skills for the future.
More information on AgScents can be found at their website at Ecwid.com/store/agscents.
Old Army Decor & Restore is a wooden furniture restoration company that donates all of its proceeds to Young Life Brazos Valley.
Davis McCracken, MS business candidate and team member of Old Army Decor & Restore, said the support from the community towards their restoration company and their cause is at the heart of their success.
“All the donors we work with, their responses have just been fantastic,” McCracken said. “People are investing in not just the furniture but what we are doing it for — why we are doing it — and that is the kids here in Brazos Valley.”
McCracken said one appeal to their pieces is the unique nature of the furniture.
“We really have a variety of products that we offer,” MCCracken said. “[There is] not one specific product that we sell or build it is really just whatever we come across.”
More information on Old Army Decor & Restore can be found on their Facebook page.
The Ripple Effect is a t-shirt company that partners with Americares as their charity to provide disaster relief aid.
Alan Norman, MS business candidate and team member for The Ripple Effect, said the businesses are selling more than just their products, they are selling their causes as well.
“The selling point for our product isn’t necessarily the t-shirts … for us what we are selling more is the charity,” Norman said. “Our charity is unique because we have a one to twenty multiplier so for every dollar donated to them they get twenty dollars worth of medical supplies for disaster relief.”
Laila Lorenz, MS business candidate and team member for The Ripple Effect, said their monetary goal towards relief aid is $100,000, and said with every purchase she witnesses the caring nature of Aggies giving back.
“Some of the highlights have been allowing people to give back in a way they don’t usually have access to,” Lorenz said. “I think it is especially useful to students because they either don’t know how to give back in a way that they feel most comfortable or they don’t have access to it … so bringing it to campus allows them to have an impact.”
More information on The Ripple Effect can be found on their Facebook page.
United for 30 sells phone pockets for the greater cause of connecting those who have been affected by cancer. The 30 in their name stands for the 30 recognized cancer ribbons, and all proceeds go to The American Cancer Society, according to their Facebook page.
Connor Pogue, MS Business candidate and team member of United for 30, said the decision to chose their company charity stemmed from each person on their team having a loved one affected by cancer.
Pogue said the cause is the driving force behind their project, and is what keeps the team going when obstacles occur.
“Besides just selling a product, this is something that is meaningful,” Pogue said. “It’s not just buying a fun product, it’s that all of the money is going towards helping other people.”
More information on United for 30 can be found on their Facebook page.