Entrepreneurship
Berkely Business Academy
for Youth
At the Berkeley Business Academy for Youth, I worked with a team to build a startup idea called RePlate. Our idea was to turn imperfect produce into affordable, shelf-stable meals.
I was the finance lead, so I worked on pricing, costs, funding needs, and the numbers behind the business. It gave me a deeper understanding of the financial instruments and methods available to startups, and a greater appreciation for accurate accounting and analysis. An idea can sound good, but the numbers still have to work.
The program helped me realize that I like business most when it connects to addressing actual problems. RePlate was not just a random pitch idea. It was about food waste and food insecurity, which made the project feel more meaningful.
iStartValley
Through iStartValley, I worked with a team to develop and pitch a startup idea. We learned about market research, business models, teamwork, and how to explain an idea clearly to judges.
Our team placed 3rd in the final pitch competition and qualified for the National Semifinals. I was proud of the result, but I also learned a lot from the process itself.
The biggest thing I took away was that business ideas change a lot as you work on them. You start with one plan, get feedback, fix things, and keep improving. That made the experience feel more realistic than just doing a one and done school project.
