Small businesses, big outcomes

Having a small business while getting a degree can be hard but not impossible and some Vaqueros are the proof of it.

The names behind the business

Marlen Ayala, a UTRGV american sign language and interpretation sophomore is the owner of  Crafted Moments, a personalizing gifts business, and co-owner of Christopher Munoz Photography. 

Ayala shared she started her business about eight years ago when she was going through a “really ugly divorce.”

“I was a stay-at-home mom with three under three, my baby was 11 months old and I had to get divorced,” she said “I had no income and no way of sustaining my kids, my household [and] I couldn’t work. I have a special needs child that requires 24 hour care and due to that I wasn’t able to be reliable.”

Ayala then decided to start her small business by painting and personalizing wood letters as she “has always been very crafty.” Over the time she was able to acquire more tools and also started doing more personalized items, including t-shirts and cups.  

Whether it is for necessity, the money or the experience, starting your own business is a step in the right direction. 

Daniel Garza, program specialist for the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC), commented he believes it is very important for students to get to explore entrepreneurship during their college years.  

“It is probably one of the best environments for [students] to start a business just because they have access to mentorships,research, resources and, especially at UTRGV, they have such a strong support network,” Garza said.

While managing college and owning a business can be challenging, it is an experience students can benefit from. 

Brianna Villarreal, a UTRGV graduate student of occupational therapy, is also a movement coach, choreographer, dance instructor and owner of Just Bri Moves. Villarreal has built a brand about making dance inclusive, empowering and accessible to people.

“It’s all about making sure that people feel confident when moving their bodies,” she said.

Villarreal explained how even though balancing both college and her business, “is definitely a struggle” she has learned a lot that has been able to apply to her business.

According to the UTRGV ECC program specialist, owning a business can give students a different option for their future. 

“As a student of course you want to have a career and you probably have work in your mindset but being an entrepreneur can also be an option for you,” Garza said. “If you’re a student you have the tools, you have the information, you have the resources, the education. So for a student to start a small business at this point, it’s actually a very smart idea.”

Ricardo Chavez, a UTRGV mechanical engineering senior, is the owner of Laserworks, where he sells 3D prints, designs, customizes and engraves “anything that a client might need.”

Chavez started his business when a friend  gifted him a cup engraved with his name and thought “it was really cute.”

“I really was excited to try new things so I bought a laser engraver and that’s how I started,” Chavez said.

He added how his business has open doors for him, not only as an entrepreneur but also as a mechanical engineer.

Being a small business owner has helped Chavez make connections outside of college, such as with “bigger industrial” companies.

Learning the balance

All of these full-time students face the challenge of balancing their time between college and managing a business, but each owner balances both in their own way.

Ayala manages her time by attending classes only two days a week. She dedicates the rest of her days to her personal life, college and her business and with the support of her husband. 

Villarreal has the support of her family and boyfriend. She said she uses a color coded system to stay organized. 

Chavez uses a calendar on his phone to organize his time and be more efficient.

While all the owners have different strategies, they all agreed time management is extremely important to   balance everything.

“It’s all about organization,” Garza said when asked for recommendations for students balancing college life and their business. “You want to know your priorities, making sure that you’re having your assignments, having your classes, making sure you’re working on your future that way. I feel the key to success is just organization.”

UTRGV resources

The ECC at UTRGV is a resource offered to students who are deciding to start their own business or are unsure on where to start. 

“At the [ECC] we support students,” Garza said.“We have training programs, we have mentorships, we have incubation and we have connections to resources throughout the region. [Students] can always schedule to have a conversation with us, we are more than happy to assist anyone either student based, community based, we are here to help.”

An event co-hosted by the ECC and Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation is the “RGV Startup Week,” happening from April 24 to May 3.

According to its website, RGV Startup Week is the Rio Grande Valley’s annual entrepreneurial celebration, offering a whole week of educational workshops, networking opportunities and hands-on resources.

“… [Students are] going to be able to leave with a tool, with a spreadsheet, with something out of every conversation [they’ll] have,” Garza said.

These Vaqueros have proved it is possible to have a business while achieving a degree. Villarreal added she wants to let students know to “make sure to start before you feel actually ready.”

“A lot of people like to wait for the perfect moment to start things,” Villarreal said. “Use what you have and make sure that you stay consistent. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. […] Balancing both school and a business is not easy but it is possible. But waiting for the perfect time and hoping that it comes around, it might never come around, so it is easier if you start now and work towards it.”