BUFFS
Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University (TCU)
Industry: Consumer Packaged Goods, more specifically Better For You Snacking
Founding Student Name(s): Beckett Kitaen and George Zhou
Brief Description of Solution: BUFFS are the most addictive way to snack on high quality protein. The first-ever crunchy, puffed snack made primarily out of grass-fed beef. Think of a Cheetos made out of beef.
Funding Dollars: $300,000
What led you to launch this venture? I’ve always wanted to start my own company, and there was never a perfect product to pursue or time to start. My best friend and I figured that there’s no better way to learn how to be an entrepreneur than by jumping head first and trying to become one. If we fail, we fail fast and learn a lot. We found a product that we personally wished existed, and something that could truly bring value to a lot of people, so we went all in on it.
What has been your biggest accomplishment so far with venture? We’re still pre-launch, but we’ve had a few small wins that we’re grateful for. We’ve won a few pitch competitions (TCU CREATE, two at the University of Southern California, and large consumer packaged goods (CPG) event called Founderland). We’ve also raised $300,000 and received verbal agreement with Sprouts and Bristol Farms to be on shelf.
How has your business-related major helped you further this startup venture? My major is Finance with Real Estate. Finance is the backbone of business. Becoming more financially literate has allowed me to trust myself with making decisions that involve handling a lot of money (at least by my standards), as well as make predictions about the future and being able to trust myself on those calculations.
Which business class has been most valuable in building your startup and what was the biggest lesson you gained from it? I took Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) with Professor Antonio Banos around the time I started BUFFS. Banos was someone who inspired me and taught me about what it looks like to start your own company and the benefits that come with it. He also talked about the nitty gritty practical steps of actually starting a company and filing an LLC online. He also brought in amazing guest speakers who had started their own companies.
What business professor made a significant contribution to your plans and why? Dr. Ken Corbit, a TCU Neeley assistant professor of marketing practice, gave me a lot of sales wisdom that has impacted the way I communicate in the business world. One time we had a pitch for a tv show. The company was very young at this stage. Corbit helped us frame our sales pitch that continues to impact that way we communicate our mission to this day.
What founder or entrepreneur inspired you to start your own entrepreneurial journey? How did he or she prove motivational to you? My dad is my biggest inspiration. Growing up, I thought that starting your own business was just how people made money. I’ve been able to watch my dad grow two companies and I’ve known since I was kid that that was what I wanted to do.
What is your long-term goal with your startup? We want our company to be the face of clean, animal-based snacking. We will grow a brand that people trust. Whatever product we come out with, people will know that it will benefit their health because of the integrity behind the brand and the mission we stand for.
How has your local startup ecosystem contributed to your venture’s development and success? The CPG community in Southern California is amazing. We’ve been blessed to be connected to amazing founders, investors, CEOs, etc. Because of this we’ve been able to learn 10x faster than we ever could have imagined. We’re blessed to have the co-founders of Sauz and the co-founder of IMMI Eats as advisors who are constantly pouring guidance onto us. The thing about the CPG world Is that everyone is excited for new brands that are coming out and everyone wants to help each other and see each other achieve success.
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