At just 18 years old, seniors Paulina Gonzalez and Malena Pisoni balance rigorous coursework with running their own growing businesses: Jewels of Joy and KB Granola.

Their dedication to entrepreneurship is reinforced by actively applying skills from their business courses to navigate the commercial world.

“I’ve been taking business classes since freshman year, and I feel that has influenced many of my business decisions—for the better,” Gonzalez said.

Managing a startup while attending school presents challenges, such as time management and handling peers’ opinions. However, Gonzalez and Pisoni remain focused and take these challenges in stride.

“I faced all odds and still managed to grow my business to the success I have now,” Pisoni said.

Hand in hand with Pisoni’s claims, Gonzalez believes morals are an important part of leading a prosperous business.

“I’ve been able to make profits while still being ethical,” Gonzalez said.

Pisoni states that it can be easy to get wrapped up in the idea of making money and that sometimes sellers want to overprice their items.

“I refuse to overprice my granola because I want to build a community of loyal customers that keep coming back for more,” Pisoni said.

Similarly, Gonzalez claims to use quality materials while still keeping her jewelry pieces fun and affordable.

“I started off using puka shells because they were the easiest to maneuver and they were trending at the time, but as my company started to grow, I began using more sustainable materials and making designs that are timeless so that the customer could have the piece for a long time,” Gonzalez said.

The way that these young businesswomen have been able to surpass expectations all while learning and growing, shows that they don’t just believe in their ability to succeed, but that they truly practice what they preach.