Business & Entrepreneurship

From College Roommates to National Business Co-Founders

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:55:22 +0000

From College Roommates to National Business Co-Founders Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 13:55

Sophia McKeown

In 2023, Eddy Connors (Bus’21) and Luke Siegert (FilmSt’22) went from college roommates and fraternity brothers to startup co-founders when they launched Goodie Bag, a marketplace for surplus food. The app aims to reduce food waste by offering “perfectly good unsold food” from local businesses at a significant discount. Since its inception, Goodie Bag has expanded nationally to over 200 partnering shops, including OZO Coffee, Charleston Bagels and Blend Juice Bar. Connors, who serves as CEO, talks about the company here.

Eddy Connors, middle left, and Luke Siegert, far left, started Goodie Bag in 2023.

You came up with Goodie Bag during a CU entrepreneurship course. How did it come about?

From the get-go, we wanted to muster up an idea that would both make positive social change and generate profit. There was an opportunity to prevent good food from going to waste by connecting it to people at lower prices. That business idea ended up winning the “Startup Summer” pitch competition.

How did you and Luke go from college roommates to business partners?

As roommates, we would always talk about different business ideas, different industries that needed to be shaken up. We both knew there was so much opportunity to create better outcomes for people and our planet, and that excited us.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in scaling the business?

In the beginning, our biggest challenge was figuring out the technology of our app since Luke and I were not engineers ourselves. We also faced some team challenges that required difficult conversations early and often as we took the company from a school project to a full-time business. Team is everything.

With over 200 partner shops and 45,000 meals saved from going to waste, what are your next big goals for Goodie Bag?

Our greatest goal is to ensure no good food goes to waste. That’s the vision that guides us. As for what’s next, we want to increase our presence in existing markets by partnering with more shops in cities like Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins.

Reflecting on your journey from CU student to CEO, what advice would you give current students interested in launching their own businesses?

Do it! In all seriousness though, just remember that inaction is always the wrong answer. Know that you’re going to have failures along the way, but as long as you’re able to learn and adapt, it’ll be a worthwhile experience.

Submit feedback to the editor

Photo courtesy Goodie Bag

Eddy Connors and Luke Siegert transformed their college project into Goodie Bag, a successful startup that connects local businesses with consumers to reduce food waste.

Off

Traditional

Spring 2025

White

Mining the Moon: A New Era of Commercial Space Exploration

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:49:47 +0000

Mining the Moon: A New Era of Commercial Space Exploration Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:49

Kelsey Yandura

Elizabeth Frank (PhDGeol’14) is helping pave the way for a new era of space exploration and commerce as the chief scientist at Interlune, a Seattle-based startup aiming to become the first private company to harvest the Moon’s natural resources, namely the stable isotope helium-3.

This useful gas, while rare on Earth, is abundant on the Moon and sought after for its uses in medical imaging, nuclear fusion research, quantum computing and more. For the extraction and transportation of the isotope, Interlune plans to build a lunar harvester that the company would fly via spacecraft to the Moon.

What is the vision in terms of the future of space mining and space commerce?

We are trying to find novel ways to leverage the commercial space sector for planetary exploration. What makes people excited about Interlune is that even though we have this vision that seems kind of sci-fi, we have actual customers on Earth in areas like quantum computing, medical imaging and national security. There is an actual demand.

Your PhD was in planetary geochemistry at CU. What led you to Boulder?

There’s an incredible space community in Boulder — a lot of interdisciplinary work among CU departments and organizations like LASP and the Southwest Research Institute. When I was touring CU, I was handed a list of planetary scientists in Boulder that was upwards of 50 people. I thought, “Oh my gosh, there’s just so much going on.”

Your work seems to challenge the idea that industries exist in a silo. Can you talk more about your multidisciplinary approach?

When you’re a PhD student, you are expected to be a specialist. But I don’t actually identify anymore as a specialist. I’m a generalist — I have a PhD in planetary geochemistry, but I’ve also worked in spacecraft engineering, mining consulting, business development and more. To move humanity forward, you need people like me to stitch the specialists’ work together in new and exciting ways.

What topics in the field have been piquing your interest these days?

Ethics and sustainability are really top of mind. The mining industry has a long legacy of harming both people and the environment. I think that we can learn from the mistakes of the past. We want to be intentional and thoughtful about how we use technology and extract space resources for human use.

Any thoughts or advice for recent graduates?

I think PhD students and graduates should know that just because you got your degree in one topic, doesn’t mean you have to stay in that field. You can redirect your career in unexpected and exciting ways. Stay open to opportunities and take them — you never know where they’ll lead you.

Submit feedback to the editor

Photo courtesy Elizabeth Frank

Elizabeth Frank (PhDGeol’14) is helping pave the way for a new era of space exploration and commerce as the chief scientist at Interlune, a Seattle-based startup aiming to become the first private company to harvest the Moon’s natural resources.

Off

Traditional

Fall 2024

White

How Michael Washington is Uncovering Nature in L.A.

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

How Michael Washington is Uncovering Nature in L.A. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Kiara Demare

A decade after graduating, Michael Washington (Jour’12) longed for the outdoor community he had found at CU Boulder. In 2022, he left his career in the music industry to become founder and CEO of Usal, a community-based program helping Los Angeles residents participate in unique outdoor activities, workshops and trips. Usal hosts about 20 to 30 events per month, including woodturning, astronomy, fly-fishing, foraging, surfing and cooking.

How did you come up with the idea for Usal?

I felt there was a missing link between people who wanted to get into outdoor hobbies and activities, and a place for them to go. A group setting didn’t exist that felt safe, accessible and approachable, while also providing resources and education on how to learn to do those types of outdoor activities and experiences.

Where does the name come from?

It’s a place near and dear to my heart: Usal Beach is a dispersed beach campground at the southern tip of the coast in Northern California that I would go to from time to time. It inspired me a lot, especially when trying to figure out my next career move.

How did your time in Boulder influence Usal’s creation?

Having those four years in Boulder was crucial. I was given the opportunity to explore and be curious — both in a social sense with meeting new people, and also adventuring in the foothills of the mountains. As I grew my career in Los Angeles, I began to lose my connection to nature. Thankfully, I made a point to find it again when I realized how important it was to me.

Where do you see Usal in five years?

The obvious thing I think about is growth. Growth to me is being able to offer what we do to more people and taking what we do here in Los Angeles and bringing that to another location.

Any final thoughts?

Before anything and everything else, this endeavor feels very true to the person I am and the person who I want to continue to be. I think stumbling over the past 10 years — coming out of college and trying to understand what that means — were important steps to feeling competent and learning what interests me, what excites me and what fulfills me. All those steps led me to eventually leave the music industry to start Usal at age 32. It’s finally coming together.

Submit feedback to the editor

Photo courtesy Usal Project

A decade after graduating, Michael Washington (Jour’12) longed for the outdoor community he had found at CU Boulder. In 2022, he left his career in the music industry to become founder and CEO of Usal, a community-based program helping Los Angeles residents participate in unique outdoor activities, workshops and trips.

Off

Traditional

White

Jamie Seward on Recycling Flowers & Spreading Joy

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Jamie Seward on Recycling Flowers & Spreading Joy Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Tom Kertscher

Flowers have the power to improve your physical and mental well-being — even more so if they are fragrant, according to peer-reviewed research. That’s part of what Jamie Seward (PolSci’97) was after when, late last year, she revived Repeat Roses, a zero-waste solution for event florals that closed its doors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Past clients include the Super Bowl and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle.

Mainly located in Southern California, Arizona and on the East Coast, Repeat Roses transports flowers from events such as weddings and corporate events, rearranges them into smaller bouquets and delivers them to nonprofits like homeless shelters, hospitals or nursing homes. Later, a team picks up the flowers for composting and her clients receive a receipt for their charitable donation.

Seward, a Navy veteran and former attorney, also serves as senior associate director of alumni relations for Johns Hopkins �Թ�� School of Medicine in Baltimore.

What inspired you to take over Repeat Roses?

I have a passion for people, I have a passion for the planet and I want to leave the world a little better than I found it.

What’s the status of your business?

It’s what I like to call a ‘restart-up’ — it was a start-up and we’ve restarted it. We are up and running, we can operate anywhere in the U.S., and we’re hoping to get the word out. It takes time for word to spread that we’re back in business.

What’s it like when you deliver flowers?

There’s nothing quite like seeing the faces of the people in a homeless shelter, both the staff and the residents, and the joy on their faces when they see flowers — which are considered a luxury — brighten up their space. They’re worried about the basics, and to have something beautiful and joyful, it elevates everyone’s mood, it makes everyone feel better and it brightens up their environment.

Why do you compost the flowers?

It’s more advantageous for the environment for flowers to decompose naturally, versus putting them in a plastic bag in a landfill.

Did anything from your CU Boulder experience guide you into doing this type of work?

I was in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority at CU, and there was often a philanthropic aspect to our activities. So, it was ingrained in me very early that helping people is something I wanted to do in as many aspects of my life as possible.

Learn more about Repeat Roses at @RepeatRoses on social media or at repeatroses.com.

Submit feedback to the editor

Photo courtesy Jamie Seward

In Southern California, Jamie Seward (PolSci’97) leads Repeat Roses, a zero-waste solution for event florals. Past clients include the Super Bowl and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle.

Off

Traditional

White

Cooking With Kindness: Bruce Bromberg's Unique Approach to Leading Blue Ribbon Restaurants

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Cooking With Kindness: Bruce Bromberg's Unique Approach to Leading Blue Ribbon Restaurants Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Sarah Kuta

Reality TV shows often depict chefs as cruel, heartless tyrants, willing to make their staff cry in pursuit of the perfect bite. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Just ask Bruce Bromberg (Anth’88). For the last three decades, he’s led a team of extraordinarily loyal staffers at Blue Ribbon Restaurants, the growing restaurant group he co-founded with his older brother Eric Bromberg in 1992.

Blue Ribbon started with one intimate eatery at the edge of New York City’s SoHo neighborhood. Since then, the company has expanded into different concepts — from sushi to bowling — and opened more than 20 locations nationwide.

Through it all, intentional leadership has been paramount to the team’s success.

“We wanted to create an environment where people flourished and wanted to come to work and wanted to learn, not just punch the clock,” said Bromberg. “We found that once we had that environment in place, everyone excelled.”

The results speak for themselves. Diners keep coming back to Blue Ribbon night after night — and so do its employees. Eleven of the 14 staffers who worked the restaurant’s opening night are still with the company more than 30 years later. Now, they’re all part-owners, too.

“[Eric and I] both worked in France in very oppressive and abusive kitchens,” said Bromberg. “They exist in America, they exist everywhere. But it was the last thing we wanted to have happen in our kitchens. There’s a better way.”

Bromberg’s own culinary journey started in his hometown of Morristown, New Jersey, where he grew up in a “very food-centric household.”

“Whether it was my grandmother and her traditional cooking or my father’s obsession with everything French, food was a really strong element in our childhood,” he said. “My father had a home in the south of France, and we would travel there in the summer and he would take us on day trips to every restaurant he could think of.”

Though many of his peers attended East Coast colleges and universities, Bromberg decided to head west. He enrolled at CU Boulder and majored in anthropology. When he graduated in 1988, he didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do next — only that he didn’t want a desk job — so he moved back to the East Coast. His brother, meanwhile, had studied at Le Cordon Bleu, the famed cooking school in Paris, and was running a restaurant in the Hamptons.

One evening, a chef where his brother was working called in sick, so Bromberg offered to pitch in and help.

“That was really it,” Bromberg said. “I spent that first night in the kitchen with Eric and was instantly enamored by the whole process.”

Bromberg followed his brother’s footsteps and headed to France to study at Le Cordon Bleu. When he returned, they went into business together and opened the first Blue Ribbon, a 48-seat “little hole in the wall,” he said. The name is a nod to their culinary training: Le Cordon Bleu means “the blue ribbon” in French.

The eatery was an overnight success, partly because it was open until 4 a.m. each day, attracting musicians, chefs, servers and other people who worked in hospitality and entertainment. The food, of course, was also a big draw.

Over 30 years later, Blue Ribbon’s sweeping success has only bolstered the brothers’ commitment to their people-first leadership approach.

“As a chef, I am a teacher. I’m constantly teaching. You have to be patient and respect every single individual in your environment until the last moment.”

For more information on Blue Ribbon Restaurants visit BlueRibbonRestaurants.com.

Submit feedback to the editor

Photos Courtesy Blue Ribbon Restaurants

Bruce Bromberg (Anth’88) and his brother Eric founded Blue Ribbon Restaurants in 1992, and prioritized leading their employees in a productive and welcoming environment. Some staff members remain with them more than 30 years later.

Off

Traditional

White

Soft Skills Are the New Power Skills

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Soft Skills Are the New Power Skills Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Katy Hill

For decades, the archetypal C-suite executive stood tall as a domineering figure, leading from a distant corner office. Interpersonal skills — literally labeled “soft skills” — were seen as expendable on the corporate ladder.

However, a growing body of research shows that company leaders who exhibit communication, flexibility and compassion help teams collaborate more effectively, motivate workforces and retain employees. As a result, modern paradigms are shifting to reframe these “soft skills” as highly coveted “power skills” among today’s top leaders.

“Being a good leader is being a good human,” said Tony Kong, associate professor of organizational leadership and informational analytics at Leeds Business School. “When a leader can show tenderness, sympathy and compassion, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty, it can trigger employees’ feelings of gratitude and make them want to go above and beyond.”

The stress and upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for empathetic leaders and a more nurturing workplace culture, Kong said. And today, corporate downsizing and emerging technologies further compound that need. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Report, skills like creativity, resilience, flexibility, self-awareness and empathy will be among the most valued over the next five years.

Kong, also the faculty director of Leeds’ leadership certificate, and David Hekman, associate professor of organizational leadership and information analytics, share more research-backed insights about the benefits of empathy and humility in company leadership and why leaders at all levels need to embody these skills.

The surprising power of humility

By acknowledging their mistakes, highlighting others’ strengths and exhibiting a learning mindset, leaders cultivate a workplace culture oriented toward growth.

“Humility in leadership benefits teams, individuals and entire organizations,” Hekman said. “It helps people experience more psychological freedom, authenticity, job satisfaction, improved team performance and motivation.”

Hekman studies how leader humility influences team performance. One such study, published in the Academy of Management Journal in 2016, examined the operations of 84 laboratory teams and 77 health care teams. It revealed that when leaders exercise humility, it can effectively propagate throughout a team.

“Humility spreads — it’s contagious,” Hekman said. “It enhances feelings of safety, so you can feel safe speaking up to your boss. It reduces turnover and results in a more motivated workforce.”

Although it’s clear that leader humility benefits teams and organizations, there is a widespread belief that humility may hinder leaders from advancing through the corporate ranks.

However, Hekman’s recent research indicates that there is a “humble route” to career advancement.

“Conventional wisdom is that you’ve got to be Machiavellian and self-promote and bully to rise to the top, but humility is also a catalyst for leadership success,” said Hekman, who co-authored a study on humility and career advancement that was published in the January 2024 edition of the Journal of Human Resource Management.

Informal career mentoring, which helps cultivate a network of loyal followers, is key to humble leader advancement. “It gives them status in the organization because passing on skills, tips and tricks builds up a lot of social capital,” Hekman said. “So they build this network of people who end up being an army of very talented, very motivated, trusting people, which is unbeatable.” The elevated status often leads to promotions.

Warmth in the workplace

Interpersonal warmth is also crucial in fostering a positive workplace culture, Kong’s research shows. Employees are more likely to be engaged and motivated when a leader is understanding and supportive. Similarly, leaders who convey “warmth” can build trust with their direct reports, fostering open communication and acceptance of new ideas.

Warm and empathetic leaders can also help lessen employees’ negative work stress. According to a study published in April 2023 in the Academy of Management Journal and co-authored by Kong, whether an employee sees a work stressor as a challenge or threat hinges on how they view their direct manager.

Based on two surveys of more than 250 employee-leader pairs in 234 companies and organizations in more than 40 industries in China, researchers found that employees view the prospect of performance-based pay raises positively when they view their manager as competent and warm.

Capable and supportive leaders create fulfilling work environments, inspiring employees to rise to the challenge with increased work engagement and performance.

On the other hand, “If my leader is cold, untrustworthy, unfriendly and unsupportive, then I’ll perceive pay for performance as a threat,” Kong said. “I’ll be stressed and withdraw from my work, maybe coming to work late and leaving early. I will perform worse because I’m disengaged.”

Kong’s research also shows the importance of prioritizing employees’ psychological needs during a crisis. A 2021 study he co-authored, published in the Journal of Positive Psychology, surveyed employees during the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It found that when supervisors acknowledged their employees’ suffering and provided emotional support and flexibility, it improved relationships and evoked gratitude among their reports. It also helped employees adapt and increased their engagement at work.

The study underscores why prioritizing human connection is essential for a positive work culture, Kong said.

“When a leader shows empathy, people appreciate it,” Kong said. “They actually do more even though it’s not a requirement.”

A cornerstone for inclusion

Empathy can help managers lead with inclusivity and better understand others’ perspectives and worldviews.

According to a 2021 survey by Catalyst, employees across different genders and racial groups feel more valued and respected while working with an empathetic leader compared to less empathetic ones.

Kong said it’s also important for leaders to consider diversity in a wider context.

“Diversity is very complex, but often we fixate our attention on demographics and forget that people have different perspectives, different backgrounds and different ideologies,” said Kong, who teaches a module on managing diversity in Leeds’ Executive Leadership Program.

“Instead of using demographics as a proxy, why don’t we try to better understand people’s perspectives, worldviews and experiences? That’s using empathy to understand and respect others’ points of view.”

Empathetic leaders value diverse perspectives and create a culture of respect, acceptance and unity, which helps foster a sense of community among employees.

“Over time, I think practicing empathy will not only give you emotional talent, but also cultural intelligence,” said Kong.

Powering up “soft skills”

Empathy and emotional intelligence are hard to quantify, and they’re often overlooked when it comes to hiring, according to Kong.

“It’s not a luxury for leaders to have empathy. It is a necessity,” said Kong. “But oftentimes, we promote leaders in terms of technical skills. And sometimes we find that they don’t understand people. They only understand what they do, but they don’t understand who they’re working with.”

Kong explained that companies often prioritize short-term performance over long-term culture building because return on investment (ROI) is not attached to these relationship-building skills. “We need to shift the thinking about who we hire, who we promote and what kind of culture we want,” he said.

Hekman and Kong believe companies should implement systems that promote and cultivate “power skills.” For example, human resources departments can work with companies’ leadership to promote mentoring programs, create systems that provide transparency, and facilitate leadership training programs that contribute to career success and organizational growth.

Meanwhile, company leaders at any level should focus on providing quality feedback to employees more often, Kong said. “Providing good feedback is a skill set. It’s a leadership skill that requires empathy,” he said.

“A lot of times leaders do not know how to give feedback, but employees crave it for self-growth,” he added. “Try to frame feedback sessions as more constructive and focus on strengths instead of limitations. Take perspective and try to put the right people in the right positions according to their strengths.”

This shifting emphasis promises lasting repercussions — especially as companies integrate AI technology into their operations. According to recent research, employers will increasingly value these “power skills” that enhance human interactions in the AI age.

“We don’t know what is going to happen, but my hunch is that our human advantage is going to be our [interpersonal] skills,” Hekman said.

Submit feedback to the editor

Illustrations by Ben Kircher

“Soft skills” are getting a rebrand. Studies show today’s business leaders need increasing levels of empathy, humility and emotional intelligence to navigate a rapidly changing world.

Traditional

Summer 2024

White

Business & Entrepreneurship

From College Roommates to National Business Co-Founders

You came up with Goodie Bag during a CU entrepreneurship course. How did it come about?

How did you and Luke go from college roommates to business partners?

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in scaling the business?

With over 200 partner shops and 45,000 meals saved from going to waste, what are your next big goals for Goodie Bag?

Reflecting on your journey from CU student to CEO, what advice would you give current students interested in launching their own businesses?

Off

Mining the Moon: A New Era of Commercial Space Exploration

What is the vision in terms of the future of space mining and space commerce?

Your PhD was in planetary geochemistry at CU. What led you to Boulder?

Your work seems to challenge the idea that industries exist in a silo. Can you talk more about your multidisciplinary approach?

What topics in the field have been piquing your interest these days?

Any thoughts or advice for recent graduates?

Off

How Michael Washington is Uncovering Nature in L.A.

How did you come up with the idea for Usal?

Where does the name come from?

How did your time in Boulder influence Usal’s creation?

Where do you see Usal in five years?

Any final thoughts?

Off

Jamie Seward on Recycling Flowers & Spreading Joy

What inspired you to take over Repeat Roses?

What’s the status of your business?

What’s it like when you deliver flowers?

Why do you compost the flowers?

Did anything from your CU Boulder experience guide you into doing this type of work?

Off

Cooking With Kindness: Bruce Bromberg's Unique Approach to Leading Blue Ribbon Restaurants

Off

Soft Skills Are the New Power Skills

The surprising power of humility

Warmth in the workplace

A cornerstone for inclusion

Powering up “soft skills”

Related Articles