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Youth entrepreneur of the year awards ceremony

6/14/2017

Last night, at the Boathouse Restaurant in our own backyard of Saugatuck, the Chamber of Commerce hosted their 1st Citizen Awards Dinner. Nestled into the first citizen honorees were three students from Staples High School, being recognized as Young Entrepreneurs. Among them was myself!

The Boathouse provided a lovely atmosphere for the event, and even the 90 degree heat didn't stop the enjoyment. After keynote speaker David Pogue spoke about the uncertainty of the technological world, the awards commenced.

Being honored alongside other individuals of such caliber was humbling. I said a few words thanking the ongoing help of my membership with the Chamber of Commerce, as well as some background on Bar 'Bucha and our performance thus far.

This is an exciting time of year, and receiving this award is something very special to me. There's something about being honored for work that I consider my passion, and having so many others share my joy with me.

A big thank you to Matthew Mandell, the executive director and president of the Chamber. He has been by my side since Bar 'Bucha's inception, and I am lucky to know him.

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Emerson Kobak

5/16/2017

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Women in Business: Emerson Kobak, Teenage Fashion Designer
by Aishah Avdiu
05/08/17

In the halls of Staples there are hundreds of faces students see everyday. A hub of learning, growth, and success, Staples fosters incredible students and individuals. Up and coming app builders, STEM specialists, journalists, and entrepreneurs walk through the school on a daily basis, and they're ages 14-18. Among the student body is Emerson Kobak, a junior at Staples who I have had the pleasure of connecting with this year.

I had heard a lot about Emerson before I ever spoke to her. I had stumbled across her brand on instagram many times, had conversations with peers about her company, and remained intrigued until I made contact with her earlier this year. Emerson is an upbeat creative type that brings a spark of tangible energy with her presence.

When I opened Bar 'Bucha, I sought out children who like myself, had a passion they were pursuing. Emerson was high on my list, and we linked up pretty early on in my process. She participated in a couple Bar 'Bucha events where she sold parts of her fall/winter line as well as her accessory line. Emerson designs and produces all of her pieces. They are each handmade and unique. Emerson's brand is primarily made to order signature pieces with her distinct style.

"I love how creative people can be just through the items they choose to put on their bodies. It is a way to express yourself by doing something you have to do anyway: put on clothing."

She also manages and curates a blog on style and her creative process, where customers can draw inspiration from her own ideas. Her blog covers different fashion workshops she's done with Parsons and FIT, as well as her everyday thoughts on materials, makeup, and style overall.

"I get a lot of my inspiration through seeing how others dress themselves. Through this, I pick out each element of someone's outfit that I love, and use it as inspiration for my style, as well as my clothing."

Emerson aspires to go to fashion school, where she can further her talents and her brand as a designer. She eventually wants to be fully immersed in the fashion world, and hopefully design for a company and eventually show at NYFW. Emerson is well on her way to success in the fashion industry, and it is my pleasure to know her and offer her advice as a fellow young-woman entrepreneur along the way.

Please visit: emersonisa.com

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Alex ingals

5/9/2017

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Women in Business: Alex Ingals of Pilot Kombucha
by Aishah Avdiu
05/08/17

Alex began her journey in fermentation when she decided to start brewing her own kombucha. Seeking digestive benefits, she delved into the process and found a passion for the drink She journeyed to convince the city that never sleeps of her passion, and she's been doing so ever since.

What's in the name? Well, Alex's family has a long history of aviation. When branding her brew, she found a metaphorical tie in "pushing the boundaries of preconception." Pilot strives to go against the grain and dynamically reinvent the wheel.

We're inspired by Alex because like myself, she is the owner of her own business, and runs the show pretty much solo. Big or small, women in business deserve deep admiration, and Pilot Kombucha is a groovy little Brooklyn brewery with a great backstory. We love that.

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Youth ENTREPRENEUR of the year

5/3/2017

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Submission for Chamber of Commerce Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Award
by Aishah Avdiu
05/03/17

When I conceived the idea of bringing kombucha on tap to Westport last Spring, it consisted of a business plan that outlined selling kombucha like fine wines and craft beer is sold: curated carefully and available on tap. I was fascinated by an industry that has grown up along with me over the years.

Although rooted in Ancient Asian culture, kombucha didn’t became a phenomenon in the US until the late 1990’s, but growth for the kombucha market followed a stagnant pace until a rapid expansion in the mid 2000’s, right around when I began drinking it. One pioneer brand called GT’s Kombucha penetrated the health scene with the first mass market commercial access consumers would have to the beverage, as they began to expand into national chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joes.

This brand brought Kombucha to the health-conscious shopper, boasting the benefits of probiotic function. Nationwide, breweries of this trendy beverage began to materialize, each with their own twist on the process, gradually exposing local markets to the drink. I was unaware of brands beyond the two large ones that are carried at grocery stores, but when I did some research and uncovered the expansive market that has emerged for micro brewed kombucha, the idea for Bar ‘Bucha materialized.

Leading up to my opening date on November 5th was a lot of hard work and logistics necessary to starting a brick-and-mortar facility, but most noteable is the evolution since then. Being a Staples student and taking advantage of my reach into the community was the biggest marketing opportunity to utilize. The buzz surrounding my process was essential to building a customer base for this store. Numerous local and regional publications would draw attention to the store, including Westport Weston Magazine, Channel 3 News, and Dan Woog’s beloved 06880.

I capitalized on the attention the store was receiving by reaching out to businesses like Lululemon, Athleta, Soulcycle, Steven Alan, and the Saugatuck Rowing Club, and began to coordinate collaborative events between Bar ‘Bucha and their synergistic clients. My strategy was to continue to reach into the community through collaborations, social media outreach, participation in local fundraisers, and student-centric events. Reaching customers is a dedication rooted in steady social media interaction, informative email blasts, and events within the community. This approach continuously brought in new customers months after the initial buzz subsided.

Incorporating fellow student businesses into my business model has made this endeavor enjoyable and gratifying. We currently carry two student jewelry brands, three student artists, and several student made craft-related products. Selling the work of my peers and fellow students at Bar ‘Bucha has made the store a hub for youth entrepreneurship. For the holiday season, we held a student craft fair, where high school student businesses came to sell their goods.

As of today, Bar ‘Bucha has relationships with over ten microbreweries nationwide, and we continue to strive to bring in new and unique brands to offer our customers. Bar ‘Bucha has created a culture around a once-mysterious drink. We provide concrete education on the science behind probiotics and how customers can use our products to better their lives. A service we offer is providing free events for our customers hosted by local wellness-industry professionals, which presents the merge of both client bases. Our mission remains to better the health of our community through making kombucha fun and accessible to any demographic. Customers are non-exclusive to any group: they come from Black Rock and Greenwich alike, they’re young and old, male and female. Kombucha is a tool for health anyone can access, and Bar ‘Bucha has made it exciting.

Update: As of 05/08/17 Aishah Avdiu of Bar 'Bucha will be honored as one of Westport, CT's Youth Entrepreneurs of the Year on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce.

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