Braden Wild, Economics & International Business, '18

_{The Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition}

Observation into Action

In March 2014, Albers alum Braden Wild found himself riding a bus with SU faculty during a research trip in Nicaragua. Reflecting on the realities of coffee farming and inequities embedded in the supply chain, he asked himself 'What if'. "We had $2,000 left from the Global Grants Program. Why not do something that helps address the problems we’ve seen?"

"Entrepreneurship is about adapting on the fly."

That spontaneous moment on the back of the bus sparked an idea that led to buying the first batch of coffee, organizing shipment to the U.S., and laying the foundation for MotMot Coffee, an SU student-run business dedicated to equitable partnerships with farmers.

From Plan to Practice

"When I came back, I spent the next quarter drafting a 20-page business plan," Braden said. The support from Dean Emeritus Joe Phillips and faculty member Dr. Quan Le enabled the fledgling team to build a sales pipeline, structure a vertically integrated supply chain, and even place second in the 2017 Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition.

With any true entrepreneurial journey, MotMot Coffee faced challenges: shipments sometimes went awry, contracts dropped unexpectedly, funding and sales fluctuated. "Entrepreneurship is about adapting on the fly," Braden reflected. "That’s what you’re supposed to learn as a student doing this. It’s not about getting everything right, it’s about the intersection of experiential learning and room [for students] to make mistakes."

Guiding the Next Generation

Today, Braden’s role has evolved from leading the business to mentoring the next generation. He has served as a judge, mentor and pitch competition supporter. "I love helping students think five steps ahead," Braden said. "I’m there to ask questions they might not have considered and help them develop their own solutions."

The advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple but profound: "Don’t be afraid to pitch a crazy idea. Start with what you love and are passionate about. Apply what you’re learning, experiment, adapt, and learn from mistakes."

For students, this approach is invaluable not only for starting a business but for building the skills and mindset to succeed in any career.