Carnegie Mellon University

student team at capital grains opening in the tepper quad

March 17, 2023

Meet the Student Entrepreneurs Behind Capital Grains

The restaurant, located in Rohr Commons in the Tepper Quad, is the first student-developed and student-run eatery of its kind.

At the Tepper School of Business, we educate thinkers and leaders who thrive on innovative thinking. Our culture nurtures entrepreneurial spirit, not only in the classroom, but in real-world applications. 

Students from the Undergraduate Business Administration program recently put their entrepreneurship skills to the test by developing and launching, in collaboration with Chartwells and Carnegie Mellon Dining Services, an entirely student-run restaurant. Meet these talented student leaders and learn more about what it takes to be successful at the Tepper School, below.

capital grains featured food bowl
student serving customer at capital grains

David You
UBA Class of 2023 
Studying: Business Administration, Computer Science

What made you interested in becoming involved in Capital Grains?

Joe Beaman, Director of Dining Services, and Mike Tokarek, the Resident District Manager for Chartwells at Carnegie Mellon, approached me with the idea of building out a student-run and student-operated restaurant back in September 2022. I found the initial idea incredibly exciting. Given my business background and culinary interests, I wanted to take on this challenge that would improve my skillsets in these two areas and benefit the community. Since that initial meeting, I’ve been able to build out the program. I am very grateful to Joe and Mike for allowing me to develop a model that best fits our students and the CMU community. 

Why are you passionate about this project?

Since my freshman year, I’ve always thought about ways to improve dining services on campus. Not many dining options are available for students on the weekends, and I felt that problem myself. I also enjoy being involved in community initiatives. I worked as a Head Orientation Counselor this past August and found that experience rewarding. During this time, I worked closely with the CMU Dining and Chartwells teams to develop the concept for all orientation meals. Finally, I wanted to improve my business acumen and culinary skillset, and this was the perfect opportunity to work on both.

What are your summer plans? 

As I am graduating, my summer plans are to rest and relax before I start my full-time position. After college, I will work at Google as an Associate Product Manager.

What coursework, clubs, case competitions, etc. have prepared you to launch Capital Grains?

I’ve had the great fortune to take many classes at Tepper and CMU that have helped me launch Capital Grains. Last semester, I took Introduction to Entrepreneurship with Meredith Grelli, Assistant Teaching Professor of Entrepreneurship. This class taught me the necessary skill sets to build out our customer research model, business model, and strategy. Professor Grelli was incredibly helpful and spent additional time outside the classroom to meet with me to improve my concept on product and business levels.

I also really enjoyed Business Leadership Endeavor I with Rubab Jafry O’Connor, Distinguished Service Professor of Management. I recall reading "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg in that class during my freshman fall semester. That book has fundamentally shaped how I develop healthy habits, so I am extremely thankful to Professor O’Connor for giving us that reading.

Outside the classroom, I am also involved with the Business Technology Group (BTG). Our organization builds projects to benefit the student body population and prepares students for new grad product management jobs. Last year, I was the organization's president, and this year I am the Head of Product.

What do you hope to do after graduation? How will this experience of launching Capital Grains support your career or goals?

After college, I plan to work at Google as an Associate Product Manager. Long-term, I am interested in running my own business, so this experience has greatly benefited that goal. This program taught me how to conduct customer research, create a fair hiring process, organize product development, and manage employees. Regardless of industry, these skills will always be highly valuable.

What advice do you have for other students, including prospective students considering coming to Tepper?

I would advise students to look for opportunities outside of their comfort zone. Before coming to CMU, I had never written a single line of code or had any interest in computer science. Now, I plan to graduate with a minor in computer science. I would not be able to have such an opportunity at any other university.

What do you like to do outside of school / Capital Grains?

Outside of school and Capital Grains, I enjoy reading up on current events, going to the gym, and spending time with friends and family. I also enjoy cooking, though that probably falls under work for Capital Grains.

capital grains ribbon cutting ceremony
capital grains ribbon cutting

Prisha Goyal
UBA Class of 2025
Studying: Business Administration

What made you interested in becoming involved in Capital Grains?

As an aspiring businessperson, the opportunity to serve as the chief marketing officer at CMU’s first-ever student-run restaurant excited me like no other. By accepting the challenge of building such a unique concept, I wanted to further my professional skills through real-world experience while making a positive contribution to campus life at CMU. 

Why are you passionate about this project?

As the CMO, I want to facilitate the growth of this initiative by driving the support and recognition it deserves, and hope to bring a unique experience to the university community. From our advisors at Chartwells, CMU Dining, and Tepper to the students who have tried our bowls, the support we have received so far from everyone involved has been extremely encouraging and is a testament to the potential of this concept. I simply enjoy what we do each day — be it the administrative work on the weekdays and operational tasks on the weekend. 

What are your summer plans?

My plans for summer involve taking summer classes, interning in my hometown, and spending time with friends and family.  

What coursework, clubs, case competitions, etc. have prepared you to launch Capital Grains?

My role in CMU’s American Marketing Association as a for-profit consultant equipped me with experience in working with clients and implementing business development strategies. 

In Business Computing I learned skills that made data organization and analysis easier, which I use to study customer feedback. Business Communications also helped me improve my written communication skills, which play an integral role in day-to-day administrative work. Optimization for Business and Finance allowed me to gain insight into other aspects of a business so I could understand the bigger picture and not be limited to one role. 

What do you hope to do after graduation? How will this experience of launching Capital Grains support your career or goals?

In the long run, I aspire to start my own venture, and this internship has been extremely beneficial in preparing me for this goal. Through this experience, I learned skills that are applicable across various industries and will undoubtedly be of immense value to me in the future. I have realized the importance of taking initiative and optimizing your resources. The opportunity to work with a team of hardworking and passionate individuals was also rewarding as we made crucial decisions collectively. I have enjoyed and learned each day of this internship so far— be it researching, designing, and strategizing on the weekdays or cooking and serving on the weekends.

What advice do you have for other students, including prospective students considering coming to Tepper?

Make the best use of these four years. CMU has a lot to offer if you are willing to take the initiative. Build a strong work ethic and don’t forget to have fun! 

capital grains student workers preparing food
capital grains team

Michael Maddalon
UBA Class of 2024 
Studying: Business Administration, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Strategic Management

What made you interested in becoming involved in Capital Grains?

I saw that there was a new student-managed and operated restaurant being started and I thought, “Wow, that’s really cool, I want to be involved in that.” I believed it would be so amazing to build a restaurant from the ground up and make key decisions on how this restaurant would run. Also hearing it would be a healthy bowl concept made me very happy, because I know that the fast-casual concept is incredibly popular right now because people want quick, healthy, tasty food options. 

Why are you passionate about this project?

I’m passionate about this project because it offers learning in a lot of the different skill sets that I believe are integral to my future vision for myself. As someone who wants to be an entrepreneur and business owner in the hospitality space, learning how to make restaurants operational and successful is a terrific experience. David, Prisha, and Rafael have been very kind in allowing me to learn about what they do in their roles, which has allowed me to learn more about the product, financial, and marketing decisions that we make as a team.

What are your summer plans? Internships, summer jobs, classes, etc.

I am currently applying for internships in the hospitality and entrepreneurship space, specifically hands-on roles in hotels and restaurants and managerial assistant positions. I would love to learn more about what it’s like to start a restaurant or a real estate company. I’m mostly looking for roles in Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and Pittsburgh. 

What coursework, clubs, case competitions, etc. have prepared you to launch Capital Grains?

I believed reading a large number of self-improvement books such as "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and "Atomic Habits" in the past has helped me become a respectable, hard-working person and leader at Capital Grains. The support from Mike Tokarek, Joe Beaman, Chef Mike Blue, Professor Meredith Grelli, Jamie, Deejah, and Bryan has been invaluable to me in being successful in my role.

What three words would you use to describe yourself?

Customer-focused entrepreneur.

What do you hope to do after graduation? How will this experience of launching Capital Grains support your career or goals?

My current plan is to work for 2-3 years in sales or hospitality and build up my asset column to a steady stream of autonomous monthly cash flow. From there, I want to start my own business in the restaurant or real estate space.

What advice do you have for other students, including prospective students considering coming to Tepper?

I believed I put too much value into just classes when I first came into Tepper. Instead, I found that I gained a lot more value by investing time into internships during the school year/summer that emphasized learning and personal development and spending time reading self-improvement books. I have found that self-teaching and learning through experience have given me most of my insight into my future journey.

What is your favorite Tepper memory so far?

My favorite Tepper memories consist of having lunch with all my friends in the dining area and playing sports with my friends on Tepper’s front lawn.

What do you like to do outside of school / Capital Grains?

I like to play basketball and tennis, go swimming, lift weights, read books, and do fun activities with friends and family.

 

capital grains student workers serving customers
capital grains student workers preparing food

Rafael Isea Rodriguez
UBA Class of 2026
Studying: Business Administration

What made you interested in becoming involved in Capital Grains?

I became interested in working at Capital Grains through the CFO position because it would be a great opportunity to complement the skills I was learning in class with hands-on experience. I would learn to do important tasks required at any company regarding their finances and analyze their data, which I believe is a great skill to learn. I applied and am very grateful to the Chartwells team for granting me the opportunity to be here. 

Why are you passionate about this project?

My passion for this project comes from the idea that I am going to be able to have a critical role in creating something that Carnegie Mellon students will enjoy and benefit from for generations to come. Additionally, if this is successful, it can be replicated within other schools and have a nationwide impact on campus dining. Apart from that, part of my professional ambitions include being able to look at numbers produced by a company and knowing exactly what they mean in terms of the company’s financial health and potential.

What are your summer plans? 

For the summer, I would like to be involved in an internship that allows me to expand on my technical data analysis skills. However, in the case that does not happen, I would work a job in my hometown while taking classes that help me advance my degree. 

What coursework, clubs, case competitions, etc. at Tepper have prepared you to launch Capital Grains?

I would say the most relevant coursework I am taking so far is Business Computing, as I use a lot of Excel and Google Sheets to organize data in a readable fashion. In terms of clubs and other extracurricular activities, my past presidential role in my college’s Student Business Association helped me cultivate my interpersonal and communication skills that I utilize daily with the executive team. 

What do you hope to do after graduation? How will this experience of launching Capital Grains support your career or goals?

After graduation, I hope to work as an ESG Consultant who assesses companies on transforming their business model to be carbon neutral through the analysis of their numbers. Launching Capital Grains and occupying the CFO position is going to give me the opportunity to develop the skills required to be able to analyze important financial numbers.