UGurt. You all know it and you all love it, and we couldn’t agree more (I mean, we did have our 1st Birthday Bash there)! UGurt has become a staple for collegiettes who go to the University of Utah, so we couldn’t think of anything better than getting to know the amazing minds behind that delicious frozen yogurt. Meet Adam and Sam Webster, our Campus Celebrities, and the co-founders of UGurt!
Names: Adam & Sam Webster
Graduation Year: 2016 & 2014
Major: Adam: International Studies ; Sam: MSIS (Masters of Science in Information Systems)
Hometown: Bountiful, UT
Her Campus (HC): What’s it like being brothers and owning a business together?
Adam Webster (AW): Being brothers and opening a business together wasn’t a big deal for us because we were always so close growing up and had a very similar vision from the get go. The challenges of opening and starting your own business were there, of course. And there are always differences in opinion too, but that can only make a business better as it keeps our minds open to different opinions.
Sam Webster (SW): Like Adam said, we were close growing up so going into business together just seemed like it made sense, especially because the concept was close to the U and we were both still working on our degrees. Even though we grew up together, our opinions still differ, which is why it’s a great combination because we always get multiple perspectives when any issues or opportunities come up.
HC: What inspired you guys to open Ugurt?
SW: I was finishing my bachelor’s degree and was super stoked to be graduating! I was looking for a place near campus that I could take my family after the graduation ceremonies. I noticed that there wasn’t anywhere near campus where we could go as a get together spot to get dessert and hang out. Some time after that, I was driving around campus showing my wife some of my favorite spots on campus when we drove past where we’re currently located and saw that it was available to be leased. We decided to jump on it, as there weren’t many better locations that we could possibly ask for. We had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to do, so with the help of engineers, architects and contractors, we were able to build out the space that we wanted and create the environment that we had in mind. We were super excited with the outcome of the store and as you can tell, we’ve created that hang out spot by campus that friends and families can go and get a delicious treat!
HC: All of us at Her Campus agree that our dream job would entail eating frozen yogurt all day, every day. What’s a typical day like for you guys?
AW: A typical day for us is fighting the temptation of eating our own frozen yogurt all day, every day. But as owners we make sure inventory is stocked, take trips to the market, checking in with our UGurt employee family, checks and balances, marketing, catering, and the list goes on!
SW: It honestly is a struggle and a temptation to not eat all of our products, especially when we introduce a new product like our Frocolates (Frozen Hot Chocolates) that are particularly awesome! Working at UGurt we strive to maintain the environment that we’ve created by creating a great atmosphere, making sure toppings are filled, the store is kept clean, and that the store continues to be in great shape. We’re always on the look out for things that can help us grow even more and bring in more customers as well to satisfy their sweet tooth!
HC: How does it feel to know you’ve created one of the most popular hangouts for students at the U?
SW: To me it’s very surreal. We opened in October 2013 and all we really had was the store. We created the environment, but since UGurt isn’t a franchise we had to start from scratch in spreading the word and getting people to come in and check us out. Now, I think it’s incredible when I overhear people at concerts, basketball or football games, performances and any other sort of meeting on or near campus talking about UGurt and making UGurt a meet up spot after the event that they are attending. People are making it a tradition and we hope to be around for a long time so that people can look back at their college careers and remember UGurt and want to come back and visit us!
AW: We try to keep our shop clean and our products fresh so it can be a place where everyone on campus would like to be. That’s who we cater to and when the students respond in a positive way by choosing us to host their parties, philanthropy nights, or get togethers, it naturally makes us happy!
HC: What’s your favorite item on the menu?
AW: Our Mexican Hot Chocolate. I absolutely love it!
SW: Our Peanut Butter Cup Frocolate is pretty amazing. It’s definitely my current favorite item on the menu!
HC: What would be your perfect frozen yogurt combination, from flavor to toppings?
AW: Pomegranate raspberry with Fruity Bebbles & Nerds is my jam.
SW: It totally varies by day, but I have two go to combinations depending on what I’m feeling. One is the Pomegranate Raspberry/Cheesecake Twist and I’ll put white chocolate chips, granola, Reese’s, cookie dough and cheesecake bites, topped with a little bit of Hot Ghirardelli Chocolate Syrup with rainbow sprinkles on top. My other combination is Cookies n Cream and Cake Batter, topped with Oreos, cookie dough, Reese’s, Graham Cracker crumbs, some strawberries or raspberries (you know, to be healthy), some of that Hot Ghirardelli Chocolate Syrup and rainbow sprinkles. Now I need to go get a cup!
HC: What advice do you give to future entrepreneurs and students at the U?
AW: Advice I would give is if you have an idea, run with it. Don’t start a business unless you’re willing to give it 24/7 attention, like a newborn baby. The best feeling in the world is seeing that newborn grow!
SW: There are times that you will feel inadequate and unsure of yourself when starting up your own business and that’s totally ok. It takes a lot of sacrifices, hard work and dedication. It’s absolutely worth it. The difference between entrepreneurs and brain stormers is that entrepreneurs will work to make it happen. You can separate yourself from your competition by working hard and working smart. Anyone can come up with an idea, but those that are successful will work hard to make their idea happen. The best piece of advice I was ever given throughout school is that whenever there is a need for or an irritation of something, there is an opportunity to change it and make a difference. Whether it’s for personal gain or making a difference in the community, the principle is the same. We go to school to learn from others, but the most important things you can learn are about yourself. Test yourself and push yourself to do hard things!