Hope and Zach: Couple and Entrepreneurs

Juniors Hope Schwartz-Leeper and Zach Fagiano have set forth down a path few couples dare embark on: a business venture. The two are finalists in the 2011-2012 Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition and have plans to start their own gourmet salt company, Wellfleet Sea Salt Company. Together, they bring a diverse academic background to help jumpstart the company: Hope is an English and Philosophy double major while Zach is a Management and Business major with a Philosophy minor. This power couple gave Her Campus their perspective of the Freirich competition and what it’s like to start a company with your significant other.
 
Her Campus: What has it been like to compete in the Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition?
Hope Schwartz-Leeper: The competition asks students to come up with an original idea for a business or product and then turn that idea into a cohesive and well-written business plan. Each business works with one of the judges as a mentor to prepare them for the finals, where there will be a new set of judges. The businesses that place in the top 3 all get cash prizes from alum Kenneth Freirich that they will use to start their business (first place wins $10,000).
Zachary Fagiano: For us, competing has been a hugely formative and incredible learning experience; as a couple trying to start a small business together it’s actually helped our relationship a lot. We’ve both learned so much from each other and we’re really confident and excited about our product.
 
HC: So, how did the idea of Wellfleet Sea Salt Company begin?
HSL: Zach asked me to compete with him before we had an idea, knowing that we would make a great team because of our different intellectual backgrounds. We were at my parents’ house in Wellfleet on Cape Cod and we were using some sea salt that my dad had made, an idea he’s really wanted to get going for awhile now (he’s been a huge supporter and loves being involved). We thought it would be interesting and different, especially when everything today is so technology-centric. Our business is simple and natural and doesn’t really require any technology in the modern sense, which we’ve found really appeals to people who hear about our business.
 
HC: Tell us about the low-tech process of how you make your salt. I know your company prides itself on being eco-friendly, as well.
ZF: Absolutely. Sea salt has been made for thousands of years by simply allowing the sun to evaporate out the water, leaving only the salt. As long as the water is clean, the salt will be too. Sea salt is also the healthiest kind because it has lower sodium content than table or kosher salt. It’s also completely natural, which is very “in” right now. Most people who make sea salt in the United States make it in greenhouses on land, but real estate on the Cape is too expensive and making the salt this way requires either hauling or pumping the seawater onto the land: not very eco-friendly or convenient. Instead, we basically float barges just offshore where the sun does all the work without using excess energy to get the water on land.
 
HC: When you guys graduate in 2013, what are your plans for Wellfleet Sea Salt Company?
ZF: We decided that as long as we made the final round we would launch our business, so regardless of the outcome we are going ahead with it this summer. We’ve gotten so many positive reactions to what we’re trying to do, even from people who are surprised or think it’s strange. Usually once we explain exactly what it’s all about people get into it and ask when they can start ordering jars.
HSL: We can only produce in the warmer months, so during the school year we can focus on selling and after we graduate one of us will run the business full-time while the other has a job and does the business part-time. We have a ton of great ideas for expansion so we won’t be going away anytime soon!
 
Keep your eyes peeled over the next few months for Wellfleet Sea Salt Company jars in your local grocery store! In the meantime check out their website at www.wellfleetseasaltcompany.com.