In today’s competitive landscape, transforming a great idea into a successful business demands more than passion; it requires data-driven decision-making.

Our first WeLearn, led by Anna Sise, COO at Viv, was an exciting kickoff to our workshop series for business enthusiasts and aspiring entrepreneurs. This interactive session highlighted the key steps in building key market research skills to help participants gather, analyze, and apply consumer insights efficiently.

Meeting the Speaker: Anna Sise

Anna Sise is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Viv. She oversees the entire supply chain and ensures smooth operations from start to finish. With a background in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, she has played a critical role in leveraging consumer data and driving strategic growth for Viv.

After pursuing a B.S. in Physics from Union College, Anna entered the start-up world, gaining immense experience in sales, marketing, and operations. She then completed her MBA at Babson College, specializing in Entrepreneurship. Ever since, she has worked in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) field with companies such as Popcorners, Biena Snacks, and ultimately Viv.

Advice from Anna: Consumer-Based Decision-Making at Viv

At this WeLearn workshop, Anna reinforced the significance of having consumers at the heart of every decision. She shared that the approach she applied for Viv focused on directly communicating with consumers, establishing an email base, and providing educational resources to help customers gain a deeper understanding of their bodies.

“We’re constantly researching to see what will work and what will resonate with consumers” — Anna Sise

Viv also utilizes a test-and-learn marketing method to determine what resonates most with consumers. For instance, on TikTok, young Gen Z users mainly ask questions about their bodies and health, strengthening the need for approachable and educational branding. At Viv, this consumer-first method has defined the innovative product line. Viv’s eco-friendly products differentiate themselves from others by focusing on sustainable solutions and high-quality materials.

Anna highlighted the inspiration behind Viv’s name, emphasizing its purpose as a trusted brand:

“The history behind the name Viv is we wanted to be like the approachable big sister that you would come to and ask questions about your body” — Anna Sise

By focusing on consumer-driven methodologies, Viv establishes a type of brand that encourages empowerment and education among its customers.

Market Research Activity

Using Viv’s product line as an example, Anna led an interactive market research exercise to provide hands-on experience. She prepared an analytical set of questions for the audience to analyze Viv’s product line, such as: When looking at Viv’s product line, what are your initial thoughts about the products? Does the pricing tell you anything about the product? This interactive exercise helped the audience apply real-world market research techniques to evaluate the company’s pricing strategy, brand positioning, and growth opportunities. Throughout the WeLearn event, the audience was constantly dynamic — they raised insightful points and questions about competitive differentiation and consumer messaging.

Key Takeaways from the WeLearn Event

1. Communicate with Your Consumer

• It is crucial to know your consumer past just their demographics

2. Gather Meaningful Data

• Analyze competition to find opportunities for differentiation
• Discover customer preferences by asking questions

3. Transform Data into Strategy

• Apply insights efficiently by identifying consumer behavior trends

If you’re curious to learn more about Viv, check out and follow their social media platforms: @vivforyourv.

Are you interested in gaining more hands-on experience from experts? If this workshop was engaging, follow us on Instagram @northeasternwise and look for our next WeLearn event!

If you’ve missed us on Medium, fear not — we’re back (and better than ever)! It’s been a minute since our last post, so consider this your official reintroduction to WISE (Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship) at Northeastern University. We’ve grown, we’ve globalized, and we’ve got all-new programs we can’t wait to share with you!

Who We Are & Why We’re Here

For the uninitiated, WISE is an undergraduate student-led group dedicated to helping women and underrepresented genders develop an innovative mindset. Since our founding, we’ve been on a mission to make entrepreneurship fun, accessible, and empowering. Through interactive workshops, thought-incubators, venture accelerators, mentorship pairings, and a venture capital bootcamp, we aim to help budding entrepreneurs get the confidence and skills they need to launch their ideas (or even just take that first step into the entrepreneurial world).

WISE in Numbers 🤸

• 2,100+ members reached since our founding
• 275 mentorship pairings
• 72 WeBuild cohort members
• 55 WeLearn workshops
• 45 community events
• 21 WeLaunch cohort members
• 4 Summit conferences
• 1 keynote webinar event
• 2 Treks to San Francisco & Paris (with another in London soon!)

These numbers make us proud — and maybe a little exhausted — but mostly they remind us of the incredible community that continues to grow within WISE.

Our Programming (Still Thriving)

Before we get to the brand-new programs, here’s a snapshot of the core WISE experiences that have shaped our community:

💐 Community Events

Our Community Events are all about forging connections among women and underrepresented genders who share a curiosity for entrepreneurship. Whether it’s attending a panel on navigating college life or post-grad plans, joining a group exercise class at REV’D, volunteering for a local nonprofit, or field-tripping to a women/underrepresented-owned business, you’ll find plenty of ways to explore new interests while bonding with like-minded peers. And of course, we sprinkle in just-for-fun gatherings — like our beloved Galentine’s celebration coming up again this spring! All are welcome, and every event offers a safe, welcoming space to meet fresh faces, discover new passions, and connect with the WISE community.

🦎 WeLearn

An open series of interactive workshops and discussions led by professionals and students from a wide range of industries. Every session provides a safe space to network, broaden your interests, and explore how an innovative mindset can benefit any academic or career path.

🧵 WeBuild

Our community-based thought-incubator, composed of ~10 students chosen via application. The WeBuild curriculum pushes participants to sharpen their problem-solving skills and develop a venture or business idea — all while fostering that essential entrepreneurial mindset.

Heads-up: We’ve recently revamped the structure of WeBuild — stay tuned for more details on how it’s now more accessible and aligned with our new programs in the “New Programs on the Block” section!

🤝 WeSupport

Our two-tiered mentorship pipeline connecting students, alumnae, and professionals. Whether you’re seeking personal growth, career advice, or an accountability partner, WeSupport pairs you with mentors and peers who can help you become the founder — or professional — you aspire to be.

Summits Past & Future

One of the pillars of WISE is our annual Summit, a day filled with keynote speakers, workshops, and a lively celebration of entrepreneurship. Since our very first (“Stronger Together”) in 2019, we’ve hosted three more:

• Redefine Your Limits
• Created by Courage
• Embracing Authenticity

If you’ve been around for any of these, you know we love weaving storytelling and hands-on experiences into each Summit, ensuring you leave inspired and ready to take bold action. And guess what? We’ve just announced our 2025 Summit theme: Built to Last. Stay tuned for more details on how we plan to celebrate sustainability in our personal journeys and define success in our own terms in the year!

New Programs on the Block

In case you’ve only known us from our classic community or WeLearn events, we’d like to introduce the latest additions to our family:

🔮 WeInvest

Think of WeInvest as a crash course in venture capital — but specifically tailored for women and underrepresented genders who want to break into investing careers. WeInvest teaches how to:

• Source companies & conduct due diligence
• Make sound investment decisions
• Understand what good deals look like

If you’ve ever been curious about how VCs think, or if you’re itching to learn how to evaluate startups, WeInvest is your perfect launchpad.

🚀 WeLaunch

WeLaunch is our early-stage accelerator, built for those who have a spark of an idea and want to transform it into a market-ready product. Over a structured timeline, participants learn:

• Ideation & prototyping methods
• Testing & validating assumptions
• Launch strategies & mentorship

WeLaunch is like the big sister program to WeBuild — while WeBuild nurtures your entrepreneurial mindset, WeLaunch takes the next step by helping you build something tangible out of that mindset.

🧵 WeBuild: Same Name, Fresh Spin

Historically, WeBuild has been a closed cohort limited to a small group of accepted participants. Now, it’s evolving into a structured pathway for entrepreneurs to move from initial concepts to validated ideas:

• Starts with an Orientation: Participants get an overview of the process, tools, and community.
• Open Community Classes for 6 Weeks: Anyone can join these sessions to learn and workshop ideas.
• Mid-Semester Application to the Final 10 Cohort: About halfway through, participants apply for a spot in the top cohort to present at Showcase and access personalized mentorship.
• Pipeline into WeLaunch: Once you’ve validated your idea through WeBuild, you’ll be well-prepared to join WeLaunch and continue growing your venture.

In this way, WeBuild now serves as an inclusive, hands-on thought incubator for the earliest stage founders (pre-idea!!), effectively bridging the gap between having that first spark and building out a full-fledged startup in WeLaunch.

Going Global: Oakland & London Campuses

Yes, you read that right — we are now global! WISE programming has expanded to Northeastern’s campuses in Oakland and London. 🌍

That means our signature WeLearn workshops, WeSupport mentorship program, and even our community events are crossing time zones. Whether you’re in Boston, Oakland, or London, you can tap into WISE’s collaborative ecosystem (and get ready to be a part of the best global network!).

Spring Break Treks: Around the World

Our love for exploration extends to our exclusive E-Board Treks over spring break — we hopped over to San Francisco in 2023, spent time in Paris in 2024, and we’re gearing up to head to London in 2025! Each trip is an opportunity for our leadership team to meet global entrepreneurs, explore new ecosystems, and bring fresh ideas back to Northeastern.

We’re proving that a fun spring break and personal growth aren’t mutually exclusive. ✈️

A Special Update: Equator Coffees & Helen Russell

As if all of this wasn’t exciting enough, we’ve got a special update to share! Many of you know that Helen Russell, co-founder of Equator Coffees, is a true champion of WISE. Not only did we get the chance to visit her homebase in San Francisco during our inaugural Trek, but Helen also hosted a WeLearn workshop last semester to share her entrepreneurial wisdom with us all. She’s been an incredible supporter of our community, and we’re so grateful to have her as a part of our WISE family.

Now, here’s where you come in — when you purchase a bag of their Medium Roast Northeastern Legacy Blend, you’re not just getting a delicious cup of coffee — you’re also supporting the incredible work that WISE does. In partnership with Northeastern University (Helen’s alma mater!), $1 from each bag goes directly to WISE to support our programs. So grab a bag (or two, or three!) and sip your coffee knowing you’re helping to fuel the next generation of change-makers. It’s coffee for a cause — and it’s delicious! 💖☕

Why We’re Saying Hello Again

So, why the big reintroduction now? Simple: we’ve evolved. The WISE you knew back in 2021 has undergone a growth spurt, adding new programs like WeInvest and WeLaunch, forging global connections, and (most importantly) cultivating an ever-stronger community of underrepresented founders.

We still hold close to the same warm, welcoming spirit — and we’re still fiercely committed to empowering women and underrepresented genders to find their footing in entrepreneurship. We just have more tools, more experiences, and more stories to tell than ever before.

What’s Next

1. Summit 2025: Built to Last: Get ready for inspiring talks, networking, and cutting-edge workshops on building ideas that stand the test of time.
2. Open Community Programs: Join our WeLearn workshops, community events, and now-open WeBuild classes to discover new interests and develop real entrepreneurial skills — no prior experience required.
3. Growing Global Footprint: With Oakland, London, and more expansions on the horizon, we’re excited to keep pushing boundaries and connecting innovators worldwide.

And if you’ve been thinking about taking that first entrepreneurial leap, stick around — we’ll be opening application-based cohorts next semester. Whether you’re seeking mentorship, curious about venture capital, or eager to build your own project, we can’t wait to help you get started.

💌 Stay in Touch

We’d love to hear from you, see you at our upcoming events, or chat about your next big idea! Here’s how you can keep up with all the things:

• Websites: northeasternwise.com, wisesummit.org
• Instagram handles: @northeasternwise, @wise.summit
• Click here to subscribe to our newsletter — you’ll get updates on our programs + insider recommendations around Boston straight from the WISE team!

P.S. We’ll be using Medium to post recaps of our WeLearn workshops — our first session on January 22 featured Anna Sise (COO of Viv) on research techniques for a market-driven business (look out for the write-up next week!).

P.S.S. Mark your calendars for some of our upcoming events:

• Community event #2 — a spring favorite, WISE’s beloved “Galentine’s” event 📌 Tuesday, February 18 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at 300 Mass Ave
• WeLearn workshop #3 — the topic and speaker will be revealed on Instagram! 📌 Wednesday, February 19 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Shillman 215

Whether you’re an expert or just exploring something new, we’d love to see you there!

✨ Thanks for tuning in, and here’s to creating, dreaming, and building — together. We can’t wait to see where the journey takes us next.

If you’ve ever explored Boston’s local events, you’ve likely experienced the work of Megan Fehling, the visionary behind Original Markets, Fenway Flea, and Found Boston.

At our latest WeLearn workshop, we were thrilled to welcome Megan Fehling and learn how she’s reshaping the city’s community spaces.

A Berklee College of Music graduate and passionate advocate for building community, Megan’s journey began with a powerful realization: her community needed more spaces for young adults to gather, connect, and create.

“Don’t be ashamed not to know the right answer to things.” — Megan Fehling

After the pandemic left a lingering sense of emptiness in public spaces, Megan saw an opportunity to merge her passions for fashion, music, and the Boston community in a new venture: Original Markets.

Reflecting on her early days, she described standing on the streets of Cambridge, handing out cardstock flyers to advertise her brand as grueling. While the idea took time to gain traction, Megan’s persistence paid off, and her markets have since become beloved community hubs.

Megan emphasized that authenticity and confidence in your brand are just as crucial as staying updated with social media trends and consumer behavior. While it’s important to adapt to changes, she explained, staying true to your core values and vision is essential to long-term success. She also encouraged focusing on your unique goals rather than getting distracted by competitors, as clarity of purpose ultimately drives growth.

Megan left the WISE community with some key takeaways for making an impact in their own communities:

1. Identify the gaps — Recognize what’s missing in your community and use that as a starting point for new ideas.
2. Get personal — Understand and prioritize the needs of your audience, especially those from underrepresented groups.
3. Stay persistent— Don’t lose confidence in your idea. Perseverance and passion will help you overcome obstacles.
4. Spread the word — Take a creative mindset to marketing. Use multiple channels to connect with your audience.

At the heart of Original Markets is Megan’s mission to create a lasting impact. For her, these markets are more than just a place to shop; they’re spaces where consumers can buy sustainably and small businesses can collaborate and support each other.

We wrapped up the workshop with an interactive activity led by Megan. She challenged WISE attendees to brainstorm ways to address unmet needs within their own communities.

After an initial individual brainstorming session, we split into small groups to further develop our ideas. From a 24/7 coffee shop and study space for students to a platform where college students offer salon services to their peers, the WISE community embraced the activity with enthusiasm, inspired by Megan’s mission-driven approach.

Want to learn more about Original Markets? Visit Megan’s website or check out her markets in Cambridge and Fenway. And if this workshop sparked your interest, follow us on Instagram @northeasternwise for updates on our future WeLearn events.

— WeLearn Team💚

At our first WeLearn workshop of the semester, we had the pleasure of hearing from Claire Cheney, founder of Curio Spice Company. Claire’s journey is rooted in curiosity and a passion for sustainability. With degrees in Environmental Studies and English, her path took a turn when she traveled to Northern Greece, where she learned the art of saffron picking.

This hands-on experience sparked her interest in the global origins of spices, leading her to found Curio in 2015 — a brand that sources prices directly from small farmers worldwide.

“Use your business for the force of good.” — Claire Cheney

From the start, Claire’s mission was clear: build a sustainable brand with a real impact. During the workshop, she posed an important question to the audience: What does it mean to be sustainable? The discussion centered on two key themes — committing to the long term and using resources responsibly to preserve them for future generations.

When it comes to marketing products as sustainable, Claire cautioned attendees about the dangers of misleading marketing, known as greenwashing, where products are falsely advertised as sustainable. This is true in both the food industry and cosmetics.

She explained that third-party verifiers, such as the Yuka app, and certifications like B-corp status can help ensure transparency.

Claire shed light on the rigorous process of becoming B-corp certified. Achieving B-corp certification requires companies to meet rigorous standards of accountability and sustainability — an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time badge of honor. This process ensures that once a company earns enough points to achieve B-corp status, it is held to that standard of sustainability.

For the second portion of the event, Claire delved into the art of brand storytelling. To give attendees an understanding of telling a story, she projected a photo of tea and asked the audience to make up a story for the product. How does the image make us feel? What story does this product tell?

“All the storytelling is boiled down to communicating the message clearly and properly telling the story of a brand” — Claire Cheney

Claire emphasized the importance of queuing emotions to resonate with consumers. In the tea example, the rich, aromatic rose petals suggest a soothing experience, while the well-loved book evokes feelings of warmth and comfort. Together, these sensory details paint a picture of relaxation and quiet moments, likely appealing to a feminine and introspective audience.

By weaving sensory cues and emotional touchpoints into a product’s story, Claire showed us how even something as simple as a cup of tea can become a compelling narrative, building lasting connections with customers.

So, what makes a good story?

1. Knowing your audience — Understand who you are targeting and avoid limiting your approach to just one demographic.
2. Set the scene — Use visual and emotional props to immerse your audience in the world of your product.
3. Engage with sensory details — Go beyond visuals. Think about how your product smells, feels and evokes emotion.
4. Make people care — Tap into emotions, nostalgia, and humanity to make your product stand out.
5. Be unique — Avoid clichés and generic messaging. Authenticity is key.

“Understanding the relationships we form as women, that is a powerful tool to use in business, as we learn how to navigate it and use it wisely in storytelling”

— Claire Cheney

Claire concluded the workshop with a powerful video that illustrated the heart and soul of Curio Spice Company, showing the spices’ journey and the stories of the farmers behind them. For Claire, Curio isn’t just a store; rather, it’s a platform to channel her inner creativity, connect with communities worldwide, and positively impact the environment.

Are you curious to learn more about Curio? Check out some of the articles below, or visit one of their Cambridge locations. If this workshop piqued your interest, follow us on Instagram @northeasternwise for updates on our future WeLearn events.

• F&W Game Changers: Superior Spices
• Claire Cheney is reinventing the spice trade with Curio Spice Co. - The Boston Globe
• New England Living: Curio Spice Company

— The WeLearn Team 💚

“If you do it right, all small donations have a big impact.”
— Rachel Domb

Rachel, a second-year Psychology major with an Environmental Studies Minor and the Co-VP of WeBuild at WISE, kicked off the Table Talk. Rachel has creatively and strategically utilized the Mosaic ecosystem through organizations such as IDEA, Scout, and Entrepreneurs Club to bolster the growth of her company, Rooted Living, a plant-based snack company. As her business gradually approached the stage of launching, Rachel realized she couldn’t self-fund her venture anymore. Instead, she made the decision to execute a crowdfunding campaign to raise money. In just over 5 weeks, Rachel was able to raise close to $11,000!

The money raised was utilized to purchase her first bulk order of compostable packaging and pay the student designers who helped curate her website, merchandise, and many other important assets. Transitioning to the various platforms to exist, Rachel identified IFundWomen to be her personal favorite.

Finally, Rachel concluded by outlining the process one should take when conducting a crowdfunding campaign, as well as providing her personal tips for success:

Here are the steps to take:

• Pick your crowdfunding platform
• See if they have a crowdfunding course
• Make a calculated guess for how much you want to raise
• Pick your prizes
• Build your campaign (a campaign video is gold)
• Advertise!!!

Here are things to keep in mind:

• You must constantly be talking about your campaign on ALL social media platforms. If your old friend from 2nd grade doesn’t know about your campaign, there’s a problem.
• It’s important to prove your concept before crowdfunding.

“Don’t undersell yourself; know your value and be confident in it.”
— Debby Nguyen

For the second half of the Table Talk, Debby Nguyen took over to share how she effectively used crowdfunding to pre-sell her non-fiction book, Pills, Teas, and Songs, to readers in 15+ countries. Debby is a second-year Pharmacy and Data Science student and further developed this creative project as a member of the WeBuild Fall 2020 cohort.

Touching on a different perspective, Debby’s ultimate goal when conducting this campaign was not to generate revenue but to increase her exposure and encourage more individuals to read her book. In particular, Debby listed three different crowdfunding platforms that she feels are the most suitable for creative projects in general: Indiegogo, Kickstarter, and IFundWomen.

After setting a goal of $4000, she succeeded in surpassing this with a total of $4400! Here are 6 key takeaways from her presentation:

1. Invest in a video

• Storytelling is crucial, as this is what gets people to root for you.

2. Set a clear goal

• Be realistic and consider what you need to raise.
• Develop a strategy to achieve your goal!

3. Have an easy-to-understand message

• Keep it personal—something as simple as a customized thank you note can make someone feel valued.

4. Tie your campaign to a personal cause

• In Debby’s case, 100% of her pre-order profits were donated to CaribEd and Room to Read, two non-profits focused on children’s education.

5. Make it worth supporting

• Debby demystified the myth that crowdfunding is something that is done alone. In fact, she states that one should never be afraid to ask for help; she got Northeastern to give her $1000 simply because she asked.

6. Outreach consistently

• Be patient, authentic, and consistent
• Clout doesn’t happen overnight

Even though WeLearn for this semester has come to an end, we highly recommend that if you missed any of our previous workshops, take a look at our other Medium articles and resource guides — a completely free learning opportunity to leverage for your own professional and personal growth. Until then, see you next semester!

— The WeLearn Team 💚

Ruhani Nigam is a 4th-year Communications major at Northeastern University. She was part of WISE’s Fall 2020 WeBuild Cohort, where she founded CAMLI-B.

CAMLI-B is a free college admissions mentorship program for LatinX high school students in Boston and strives to make the process towards higher education more inclusive. CAMLI-B stands for College Admissions Mentorship for LatinX Intellectuals of Boston.

Scroll down to learn more about CAMLI-B and Ruhani’s journey as a founder.

Tell me about your inspiration behind CAMLI-B. How did you initially find your passion to make higher education more inclusive?

I’ve always had an interest in LatinX culture. Since high school, I have enjoyed learning about Latin American political histories and literature, as well as learning Spanish, which motivated me to pick up a Spanish minor in college. In my free time, I enjoy movies, tv shows, and music in Spanish, and have been lucky enough to travel to several Latin American countries.

It’s important to note that I grew up in an Indian-American household where the value of education was instilled in me at an early age. My grandparents’ generation was socially and economically displaced by Partition, but were able to rise from it through higher education. My grandpa and grandma went on to become professors in Chemical Engineering and Sanskrit respectively. My mom also works in academia, and my brother is on his way to becoming a professor too. Not only did my parents make sacrifices that ensured I would be able to afford higher education, but I was constantly surrounded by motivation and guidance to get there.

But when I got to Northeastern and started having conversations with people about their college admissions processes, I realized that many of my peers, specifically those in the LatinX community, did not have the same ease in their experience. This struck me as an issue because it’s not as if there aren’t enough LatinX high school students to enroll; in fact, they make up 20% of the Massachusetts population but somehow universities have an enrollment of less than 8% of LatinX students. So when I came to Boston hoping to engage with the LatinX community at Northeastern University, I couldn’t. Not because I didn’t want to, but because there was a barrier.

That barrier is that in Massachusetts, the median income gap between LatinX households and white households is the largest income gap in the country. LatinX people in Massachusetts can only afford to live in low-income neighborhoods and go to low-income schools, thus not receiving proper college admissions resources and guidance. There is also limited guidance at home because this inequality is generational, and students’ parents most likely do not have experience with the college admissions process themselves. Not to mention, the college admissions process and tuition costs are unaffordable to several LatinX families without financial aid, a significant deterrent to higher education.

That’s where CAMLI-B comes in. It’s a college admissions mentorship program for low-income LatinX high school students in Boston. CAMLI-B is created with four main goals in mind: affordability, authenticity, awareness, and attention.

1. Affordability: CAMLI-B will be free to ease the financial burden of the process.
2. Authenticity: University student program managers will ensure genuine, up-to-date advice about life in college.
3. Awareness: CAMLI-B is designed with the knowledge of specific LatinX student needs such as navigating the process of paying for college and understanding the value of higher education.
4. Attention: The program provides 1-on-1 guidance that public school systems are lacking.

How does the mentorship program work? How do you pair people together?

The program would last 10 weeks with weekly hour-long sessions consisting of a group check-in, a lesson plan, a guest speaker (Admission officer, LatinX industry leader, or LatinX college student), and assigned homework for the following week. Each class would consist of 15 high school students and 5 program managers/mentors, and each student would be assigned a mentor. Each week, students would also have a scheduled one-on-one meeting with their assigned mentor to review homework progress, ask further questions, and voice any concerns. Structuring both group and individual sessions is intentional. While one-on-one mentorship can be especially impactful, the college admissions process can be extremely vulnerable, and the group sessions will provide a support system for students going through the same process.

What was the process like while building CAMLI-B? What role did WeBuild play in building CAMLI-B?

I owe everything to WeBuild for inspiring me to build CAMLI-B. We spoke openly about topics like imposter syndrome and the importance of self-care for entrepreneurs. The group of women in my cohort inspired me every week not only through their ambition, but through their vulnerability. The most valuable lesson I learned through the WeBuild is the power of understanding the user. Engaging in market research, understanding who your user is and how they spend their days, and actually engaging with interviews has been invaluable in sculpting CAMLI-B into a program that will actually have lasting impacts of LatinX high school students in Boston.

What is one failure that you have endured in your journey with CAMLI-B that taught you something valuable?

I remember something Fernanda Lopez (my pinpoint and co-VP of WeBuild who I’m now lucky enough to call my friend) said in WeBuild one day that stuck with me. She said that it’s important to celebrate our efforts and accomplishments, however little they may be, because if we don’t give our brains a dopamine kick when we do something great, our brains won’t have any incentive to exert energy to be creative and critical. I’ve been celebrating both my little and big wins since then. In other words, I learned to acknowledge when I do good work.

But there was another lesson that I learned shortly after: learning to acknowledge when I cannot do good work. Right after WeBuild ended, I faced a number of challenges in my personal life. I was forced to pause, and realized I needed to take care of myself. I remember being upset at myself for not being able to take on a lot of things, including CAMLI-B. That was my failure — thinking that because I wasn’t working, I was somehow not enough. A few times, I tried to force it. I opened my laptop, but my brain was foggy. I didn’t have the threshold to take on something this important. After a lot of reflection, I realized that it’s okay to have to take a break. It’s perfectly normal to take some time gathering my strength to get back on my feet. And it’s ironically selfless to take care of myself before making a promise to others I wish to help.

Do you have any advice for those looking to build their own venture?

You’ll never be 100% prepared to start working on your venture. The only way to prepare is to dive right in and learn as you go. Several of the entrepreneurs I’ve spoken to admitted that they didn’t know what they were doing when they first launched their products. And how could they? They’re usually navigating uncharted waters. But that’s the beauty of entrepreneurship, you’re making something new, something to be nurtured. Something that started as a simple idea in your head.

Thank you for reading Ruhani’s story and journey! If you have any questions about CAMLI-B or would like to reach out to Ruhani, please feel free to email her at ruhaninigam@gmail.com

WeBuild is a community-based thought-incubator for a cohort of 8–10 women. This is a semester-long set of innovation and design thinking classes, helping women develop the soft and hard skills necessary to problem solve and build out a venture or business idea. If you have any questions about WISE or WeBuild, email us at northeasternwise@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @northeasternwise!

“Oftentimes, people are drawn to entrepreneurship because they want to have an X billion-dollar company. However, there are so many other benefits of growth from personal to creating stronger communities or helping the planet.” — Katie Wilhoit

Katie Wilhoit is a creature-centered designer, ex-founder, and experience creator based in Madrid who believes every person can change the world. Through the dynamism of their education and career, two questions remained constant and guided their path: What is home? How can I make a positive impact in the world?

Katie’s experience growing up all around the world brought them to Northeastern — “a global university where people had passions and wanted to act on them.” They were introduced to the world of design during their first co-op at IDEO, a design and consulting firm with offices in the U.S., England, Germany, Japan, and China. Leveraging the skillsets developed through this co-op, they founded their own company called Unsize — a start-up helping clothing brands fit you online with an ambitious mission to create an environment where everyone fits. Katie’s personal story is what sprouted the idea for this venture. They always felt confined to wear feminine clothing, however, this platform allowed them to overcome those restrictions and express themselves more freely.

(Fun fact: Unsize was a MassChallenge 2018 Finalist and was acquired in 2019.)

The acquisition of Unsize came back to Katie’s question on what next step will make more of a positive impact in the world? They decided to work for the acquirer and focus on reducing waste in the fashion industry. After two fulfilling years, Katie made the decision to move on. With their fruitful experience and understanding of the fashion industry, they are now focusing on a sustainability trajectory, looking to resolve issues in the realms of bridging the gap between conservation knowledge and consumers who want to help.

The WeLearn workshop concluded with a guided meditation. Attendees were left inspired by the theme of choices and stepping out of one’s comfort zones. Katie started the event by sharing the questions that allow them to navigate their life and ended with questions for attendees to consider: what does your comfort zone look like? Intuitively, what in this world makes you smile? With that, we were left energized.

Looking to learn more about global entrepreneurship and about Katie? Check out our resource guide for podcast and book recs, co-op opportunities, and more!

Our last WeLearn event of the semester is on April 14th at 6 PM ET! Join us to learn more about Strategic Crowdfunding with Rachel Domb & Debby Nguyen, two Northeastern founders! 💚

Our spring 2021 WeBuild cohort is hard at work bringing their passion projects to life with each weekly workshop! They’ve already made so much progress with each week, and we’re all counting down to the showcase, which is right around the corner. We have a diverse range of ventures this semester — from science-focused creations to initiatives inspired by sustainability.

To get to know our cohort more and what’s going on inside WeBuild, here are our eight WeBuilders on their passion projects and their WeBuild experience.

Beatrice van der Velde-Kraft

First-Year, Business Administration & Design

My passion project is focused on creating a tote bag out of recycled plastic textiles in order to engage consumers in sustainability and environmental preservation. The bag will hopefully help people feel as if their choices matter when it comes to climate change. I have always loved design and been passionate about the environment this project is a cross-section of those two things. I want to work on a creative solution that helps continue society's moment towards a cleaner planet. WeBuild has helped me take a basic idea and begin to develop it into a tangible project that is on its way to becoming a small business. Each of our classes has helped me develop a piece of the project that I had yet to think about helping me strengthen my skills while helping me bring my ideas into fruition!

Stephany Bernazzani

Fifth-Year, Business Marketing Analytics & International Affairs Minor

My passion project is to build a learning community for sustainability innovators at Northeastern and create awareness to empower students to take impact-driven initiatives. This community provides a safe space full of resources and tools for green initiatives to take off and help our campus become a more resilient and decarbonized community.

Growing sustainability issues are asking for more interdisciplinary and inclusive approaches in rethinking how to innovate and promote change in our communities. I have seen genius sustainability ideas rising across campus that lose traction because they don’t have the resources or bandwidth to promote impact. My aim is to provide a space for these ideas to incubate and grow roots in their communities, starting at Northeastern.

WeBuild has enabled me to develop an entrepreneurial and boundless perspective about a project that I feel passionate about. The program provides me with tools and resources across the entrepreneurial journey spectrum to carry on my project. The best thing we have at WeBuild is ourselves and learning from each other; the unique support system and multiple academic and intercultural backgrounds make the richness of the program.

Vanessa Lee

Second-Year, Data Science & Mathematics Minor

I’m developing an interactive digital media marketplace to share the beauties of Asian and Asian American culture through various forms of art, design, and music. I plan to tell people’s individual stories by providing a platform for small business owners within the creative field to promote and market their artwork and products. My goals for this passion project are to strengthen the Asian and Asian American community within the Boston area and educate those who are interested in learning about the culture in a creative light.

My favorite part about WeBuild is having an amazing pinpoint, Fernanda, who guides me on this entrepreneurial journey. Fernanda has provided me with honest and insightful advice on navigating through key business concepts during our weekly meetings. This mentorship, but also friendship, has allowed me to continue my professional growth and personal development in the entrepreneurial environment.

Hiba Hussain

First-Year, Biology & English

I am creating a prototype of a low-cost, and rapid breath-based diagnostic device for Covid-19. I plan to create a sensor that can identify and analyze certain breath biomarkers typically found in Covid patients and display a result within minutes.

I am pursuing my passion project because I want to make Covid-19 testing convenient and accessible for people and providers alike. I hope this will encourage people to feel more comfortable getting tested on a regular basis and provide them with agency over their own health.

My favorite part of WeBuild has been befriending a group of women who are motivated, passionate, and not afraid to tackle the difficult problems that we face in our society today. WeBuild has really helped me develop a new entrepreneurial skillset and also helped me find my voice along the way.

Bernice Luong

Second-Year, Marketing in Business & Design

My passion project is to create a community for underrepresented athletes interested in or already practicing MMA, kickboxing, weightlifting, and other relevant sports. I want to show that anyone can embrace their duality as an athlete, and help inspire/motivate more people to get into traditionally masculine activities.

My favorite part [of WeBuild] is the support, encouragement, and patience constantly radiating from everyone involved in WeBuild. This energy makes every class, meeting, and community event very welcoming and inspiring.

Fatema Janahi

Fourth-Year, Computer Engineering & Engineering Management

I started Innova Digital to help local businesses in Bahrain increase sales through improving their online presence, such as setting up e-commerce websites and implementing digital marketing strategies. Part of the project is also building a local business community and directory where users can learn about other businesses and find resources in our native language, Arabic. After noticing a growing amount of local businesses started by young thriving Arabs, I decided to create Innova to offer digital support to smaller businesses at affordable prices. After talking to local Bahraini founders, I realized their shared issues and the importance of building a community where they can learn and grow together.

I’ve loved getting to know the WeBuild cohort on a personal level, sharing and talking about our ideas together, and the high level of support shared within the group. I love that the workshops push and challenge me to question my project and continuously redesign & improve my work.

Ruby Trvalik

First-Year, Environmental Studies and Global Fashion Studies Minor

My passion project is an app that aims to help students properly dispose of their waste and log it, while also providing resources for access to compost. As a Northeastern student, I quickly noticed how disorganized and confusing the waste system is, as well as a general lack of access to compost. As an environmentalist, I have always been conscious of how much waste I produce, and it pained me to see the large amount of contamination that occurs on campus from improper disposal. I have also been looking to compost, but was confused about how exactly I could do so on campus. WeBuild has been an extremely empowering environment to grow and strengthen my idea, and has been immensely helpful in making me realize how many connections and opportunities there are at Northeastern for young entrepreneurs!

Karliann Warren

Second-Year, Finance and International Business

The world of Interpreting is outdated and biased. The Deaf community must use inadequate technology like closed captions or insufficient interpreting resources. I want to create a digital interpreting service that finally translates audible language into sign language, not just written language. I adamantly believe we all deserve the right to adequate communication, no matter what language we speak or sign. I believe an interpreting service like this could help change the negative stigma surrounding deafness and sign language.

My favorite part of WeBuild has been the people. I have met so many passionate, driven, and inspiring women. I’m grateful to be around them and learn from them.

With the end of the semester is quickly approaching, we can’t wait to see how far these 8 WeBuilders will continue to grow and where they’ll take their passion project next after the semester ends!

WeBuild is a community-based thought-incubator for a cohort of 8–10 women. This is a semester-long set of innovation and design thinking classes, helping women develop the soft and hard skills necessary to problem solve and build out a venture or business idea. If you have any questions about WISE or WeBuild, email us at northeasternwise@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @northeasternwise!

Valerie Robert is a sophomore at Northeastern University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Political Science. She was part of WISE’s Fall 2020 WeBuild Cohort, where she founded Tech For the People (TFTP).

Tech For the People is an interdisciplinary tech editorial platform and online community focused on highlighting how interdisciplinary tech can be used for social good. TFTP’s mission is to deliver an interdisciplinary publication to create a sincere and robust relationship between the government, technology, and all industries to benefit you — the people.

Learn more about TFTP and Valerie’s story as a founder! You can find TFTP on Instagram & Tik Tok: @techforthepeople

Tell me about your inspiration behind Tech For the People. How did you initially find your passion for tech and social impact?

This all started in the third grade; I was obsessed with the idea of creating a self-driving car with a keyboard for the disabled and elderly. My goal was to build that car, but then Google released their self-driving car and Tesla as well. With time, my interests pivoted to politics. I enjoyed having debates with friends discussing different political views and just building my knowledge in politics. Simultaneously I was also very interested in technology. I wanted to learn more about AI and how we could ethically use machine learning and natural processing language to better our society. I then randomly found out about civic tech (where technology meets government) and realized there were so many other interdisciplinary technologies! So, I decided to create a platform for just that interdisciplinary tech so that people could learn more about how their passions could intersect with tech to have a social impact!

What does social impact mean to you, and what do you hope to accomplish through TFTP?

In the most straightforward words possible, social impact means doing good. It means paying close attention to how your actions will affect and benefit others. If one comes from a place of privilege and wants to have a social impact, it’s critical to take a step back from that place of privilege to have a social impact. All actions that have a goal of having a social impact must come from honest empathy to be most effective. With TFTP, I hope to amplify the voices of those who are using interdisciplinary tech for social good. I hope to highlight that though the tech industry can seem closed off, the tech industry must work with other sectors to provide inclusive and ethical solutions that will benefit all.

Favorite industries/topics to explore?

My favorite industries include artificial intelligence, politics, and of course, interdisciplinary technology (civictech and greentech). I have learned so much about how technology intersects with different areas from writing articles for TFTP, like augmented reality and virtual clothing (tech + fashion) or GIS and health equity. It is incredible!!

What was the process like while building TFTP? What role did WeBuild play in building TFTP?

The process of building TFTP took a lot of dedication and a lot of precision. I spent a lot of time focused on how I wanted the workflows to run for the editorial. It was a whole other world for me, something I had never done, so there was a lot of research! In terms of running the TFTP team, I have learned the importance of communication and how to be hands-on and allow space for autonomy. WeBuild provided me with the support and encouragement I needed to start TFTP.

What is one failure that you have endured in your journey with TFTP that taught you something valuable?

I think one thing I’ve learned throughout my journey with TFTP is that communication is vital. Especially with having a team that is spread out across four different time zones, it’s essential to create an environment of motivation, accountability, and great morale 😊

Since leaving WeBuild, how has TFTP grown and expanded?

TFTP has grown a lot since WeBuild. For one, TFTP now has an entire team (Marketing, Writing, and Design). They are all fantastic and believe in TFTP’s mission. We’ve also soft-launched through social media and have slowly built our audience! Our website is set to launch in April 2021, and I can’t wait.

Do you have any advice for those looking to build their own venture?

1. Surround yourself with other student founders, exchange resources, workflows, and accountability!
2. It is entirely ok not to implement advice or ideas you have received from someone, even if it comes from a great place. It is up to you to preserve the mission and vision you have set for your venture. At times, that advice no matter how great, might not align with your mission or vision, and it’s ok to let it go!
3. There is no set timeline when creating a venture; sometimes, you may accomplish your set goals way faster than anticipated, and other times it will be the complete opposite. At the end of the day, adaptability is key!

Thank you for reading Valerie’s story and journey! You can learn more about Tech For the People here. If you have any questions about TFTP or would like to reach out to Valerie, please feel free to email her at robert.v@northeastern.edu

WeBuild is a community-based thought-incubator for a cohort of 8–10 women. This is a semester-long set of innovation and design thinking classes, helping women develop the soft and hard skills necessary to problem solve and build out a venture or business idea. If you have any questions about WISE or WeBuild, email us at northeasternwise@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @northeasternwise!

Life is about the journey, not the destination.

We’ve been so conditioned to think that we should be working towards the next big thing, rushing towards the finish line only to move onto the next thing on our list to accomplish. Even with school, it’s easy to look towards the end of the semester, especially as we’re three weeks away from finals week. But what about the present moment? There’s still so much joy to be had in the waiting. So, we wanted to dedicate March to reminding everyone that it’s important to live in the present moment and to take it one day at a time, to appreciate life, and to stop waiting for something “better” to come along. In spite of any bumps along the way, remember to enjoy the journey because we’re all learning and growing. So, we asked our team to reflect on this theme by looking back at the challenges we have faced while on the WISE team, and how we have grown because of these challenges.

Fernanda, our Co-VP of WeBuild, on embracing vulnerability:

One of the biggest challenges that I have faced in WISE is becoming comfortable with being vulnerable. A lot of the time, especially for entrepreneurs, it can be difficult to open up about the times when you are struggling, need help, or could be doing better. We often live in a bubble where we are encouraged to only share our wins and the times when we are ‘thriving’, but I’ve learned the importance of being vulnerable whenever I’m being challenged. I try to approach questions like ‘how are you?’ with an open-heart and engage in conversations where I’m able to speak up and ask for advice. WISE has taught me that a strong leader isn’t one that only shares its strengths and wins, but one that is rather real, kind, and honest — because that’s when you get to truly connect with others.

Maria, our VP of Operations, discusses stepping out of her comfort zone:

It can be so scary to tap into something you’ve never tried before, and the fear of failure is so real. I’ve realized that by holding myself back I am only inhibiting my ability to grow. WISE has taught me that even if I fail, at least I tried and have learned from the situation and can apply those lessons to my life. And on the other hand, maybe I succeed and accomplish something amazing! The WISE team has been my greatest support system through this challenge, and in my short 3 months on the team, I can already feel myself stepping out of my comfort zone and tapping into my creativity more than ever.

Emily, our VP of Engagement, on the challenges of a remote year:

One of my biggest challenges was staying connected. A lot of what entrepreneurship is is trying and running with new ideas, initiatives, etc. Sometimes, that can be lonely. Being remote for the past year meant a lot of work to stay connected and attentive, but so many people in the community and on the team have been so supportive of my taking my own path and trying new things! Actually, I’ve grown even closer with so many people in my past year, even though I haven’t met them in person! There’s nothing I love more than hearing what people are doing and what they’ve been testing out. WISE has taught me that if you surround yourself with other motivated and innovative women, doing what you love will really only bring you all closer.

Ho Yan, our VP of Marketing, on impostor syndrome:

Before this semester started, I was worried about stepping into my role. I didn’t have a formal education in marketing and everything I knew about marketing, I had learned on my own through different experiences. Not only that, our previous VPs of Marketing had done such amazing jobs, I felt like I would never be able to meet the bar that they set. Yet, I knew that one year after being an associate on the WISE team, I had to push myself or I would never grow. So, I tackled this fear and realized that I needed to stop comparing myself with other people. I could lead in my own unique way and put my own spin on things, rather than worrying about what other people might think. So, being on the WISE team has continually pushed me to become better and challenged me to try new things while providing me with the support I need to grow.

As we close out March, we encourage you to also think about how you have grown since the beginning of the semester. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? Take this time to reflect on how you can slow down and live in the present moment. Even though we’re still in a virtual semester and we’re all waiting for life to return to “normal,” it’s important to take advantage of what each day has to offer and appreciate the journey.