Turning Ideas into Businesses
Bauer Entrepreneurs Share Vision for their Startups
The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship is home to numerous exceptional students, each of whom have already started their own businesses as part of the program.
Senior Evie Vuong’s business is the Venus Market, a thrift market that focuses on promoting local women-owned businesses.
Meanwhile, Senior Daniel Sadegi teamed up with his father to start Eurolux Doors, a door company that sells modern luxury doors in Houston.
Evie Vuong is Pursuing her Passions
Q: What brought you to the University of Houston?
A: Actually, it was the Wolff Center. In high school, I took a tour of the Bauer program – I always knew I wanted to do business – and during the tour, I learned about the Wolff Center.
I Googled it when I got home, and I knew I wanted to be part of the program. Ever since, I’ve been dead set on the University of Houston.
Q: What is the Venus Market?
A: It’s a women-based vintage thrift market. I host it every month – usually on the third Saturday of the month – and it’s all about supporting local, women-owned small businesses and promoting sustainability.
Q: How did you come up with the idea?
A: All of my clothes are thrifted. I’ve always loved thrifting. I truly believe that we have enough clothes for everybody, so I’m all about second-hand shopping.
I was deeply involved in that community and knew women who resold clothes, and I found the venue space through Wolff. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do any of this without the Wolff program.
Q: What are your long-term aspirations?
A: I would love to scale up the Venus Market. Right now, we have 12 vendors. I want to get a bigger venue and host up to 40 vendors.
I would like also like more experience before I open my long-term business. So, that could be getting more corporate job after graduation, whether that be in marketing, product development or entrepreneurship.
But after that, I want to open my own restaurant. That’s my dream goal.
Q: How have mentors helped you in the program?
A: Personally, my favorite part of the Wolff Center is the mentor program.
All 28 students are assigned a mentor. My mentor, Wendy Lee, is the sweetest woman I know. They matched us so perfectly; she’s like my twin flame. Without her, the Venus Market wouldn’t be a thing. She’s a developmental coach for young women, specifically.
When she met me, I was in a tough place in life, and she coached me to where I am now. She introduced me to a lot of strong, powerful women who were once in my place.
Daniel Sadegi is Opening Doors
to his Dreams
Q: What brought you to the University of Houston?
A: I actually moved to Houston from Connecticut. My brother came here first to study architecture. I looked into it, and I saw the business school. I thought Bauer would be a great opportunity for me.
Q: Why did the Wolff Center catch your interest?
A: I saw it was a great community for young entrepreneurs and like-minded individuals to network and get connected to each other. The program has a lot of projects and experiential learning.
I volunteered for Wolffest, which is how I learned about the program. I immediately fell in love with the program.
Q: What makes you want to become an entrepreneur?
A: My dad’s an entrepreneur. I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur because I look up to him – he’s my hero. He had a few businesses in Connecticut, so now that we’re in Houston, we’re starting our own together. We’re starting a door business. We’re introducing a new line of luxury doors to Houston.
Q: Talk to me a little about how the plan came together.
A: While we were in Connecticut, my dad had a connection who sold those doors.
It’s a company called Belldini Doors in New Jersey. They’re very successful and have a big online presence, and we could see that the biggest traffic they get is from the East Coast and Texas.
We were able to strike a deal with them and bring their doors here to Houston.
Q: How did the Wolff Center help you plan this?
A: The Wolff Center prepares you for life. There’s a values class in which they sat us down and had us write out 100 dreams. It made me prioritize what I wanted in life; it helped me realize some things are helping me achieve my goals and others are not. I was able to cut out the things I didn’t need and pursue what I do need.
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