Founder & CEO, Simple Switch
Why did you decide to come to Leeds?
I am a fifth-generation Coloradan, and my dad attended CU, so Boulder was always on my radar. In high school, I was sure I wanted to go out of state for school. After being accepted to schools in Seattle and New York City, my guidance counselor told me she wished more Colorado students would recognize how good of a school we had right in our backyard, and I decided to give CU Boulder a shot!
My major and passion was theatre, but I added a business degree because I come from a family of entrepreneurs, and I thought it would be a practical fallback. I'm so glad I did because the program really equipped me to start my own business and I ended up being really drawn to the ways we can use business as a force for good.
What is one thing you learned at Leeds that you will never forget?
I remember my first corporate social responsibility class, we were introduced to the atrocities of human rights in many manufacturing plants, specifically incidents like the Rana Plaza accident. We discussed whether it was ethical for athletes to take sponsorships from companies that perpetuate this kind of treatment of people. As well as how we can use our voice and our spending to protect exploited and marginalized groups.
There were people in my class who argued that these deaths and the exploitation of workers were "just how capitalism works" and didn't see any problems with scaling economies taking a human toll. I have never forgotten that I have peers who believe these things about business, and because of those people, I need to work twice as hard to bring ethical business solutions to life.
Tell us about a particular professor or mentor that influenced you while you were at Leeds.
Erick Mueller, executive director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, was my biggest influence at Leeds and still influences me today. I had the absolutely life-changing experience of participating in the Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in South Africa program, in which we had the opportunity to do business consulting with an under-resourced entrepreneur outside of Cape Town. Erick not only taught us valuable, practical business lessons while in South Africa, he also shaped my ideas around charity vs empowerment and continues to help me work through questions about my business today.
Where has life taken you since you graduated Leeds?
I'm currently the CEO of Simple Switch, an online marketplace for ethical and impactful shopping. We're an Amazon alternative with more than 3,000 products.
I had the idea for Simple Switch during my senior year at Leeds while studying entrepreneurship and ideation. After graduating, I paused work on Simple Switch and spent a year traveling abroad to 11 countries for about a month each, working with organizations against human trafficking, systemizing orphan care, and more. It helped me gain perspective on the countries we now work with at Simple Switch, and I'm thankful for that time before starting the company. When I returned to the United States, I hit the ground running and built the company, and we've been selling products to the public and making social and environmental impact for more than two years now.
What is one piece of advice/best practice that has stuck with you throughout your career?
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” —Howard Thurman
You won't be working at your fullest potential if you aren't deeply passionate about your work. Simple Switch, the growth I'm able to bring to the company, and the impact we make around the world are so personally exciting for me. That's what allows me to keep going when things feel extra challenging or impossible.
What advice would you give to anyone interested in pursuing a career in your professional field?
Have a healthy disregard for the impossible. Both social and environmental impact work, and entrepreneurship itself, are extremely challenging fields full of potential for growth, and plenty of people who will tell you "no." In order to succeed, you need to broaden your idea of what you could accomplish past the expectations of those around you.
What do you miss most about Boulder?
Living just blocks away from all my dearest friends was such a special season of life. I miss the community that comes with sharing a beautiful city with so many of my friends all working towards a common goal of education. I'm hoping my next few years reflect this kind of community in some ways.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
We're in an extremely unique season for business and innovation because of the pandemic, racial justice movement, economic downturn and more. This may be one of the best opportunities to start something new, radical, innovative, and impactful. I wish you all the best, you can do it!
Where to find us:
SimpleSwitch.org
instagram.com/simple.switch
instagram.com/rachelfromsimpleswitch
facebook.com/simpleswitch.org