I recently had the pleasure of meeting a successful student entrepreneur in our e-ship family here at NC State. Suzanne Matthews is the founder and CEO of Soutenu Tights, a company dedicated to fashioning protective dance wear for the dance industry. After a lengthy dance career, Suzanne has become aware that dancers are a special category of athletes who experience injuries like any other sport. I sat down with Suzanne to ask her for more details about her current entrepreneurial venture and where she sees it going in the near future.
GT: What is your definition of an entrepreneur?
SM: You know I think I am still learning the answer to this one every day! I think an entrepreneur is someone who is passionate about finding creative solutions. They are people who take initiative in trying to shape our future.
GT: Speaking of futures, where do you see your company in the next 5 years?
SM: In 5 years, I would like to see Soutenu thriving and growing. First, I want to see the tights in dance wear stores throughout the state, and hopefully starting to make their way (at least) around the east coast. I also intend to have additional products in the line. Currently I have several ideas for more garments I'd like to produce, but of course all of the manufacturing and sampling will require more capital I don't have quite yet.
GT: It has been a common experience for an entrepreneur to struggle in the beginning stages of their ventures, what has been the pit and the peak of your adventure so far?
SM:My major pit has been running out of money. As a college student it is hard to say sorry I can't go out because I need this money for my business. It is hard because money fuels progress - especially when you are getting samples from manufacturers. I've had days where I've really wanted to quit because I am so stressed and tired over it. After all, I do work alone, no team, just me.--My peak that gets me through it all centers around last year when I competed in the Arts Feasibility portion of the eGames. I walked away with $1,500. That was great, but I think I got something more out of it. The first time I stood in front of people and said that I was the CEO of Soutenu I was overwhelmed with joy. My peak is knowing that I have created something that is uniquely mine, and nobody can take that away from me. Every day I get to look back and think, wow, look what I've built, and people are excited about it too.
GT: Every entrepreneur has a unique beginning experience and usually a special place where it all began. For Apple, it was a garage; for others, it's a basement in their childhood home. Suzanne is an avid participant in our very own E.I Garage on Centennial Campus, so I was curious to know what aspects of the Garage have really been useful to getting her business off the ground.
SM: I wish I could say something cool like the power tools or the 3D printers! I actually use the Smartboard and the white boards more than anything. I've spent quite a bit of time designing on the Smartboard. As for the white boards, I like to be able to write all of my ideas in one place where I can see them - it helps me organize. Also, for me the Garage has a certain atmosphere that I think encourages me to work a little better. It's not the same as sitting in my apartment or in the library. I don't really find innovation or community in those places.
Overall it was a fantastic interview and storytelling moment for both us girls, especially since we were both dancers in our pasts. I wish Suzanne the best of luck in her venture, and so does everyone from the entrepreneurial community here at State!
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| Suzanne Matthews: Owner and CEO |
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