In our Senior Send-Off series, the Dingman Center celebrates the student founders who are part of the graduating class of spring 2020. We are so pleased to have had the chance to get to know each of these talented entrepreneurs through our programs.
Nadia Edet – BlessedBraids
Nadia Edet ’20, a Maryland Smith International Business major, is the founder of BlessedBraids, a hair braiding business she has been operating full steam for four years. Last summer, she was accepted into our Terp Startup summer accelerator and achieved her goal of opening her first braiding shop. We look forward to staying connected with Nadia to hear how BlessedBraids continues to grow.
What’s your plan after graduation?
My plan after graduation is to put all of my time and energy into running my business. I also would like to take some time to myself to travel and relax after a long 4 years!
What’s something you’ll really miss about UMD?
What I’ll miss about UMD the most is the people. I’ve met so many interesting and amazing people during my time here that I plan to stay connected with in the future.
What’s your favorite memory from Terp Startup?
My favorite memory from Terp Startup was actually our final pitches. Seeing all of us work on our businesses, some of us even creating a new product, and being able to create and present our pitch with the guidelines we were given was amazing. Overall Terp Startup was great, I so appreciated having that designated time to focus on my business and in my case, not just the hands-on stuff, but the planning of next steps and how to execute them. Terp Startup gave me the time and the push I needed to open my first braiding shop and to take my business to another level.
What’s next for BlessedBraids?
The braiding shop I first opened is going well, and I will be opening another braiding shop in Beltsville this June!
What advice would you give to student entrepreneurs just getting started?
The most important piece of advice I’d give to student entrepreneurs just getting started is to never give up. Might sound basic but that’s the number one thing that successful entrepreneurs have in common. Keeping that in mind and remembering it is so important because times will get very hard and quitting might be tempting but the hard work is worth it.