This blog series offers a glimpse into reSET’s summer internship program in entrepreneurship. The series captures interns’ experiences, both with reSET’s curriculum and the startups that they are working alongside. Isabel Plant is attending St. Edwards University in Austin, TX.

I am Isabel Plant, a rising junior at St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas. I am majoring in Sociology and double minoring in Spanish and Entrepreneurship.

I joined the reSET internship program because of their emphasis on social enterprises. I knew I had a passion for helping others and I also enjoyed my business classes. I thought this was weird because many of my peers in my business classes seemed to only be worried about making as much money as possible, no matter what it takes. This was not a mentality I wanted to live my life by. Then I started to learn about social enterprises. After speaking with some social entrepreneurs, I learned that they started their enterprises so they were able to generate an income as well as do good in their communities. I wanted to learn more about how a social enterprise is run and reSET was the perfect opportunity! 

reSET has paired me with two startup companies. One of the startups I am working with is Jam Program, a women’s network that is run by two sisters and their mom. They created Jam kits which are used at Jamborees,  events for women to get together and talk about their professional and personal lives. This helps to provide an opportunity for women to befriend and support each other. As their intern, I am performing market research as well as figuring out how to provide the same quality product but cutting the cost of production.

Another startup I am working for is 2 Your Health, a startup that provides a variety of services including a vegetarian food truck, holistic health healing, a pilot natural addiction recovery program, etc. I have been working on building a website with all of the business’ information as well as promoting the natural addiction recovery pilot program.

For my venture project, I am working with Mabelyn Jimenez on creating an all-natural sustainable makeup line. Our makeup line will be very inclusive to race, gender, and age. Our first product will be a concealer. Along with the concealer, we are creating embroidered makeup bags that support immigrant communities. We intend to have a program that allows our customers to donate old makeup bags and we will fill them with hygiene products to bring to detention centers or shelters for immigrants. We are trying to change the environment around makeup by creating new standards for makeup ingredients as well as providing a place for all of our customers to feel safe and accepted. At the same time, we want to create a conversation to provide awareness and a possible solution to ensure the upholding of basic human rights to immigrant communities.

reSET has helped outline each step it takes to start a business. Mabelyn and I are planning on actually creating this business and have already started investing in our idea.

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