An Entrepreneurial Spirit: Alumni use their degrees to launch business ventures

By David Williams BusinessIsBlooming

Business is blooming

For Melissa (Ball) Maas '01, working at flower shops was a way to pay the bills while working toward a bachelor's degree in radio-TV-film.

But after spending two and a half years with TV stations in Madison and Milwaukee, she returned to her roots, opening Bank of Memories & Flowers in Menomonee Falls.

"People always ask, 'If you studied TV, how did you get into this?' But I'm so glad I went to college, even if not for my field," Maas said. "I learned how to multitask and interact with others."

As a young business owner, Maas said she sacrificed a lot of her free time in the beginning to ensure that her shop would flourish.

"I knew if I didn't start now, life would only get harder," said Maas. Today, she is married with one small child.

Since Bank of Memories & Flowers grew out of an existing flower shop, the enterprise had built-in suppliers and clients.

However, when she opened a second location in Pewaukee, she started from scratch, which meant a lot more managing, marketing and waiting.

But Maas was no stranger to hard work. While at UW Oshkosh, she took two internships through her major, which forced her out of her comfort zone and encouraged her to get her hands dirty.

Maas also is thankful for the support she received from University faculty and staff, who helped her succeed.

"They really believed in me, and I am so proud of where I am now," she said.

For love, not money

Seethong Yang has some sobering words for aspiring entrepreneurs:

"Don't do it for the money because for the first two years, it won't be there."

Yang and his wife Mai Chou Xiong '06, know firsthand the trials of managing a small business. Xiong and Yang, both University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Business graduates, opened PoohSaan, a take-out/casual dine-in restaurant in Appleton, in September 2008.

The couple works 12-hour days, Monday to Saturday. Yang '02, is the CEO and CFO, handling the books and contact with suppliers. He also is the dishwasher and janitor. Xiong '06, PoohSaan's operations manager, also cooks and cleans.

They wouldn't give it up for anything.

After watching full-menu, fine-dining Asian restaurants in the Fox Valley pop up and go under after six to 12 months of being in business, Xiong and Yang traded their 9-to-5 jobs in sales and banking, respectively, to offer the community "Oriental food ... simplified."

That catchphrase applies to not only the cuisine, but also the decor. Necessities, like a stove, had to come before decorations.

"Entrepreneurs can solve half of their problems by understanding the difference between what they can get and what they should get," Yang said. "We had to prioritize. We keep refining our strategy because money is always short."

The pair's substantial workload is tempered by their philosophy that any obstacle — such as securing capital — can be overcome with persistence, patience and, above all, passion.

"If you love what you do, it's not work," Yang said.

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