Closer Look
Mia Lopez
Age: 20
Education: Student, University of Oregon
Company: Waddle Meal Plan
What the company does: Prepaid app that allows parents and students to upload money to a Waddle account and spend it at participating restaurants and grocery stores while receiving discounts and rewards
Founded: 2020
Accelerators, incubators and competitions: Winner of several undergraduate startup competitions, including being named New Venture of the Year by UO; Semifinalist at the Smith's Draper Competition
Outside funding: Competition winnings; Family and friends
How did your company come about? In April of 2020 when I had been sent home from the University of Oregon because of Covid-19, my dad and I were discussing my living situation for my sophomore year of college. He asked me what I was going to do for food and if I had an off-campus meal plan. When I responded that we didn’t have that at the UO he asked one simple question, “Why don’t you start one?” Right after he said that I knew there was one person I needed to help me with this business, so I texted Alden Schatz. He was immediately in and that’s when the research started.
Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur? My whole life I have seen my dad succeed in his startup company and it's inspired me to follow in his footsteps. A time I can think back on when I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur was in 5th grade when I started a jewelry business and sold earrings to my classmates.
Do you ever feel like you are missing out on anything because you are following this path at such a young age? This has been the toughest question I have had to think about since my journey with Waddle started. I feel like the answer will always be yes, no matter what I am doing in life. If I was working on another project I would be missing out on Waddle and so on. Also, are my fellow classmates and peers missing out on my opportunity to build a business then? It’s a tough balance that must be made between living my young years to the fullest and working hard for my future.
Has your youth been a challenge? In some cases, I have felt business professionals look at me differently than they might someone with more experience. With my main role in Waddle being vice president of Marketing I have come to many challenges on deciding what to spend our time and money on. Marketing is difficult because you don’t always know what is going to work and what isn’t and if I did have more experience in marketing, I might have a better idea on what tactics to use.
What are you most excited about for your future? I am most excited for freedom in my future. A goal I have had with Waddle Meal Plan has been to work hard now to build a business to support my life in the future, which allows me to spend my time as I choose. I’m excited that I have an opportunity like Waddle Meal Plan to gain experience and knowledge from.
