By Gregory Ferraro

Some Cal State Fullerton students are not only keeping up with their classes, club commitments and social lives, but are already their own bosses. Student entrepreneurs are few and far between, but their impact, work ethic and commitment to their passions and success sets them apart from their peers.

Varshitha Selbarajan Uma is a fourth-year communications public relations major who is also receiving a marketing minor and her digital media certificate. On campus, she is the visual media specialist for the marketing department of Associated Students as well as the co-executive director of Titan Public Relations, Cal State Fullerton’s student-run public relations firm.

Her brand, Studio Anodyne, that she has grown throughout her time at CSUF, focuses on gel, gel-x and press-on nails that feature her own vibrant, unique and creative designs. Uma’s business was not only supported by her community, but also deeply impacted by it.

“At Fullerton, we have such a diverse group of students, so whenever I offer my services, there’s so many different people that come to me with so many different requests and designs that they want to do,” Uma said. “Not only does it help them, where I can do the designs that they want, but it also helps me to broaden my creativity and what I’m willing to do.”

Uma’s experience as a student also impacts how she meets with her customers. Having students as her main clientele, she understands the struggles they face and meets them where they are at.

“I’m very flexible, so I would say that’s definitely what sets me apart,” Uma said. “That’s because I’m also a student, so I understand, most of my clients are students, so you know, we’re all sometimes tight on cash, but we still want to do something that’s nice for ourselves.”

Magaly Uriostegui is a fourth-year sociology major with a concentration in social inequalities and a minor in public administration. She also balances being the treasurer of the Rotaract Club of CSUF, a volunteer as a food bank assistant for Pathways of Hope in Fullerton and is the historian of her daughter’s PTA group this school year.

Her company “Maggiis Bionico” started as a passion project for her own baby shower in 2011 and now provides event planning, party rentals, handmade decorations, balloon artistry and balloon art instruction to her community. While she wears many hats, Uriostegui’s resilience and commitment to her business’ success keeps her going.

“If you want to grow, you have to know that you’re not going to sleep some days,” Uriostegui said. “I don’t think about everything on my agenda for the day. I just do it because I feel the more you think about it – you get overwhelmed.”

Uriostegui has seen the power of making new connections during her time at CSUF. She takes a personal approach to her business and does not let competition get in the way of being herself.
“I treat my customers, like, if they’re my aunties, my cousins, my besties,” Uriostegui said. “I refer out, but they always come back because you don’t try to compete, you just try to be you and they see it.”