Intro to Business 2018: Drip

Leadership, entrepreneurship, creativity, and integrity.

There is only one class that ties all of these qualities together: Intro to Business. Taught by civics teacher Jared Lowe, the class allows students to embark on a journey in business with all the necessary resources surrounding them. These students are opening up a new book of skills to help them in the business world.

After gaining some insight into the principles of a business, these students were given the challenge to start up their own business and create their own product. This challenge is what gave senior Nathan Hartline and junior Marcos Rodriguez the opportunity to display their business expertise.

“At first, the whole process of generating an idea and actually making it come to life sounded impossible, and for some time, it was,” Marcos said. “Yet, once we finally got [the idea], the whole rest of the process became simpler.”

After putting their minds together, Nathan and Marcos came up with the product: Drip. Drip is a card and cash carrier you can stick onto the back of your phone, keeping your money mobile.

“We just wanted to do something with phones,” Nathan said. “It’s phones and phone accessories all the time, and we knew it would catch people’s attention.”

The idea of a phone product was not the only thing that caught people’s attention, though. The name itself also became an attraction.

The group had not yet decided on a name as they designed the product; yet, the design is just where the name ended up sparking from. After picking the base color, white, of the stick-a-wallet, the group needed a logo. Finally, they came out with the eye-appealing touch: a teardrop enveloped in a blue circle with the word Drip plastered in blue at the bottom.

“It’s a name kids our age will like,” Marcos said. “They like the name; they buy the product. It not only went perfectly with the design but also stood as an assistant to selling.”

Once the title and design were set, and the products arrived, the next task at hand was actually getting it into the hands of consumers. Considering the challenge, the group had no idea how well their product would actually sell.

“At first, we thought just our friends were going to buy them,” Marcos said. “Then, all of the sudden it was people we didn’t even know asking to buy one. Drip was spreading outside of our friends and even our school.”

The product was a quick hit. Spreading like an epidemic, the phone accessory was seen all over not only school, but Forest Hills in general. Although beginning as an arduous struggle, the group found their product, settled into their business niche, and worked diligently to already sell 160 of their 200 stick-a-wallets.

Even Lowe has noticed the way Drip is thriving among consumers.

“I think with Drip, for a while there, they struggled with coming up with an idea that would be usable and potentially profitable,” Lowe said. “But, I think it became something that students are definitely gravitating towards, and something that definitely serves a purpose. The group has become very successful.”

Yet, success is not the only thing Drip has brought Nathan and Marcos. Along the Drip-journey, the students got the authentic experience of life in business as they had hoped.

“Business runs through both of our families,” Nathan said. “I plan on pursuing business in college, and this class has really provided me with the opening skills I need to embark in the world of business.”

With some business experience already tucked under their belts, Marcos and Nathan are already cruising down the road that leads to mastering the business world. They’ve overcome all adversity and had their first big success. They are ready to keep growing as businessmen.

At only $4 a piece, Drip is making the most profit out of any other product created in Lowe’s room.

The question now is how long will Drip flourish? Because at this point, at the top of the business food chain, Drip is the product to beat.

“Just keep drippin,’ ” Nathan and Marcos chanted.