Most college first years hope to find a friend in their roommates, but two creative Bowdoin students were lucky enough to find a business partner as well.
When Mattie Cowen and Alyssa Chen were paired together in Maine Hall two years ago, they proved to be the ideal combination for entrepreneurial success, bringing the neccessary qualities of inspiration and practicality; after just one semester, the young women began manufacturing and selling eye-catching ribbon belts and their label, Batada Belts, was born.
During her senior year of high school, Cowen used to dream of making intricate beaded belts and even designed a sales brochure for her imagined enterprise. At first Chen teased Cowen about her fantasy. But over Winter Break Chen began to experiment with sewing ribbon belts, which she soon discovered were simple and cheap to make. Chen shared her sewing expertise with Cowen when they returned to Bowdoin, and the duo launched a modified version of Cowen's original concept for Batada Belts (made of ribbon instead of beads).
Initially the girls only sold to friends on campus, but the following summer a small chain in Washington D.C., Mad Lax, requested to stock Batada Belts. Cowen's neighbor mentioned the high-quality belts to Mad Lax's owner, who was impressed by the samples Cowen showed him. The young women also sell the belts at farmers' markets and at the December art fair in Smith Union. Last year, they even sold their handiwork as a fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina victims.
Cowen and Chen price the belts from $12 to $15, which translates to a considerable profit after accounting for minimal production costs.
But these ladies are not in it just for the money.
Chen explained that she and Cowen enjoy the creative process, and she especially likes to sell at the market in her hometown.
"It's great to feel like part of the community. I love seeing my old teachers and friends," Chen said.
Cowen is studying abroad in Russia this semester, which has made maintaining the business difficult, but with healthy sales and hopes for future expansion, the founders of Batada Belts are optimistic about their company's future. Chen is always searching for new interesting ribbons to add to the myriad of stripes, polka dots, and prints Batada Belts offers. The two recently made some belts with the University of Virginia logo and are still on the lookout for the perfect polar bear ribbon. Cowen would eventually like to start making jewelry, handbags, and, eventually, the beaded belts she originally envisioned.
Whether Cowen and Chen decide to continue Batada Belts after graduating from Bowdoin or not, these two friends will have shared a valuable experience in business and the rare satisfaction of living out a dream.