Twenty-eight founders graduated from the Master of Business Creation (MBC) Online at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business following the summer 2025 semester. They graduated from the flexible, virtual option in this unique, affordable and award-winning program designed specifically for entrepreneurs.
The group includes founders of 24 companies. (More than one founder enrolled for some of the companies.) Find a complete listing of the graduates and their startups below.
The MBC program is an accelerator plus a graduate degree designed for entrepreneurs provided by the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy in partnership with the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute. Both are part of the Eccles School, which is ranked among the top 10 schools nationally for entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report and the Princeton Review.
“The MBC Online program is our fastest growing option because it provides founders with the flexibility they need to engage with the program around their busy schedules,” said Jeff Davis, director of the MBC program and a faculty member in the Department of Marketing at the Eccles School. “Each of the founders in the online program receives one-on-one mentorship, which allows them to personalize the curriculum to meet their goals.”
The application is now open to join the MBC program in fall 2026. The priority application deadline is March 20, 2026. Admitted applicants in the U.S. will receive a $1,000 scholarship if they apply by the priority application deadline (restrictions apply). Space is limited, so early applications are encouraged. Apply and learn more here.
Founders in the MBC program receive mentorship and resources to grow and scale their companies. All benefit from Eccles School courses, applied curriculum workshops, practicum labs, networking opportunities, one-on-one mentoring, access to grants and the intense learn-by-doing that occurs when lessons are applied to their own businesses.
The MBC program is one of the latest additions to the Eccles School, which celebrates entrepreneurship as a core value and fosters it throughout its undergraduate and graduate programs. The program was recognized by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers for “Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation,” and the program won first place in the professional-services category in the Utah Innovation Awards managed by Utah Business and Foley & Lardner.
The MBC program was created to blend the best attributes of a business curriculum with a startup accelerator. The founders develop their startups while taking classes from leading experts and receiving extensive resources and mentorship to help them address their immediate business needs.
Duane Richins is one of the founders who graduated. He is the founder of RealD2D, a real-estate coaching company that specializes in growing agents’ clients through door-to-door marketing. “It is unique to have professors that have all achieved at high levels and are so willing to help,” Richins said of the MBC program. “I also find it so unique to see how each professor loves this job. It doesn’t seem like this is a job that they took for the money; it was all about the love of the game.”
Another new graduate, Alok Desai is the founder of Packizon, which provides measuring technologies for optimizing logistics, warehousing and shipping processes. “Having access to business knowledge and guidance in applying that has been huge for our company,” he said of the MBC program. The hands-on approach of the program helped Packizon create a solid foundation and create goals for the future.
Learn more about the Master of Business Creation and apply at eccles.utah.edu/mbc.
MBC Online Graduates for Summer 2025
Here are the MBC Online startups and the founders that graduated for this period (in alphabetical order by company):
- Bee Willing (Missy Freigang) – Helps governments and individuals build community to enable the resolution of social problems.
- Beast & Baron (Gary Urry) – Produces and sells all natural beard care products.
- Beyond the Blade (Eric Swenson and Katie Swenson) – A healthcare analytics company for surgery.
- Doubloon Gulf (Blake Laker) – High-end golf ball markers made from rare and beautiful materials.
- Fiscal Ally (Jelani Ellington) – Proactive and personalized financial planning sold as a subscription.
- HeadMed (Adam Wright and Johnathan Benfield) – Telemedicine for migraine headaches and facial pain. The company focuses on providing asynchronous care such as text, chat, email and secure portal communication.
- Heads Up Co. (Zane Van Wagoner) – Helps build healthy tech habits by making unplugging easy and intentional. Their phone chargers empower young people to get the phone out of the bedroom and set healthy boundaries with their devices so they can be more present, focused and connected.
- IQ Elevate Labs (Drew Johnson) – Student-oriented supplements to enhance cognitive function.
- Kulani Home (Matthew Morgan) – Handcrafted, customized and niche home décor.
- Lakeshore Plastics (Kyle Pontius and Vincent Bria) – Utah County-based injection molding manufacturing business.
- Little Dogs Resort (Jennifer McMurrough and Melody English) – Seller of high-end small dog daycare business.
- Mish Mill (Jen Jen Francis) – Allows brands and game developers to operate across different digital worlds and platforms.
- Nibbles and Sprouts (Bonnie Feola) – A pediatric culinary medicine practice founded by a pediatrician-chef. They reduce parental frustration and nurture confidence with trusted, flavor-first guidance – helping a supportive community of families raise curious eaters through calm, connection and lifelong taste literacy.
- NODE Medication Dispensers (Jonathon Vizmeg) – Access-controlled pill box for dispensing Class I drugs such as opioids
- Omena (Francesca Raoelison) – Seeks to break the cycle of emotional abuse in Madagascar through social-emotional training, community support and advocacy.
- Packizon (Alok Desai) – Precise measuring technologies for optimizing logistics, warehousing and shipping processes.
- Pionails (Eric Ngo) – An all-in-one POS and booking platform for the nail salon industry
- Play to Your Strengths (Stephen Gahagen) – School-based strengths-based training for young people to ensure that they flourish.
- Reald2d (Duane Richins) – A real-estate coaching company specializing in growing agents’ clients through door-to-door marketing.
- Rough Road Repair (Oliver Bradstreet) – A mobile vehicle-repair service that rescues and repairs vehicles when they break down in offroad or remote areas.
- Signspaces (Chris Wood) – A pop-up dictionary that translates English words on the Web into American Sign Language, facilitating the easy learning of ASL.
- Tasty Edits (Alex Lefkowitz) – Provides video editing and YouTube management services to content creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses.
- Theramone Health (Xue Sheng “Lawry” Han) – Natural solutions for hormone health.
- Yesco Business Coaching (Janaye Lakey) – Spin-off from YESCO that provides instructional frameworks and advice to small businesses.
About the David Eccles School of Business
At the Eccles School, students do more than earn a degree or learn business – they live the experience with hands-on immersive learning. This empowers students to graduate not only with a degree, but the real-world experience, the mindset, skills and confidence to succeed. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBA programs, eight specialized master’s programs, five Ph.D. academic tracks and an executive education program. The Eccles School is also home to more than 16 institutes, centers and initiatives, which create societal impact through academic research, applied knowledge, leadership and innovation. Learn more at eccles.utah.edu.
About the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. The first programs were offered in 2001, through the vision and support of Pierre Lassonde, an alumnus of the Eccles School and successful mining entrepreneur. The institute now provides opportunities for thousands of students to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs include workshops, networking events, business-plan competitions, startup support, innovation programs, graduate seminars, scholarships, community outreach and more. All programs are open to students from any academic major or background. The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute also manages Lassonde Studios, a five-story innovation space and housing facility for all students. Learn more at lassonde.utah.edu.
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