Entrepreneurship in action: The inaugural TFS Cougars’ Den
The auditorium lights dimmed and the room fell silent as the spotlight turned toward the stage. One by one, students stepped forward to pitch ideas they had spent months building, testing and refining. It was the culmination of the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business (EIB) program at TFS – and the launch of the first-ever TFS Cougars’ Den.
What began as the vision of two senior students, now alumni, Josef Marshall ’25 and Ethan Bu ’25 has quickly grown into something larger: a student-led program where young entrepreneurs move beyond theory and into practice. Over the course of a semester, students immersed themselves in the realities of building a business: dreaming up ideas, solving problems, adapting after setbacks and innovating until they got it right.
Facing the cougars
Ten student finalists stepped into the spotlight to face our four "Cougars," a panel of industry leaders: Shernee Chandaria ’95, Rachel Beckerman ’01, Trent Mell and Christian Lassonde.
The students presented their ventures with enthusiasm and professionalism. The pitches ranged from tech solutions for data privacy to innovations in makeup to vital tools to support suicide prevention. While the judges were impressed by the creativity and ambition on display, two ventures ultimately took the top spots.
The Winners’ Circle
1st place: Christopher P. – Fresh Clean Bins ($10,000)
Christopher earned the top prize by proving that some of the best business ideas are found right in your own backyard. His company, Fresh Clean Bins, tackles a familiar neighborhood issue: the lingering smell of dirty garbage cans.
Already operating the business alongside his brother, Chris focused his pitch on growth and scalability. He explained how the $10,000 prize would help transform the business from a small operation into a more streamlined enterprise through professional marketing to expand beyond word-of-mouth referrals and an automated online booking system to replace the coordination of texts and emails.
2nd place: Ève L. – Note by Note ($5,000)
Ève captured the judges' attention with her social mission. Recognizing that financial barriers often keep talented kids away from instruments, she pitched a music app designed to make high-quality music education accessible to every student, regardless of economic status. Her $5,000 award will help launch the platform that allows students to access music teachers.
The next generation
As the evening drew to a close, both Chris and Ève returned to the stage to express their gratitude, not just for the funding, but for the space and support to experiment, take risks and learn through the process.
The inaugural TFS Cougars’ Den proved that the next generation of TFS entrepreneurs isn't waiting for graduation to start changing the world, they’re already open for business.
A special thank you to TFS students Jack Y., Claire Y., Oliver M., and alumni Josef Marshall ’25 and Ethan Bu ’25 for bringing both the EIB program and the inaugural TFS Cougars’ Den to life.
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Facing the cougars
Ten student finalists stepped into the spotlight to face our four "Cougars," a panel of industry leaders: Shernee Chandaria ’95, Rachel Beckerman ’01, Trent Mell and Christian Lassonde.
The students presented their ventures with enthusiasm and professionalism. The pitches ranged from tech solutions for data privacy to innovations in makeup to vital tools to support suicide prevention. While the judges were impressed by the creativity and ambition on display, two ventures ultimately took the top spots.
The Winners’ Circle
1st place: Christopher P. – Fresh Clean Bins ($10,000)
Christopher earned the top prize by proving that some of the best business ideas are found right in your own backyard. His company, Fresh Clean Bins, tackles a familiar neighborhood issue: the lingering smell of dirty garbage cans.
Already operating the business alongside his brother, Chris focused his pitch on growth and scalability. He explained how the $10,000 prize would help transform the business from a small operation into a more streamlined enterprise through professional marketing to expand beyond word-of-mouth referrals and an automated online booking system to replace the coordination of texts and emails.
2nd place: Ève L. – Note by Note ($5,000)
Ève captured the judges' attention with her social mission. Recognizing that financial barriers often keep talented kids away from instruments, she pitched a music app designed to make high-quality music education accessible to every student, regardless of economic status. Her $5,000 award will help launch the platform that allows students to access music teachers.
The next generation
As the evening drew to a close, both Chris and Ève returned to the stage to express their gratitude, not just for the funding, but for the space and support to experiment, take risks and learn through the process.
The inaugural TFS Cougars’ Den proved that the next generation of TFS entrepreneurs isn't waiting for graduation to start changing the world, they’re already open for business.
A special thank you to TFS students Jack Y., Claire Y., Oliver M., and alumni Josef Marshall ’25 and Ethan Bu ’25 for bringing both the EIB program and the inaugural TFS Cougars’ Den to life.
