November has been a good month for people who dislike stink.
Two brands developed through the University of Georgia Entrepreneurship Program are garnering national attention for their promise to make the world a sweeter-smelling place.
First, recent Terry College management information systems alumnus Matt Tesvich’s odorless sock brand — Skunk Skin — won $20,000 as part of the Amazon Prime business pitch show “Buy it Now.” Then, UGA MBA alumna Kristen Dunning’s Gently Soap landed on 2024 Oprah’s Favorite Things list.
Tesvich, who launched his odorless sock brand as Ox Sox in 2022, won several UGA-based pitch contests and sold thousands of pairs of socks. A former baseball player plagued by stinky feet, Tesvich refined the business through accelerator programs and mentorships offered through the UGA Entrepreneurship Program. Leveraging social media marketing and press attention, Tesvich had sold about $100,000 worth of socks before appearing on “Buy it Now.”
In March, he traveled to Los Angeles to film his episode and won the $20,000 grand prize.
“A huge thank you to the University of Georgia, I think their entrepreneurship program prepared me so well for this,” he told The Athens Banner-Herald. “Also thankful to Amazon for this opportunity because there are so many high-highs and low-lows in entrepreneurship, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime life-changing opportunity.”
Meanwhile, Dunning — who debuted her line of Gently Soaps in 2021 — was named to Oprah’s Favorite Things gift guide.
Dunning has struggled with eczema and developed a soap that wouldn’t irritate her skin but also smell nice. Most soaps for ultra-sensitive skin are devoid of fragrance, and she did not want to use boring soap for the rest of her life. She developed the process and formula for the sensitive-skin-friendly soap while working with herbs at the UGArden.
She continuously developed her business plan and pitching acumen through the UGA Entrepreneurship Program, starting with the Idea Accelerator program.
In 2023, after winning an extensive list of regional and national pitch contests, she appeared on the ABC show “Shark Tank” in 2023 and expanded her soapy empire.
The mission of the UGA Entrepreneurship Program is to develop the mindset of future entrepreneurs and prepare students for business leadership roles. UGA Entrepreneurship Program accelerators are open to UGA students and the Athens community.