Stories & Updates

(This article was originally published on the Lerner blog)

Maya Narazeth, a distinguished alumna of University of Delaware, exemplifies the epitome of entrepreneurial determination and vision. What began as a humble operation from her student apartment, with her car serving as a mobile sales office, has blossomed into the thriving enterprise known as Alchemize Fightwear. Over the span of four years, Maya has transformed her passion for entrepreneurship into a dynamic business that not only meets but exceeds market expectations. Her journey from student entrepreneur to industry trailblazer explains the beneficial impact of entrepreneurship.

Maya Nazareth's Journey into Women's Fightwear

She had a passion for Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but she soon encountered a frustrating issue: the lack of suitable fightwear for women.

“There simply wasn’t much gear designed with women in mind,” she explained. “I found myself wearing gear that wasn’t flattering, rode up during training, and didn’t fit properly.”

Approaching her senior year studying international business at the University of Delaware, Nazareth had limited industry knowledge. However, she dedicated hours in her apartment to planning and developing a rashguard, which she began selling out of the trunk of her car after jiu-jitsu practice. (A rashguard is a specialized shirt designed to protect the skin during grappling.)

"Scaling Success: Alchemize Fightwear and Maya Nazareth's Entrepreneurial Growth"

Alchemize Fightwear emerged into existence, steadily expanding under Nazareth's leadership. Recently, she announced that the company achieved significant growth in 2023, doubling its business and fulfilling its 10,000th order. Additionally, Alchemize Fightwear organizes Brazilian jiu-jitsu events nationwide, uniting hundreds of women, and allocates a portion of its profits to combating violence against women.

"Empowering Entrepreneurship: Maya Nazareth's Journey with Horn Entrepreneurship"

Although she initially launched her business independently, Nazareth recognized the value of seeking support and expert advice. This realization led her to seek assistance from Horn Entrepreneurship.  Horn Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware is a vibrant hub dedicated to fostering innovation and supporting aspiring entrepreneurs. It offers a range of programs designed to guide students and alumni through the startup journey. These programs include workshops, mentoring sessions, and networking opportunities that help entrepreneurs refine their startup ideas, develop business plans, and build sustainable ventures. Horn Entrepreneurship also provides access to resources such as funding opportunities, co-working spaces, and connections to industry experts and investors. The goal is to empower individuals to turn their innovative concepts into successful businesses by providing them with the knowledge, skills, and support needed to navigate entrepreneurship.

After benefiting from various classes and workshops offered by Horn Entrepreneurship during her time at the University of Delaware, Maya Nazareth continued her entrepreneurial journey by participating in the Summer Founders program after graduation. This program provided her with valuable mentorship, training, and financial support as she worked on developing Alchemize Fightwear. The experience during that summer was pivotal for Nazareth, particularly because it introduced her to evidence-based entrepreneurship, emphasizing thorough market research before launching a product or service. 

Engaging directly with potential customers, especially women in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community, provided valuable insights for the business. Their feedback helped refine Alchemize Fightwear's offerings, ensuring they met genuine market needs. Nazareth attributes much of her business's success to this approach, which continues to influence her decisions as an experienced entrepreneur.

"I don’t launch something if I don’t know that people are going to love it … we de-risk the business by asking those questions up front," Nazareth emphasizes. Her time with Horn Entrepreneurship provided impactful and essential business skills. Also the program helped with different strategic planning and customer-focused innovation skills that guided individuals on their entrepreneurial journey. 

"Network and Mentorship: Maya Nazareth's Key to Entrepreneurial Success"

Based on mentorship, Maya Narazeth highlighted Vincent DiFelice, senior instructor of entrepreneurship, as particularly influential in her journey, describing him as an exceptional professor and mentor. Maya emphasized the significance of the networks she established through Horn, noting that they have facilitated crucial connections within the industry as she pursues growth opportunities for her business. “The network and the guidance that I’ve received at Horn has probably been the most valuable thing that I received from the program,” she said, underscoring the program's pivotal role in her entrepreneurial endeavors.

Maya Nazareth has passed along the support she received by mentoring students involved in Horn's programs. Last year, her business was featured in the Carol A. Ammon Case Competition at the Lerner College, where graduate business teams developed ideas for her enterprise and she served as a judge during the finals.

Reflecting on her journey, Nazareth shared, "I've gained a lot of knowledge through mentorship and learning from my own business failures and mistakes, and I want to pass that on." Despite viewing Alchemize Fightwear as still in its startup phase, Nazareth is actively scaling up. While she remains heavily involved in day-to-day operations, she has expanded her team to include full-time staff member Suliy Melendez and six part-time employees, with plans to further grow the team.

"Alchemize Fightwear's Path Forward: Empowering Women and Community"

As Alchemize Fightwear continues to expand, its focus remains steadfast on empowering women and enhancing community through strategic marketing initiatives. Hosting regular self-defense events at its Philadelphia headquarters and organizing large-scale conferences nationwide and such as the recent grappling camp in San Diego, this reflects its commitment to fostering women’s empowerment in jiu-jitsu and overall well-being. Maya Nazareth aims to achieve $1.8 million in sales this year and is actively seeking $1 million in funding to support further growth and address challenges like inventory management. With recent partnerships with large factories and ambitious scaling plans ahead, Nazareth envisions a future where Alchemize Fightwear continues to thrive and expand its market influence.

About Horn Entrepreneurship

At the University of Delaware, Horn Entrepreneurship stands as the driving force for fostering entrepreneurship, education, and progress. Currently ranked among the best entrepreneurship programs in the U.S., Horn Entrepreneurship has been established and is actively championed by accomplished entrepreneurs. This support empowers aspiring innovators as they embark on the journey of exploring new ideas for a brighter and more impactful world.

(Here is more information about Maya Narazeth business: https://alchemizefightwear.com )