Photos by Ralph Freso
Bethany Zenil enrolled at Grand Canyon University as a pre-med student with dreams of operating a medical skin spa.
But she also has found a passion for selling jewelry and has connected with her entrepreneurial side. Her business success has heightened her desire to help those victimized by sex trafficking, particularly in her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri.
“Just having more ideas and more opportunities to grow my business and brands is really important to me,” said Zenil, who takes great pride in selling items at affordable prices. “I didn't want to be on one track.”
Canyon Crafted has popped up at farmers markets, boutique events and even at a GCU Women in Business conference.
“I get these from wholesalers,” said Zenil, pointing to a table of bracelets and necklaces. “Some of these are plated, so I recommend they don’t go in the water. Some are nontarnished. Some are filled with 14K gold and sterling silver and last a long time.”
After taking a Discover GCU trip on the recommendation of a friend, Zenil enrolled as a pre-med major. But she switched to entrepreneurship before her sophomore year.
“I have a lot of different ideas, so I would love to pursue something with a medical (interest), like a medical spa," said Zenil, whose entrepreneur parents helped her in establishing her own business. Also, she said her GCU professors are very good at giving advice.
IDEA Club President Caleb McCandliss also helped Zenil by connecting her with an artist who performs duty-friendly renderings, and she plans to start selling jewelry with her logo on it.
“All the IDEA Club leaders have been super supportive, especially at the markets,” Zenil said. “Last year, I didn’t know how to get involved in the club itself, and I had obligations on Wednesday (when the IDEA club meets regularly).
“When I showed up to the market, they were ready to help me, not just because I attended the club meetings, but I was a student willing to sell. That meant a lot to me.”
The IDEA Club meetings have featured ways for students to market a product, which have helped supplement Zenil’s Instagram account that she started before joining the entrepreneurship club.
“I love when other students come from other disciplines, particularly nursing or the hard sciences, because they have a discipline out of the gate,” said Tim Kelley, Entrepreneurship Chair for the Colangelo College of Business and one of Zenil’s professors. “And they bring that discipline into entrepreneurship, so they get the methodology we use, which is sort of an agile project management methodology that requires experimentation using the scientific method.
“So they can apply it, see it and they’re like, ‘Of course, I need to do iterations on this,’ until they find that right business model that matches that customer segment, or this particular product niche, or whatever the case might be.
“She does that so well. I hope she’s getting some serious revenue and helping the cause.”
Elise Whitman, a GCU graduate who donated a large chunk of her proceeds from her Return to Eden clothingline to help those trapped by human trafficking, has inspired Zenil.
“Her mission is amazing,” said Zenil, who met Whitman before she graduated. “While growing up, I wished I could have donated to that (cause). It’s a perfect avenue.”
Zenil has donated 10% of her profits toward Run to Stop It, an organization started by the Rock of KC church in Kansas City, which raises awareness and finances to support groups that are battling human trafficking.
Fulfilling her long-term goal would be a culmination of her academic and personal experiences. As an underclassman, Zenil prepared research products through laser therapy and shadowed a few dermatologists and surgeons. She also witnessed a few surgeries.
“I wanted to be more holistic, so I target ages 16-40,” Zenil said. “Just dealing with painful acne and scarring because I know it causes physical and psychological difficulties, as well. I’ve also gone through that experience, going to a doctor and being prescribed acne pills and creams.
“I’m still on that stuff, and I honestly want to go the holistic route, providing education for these people on how to take care of their hygiene and how to restore their good health and bring in that permanent feature of using medical equipment to get rid of this scarring, like laser therapy.
“It's tough as a girl, and even men have trouble with that with their confidence, and I want to empower people.”
GCU senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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