- News
- News Archive
- Campus Leader Starts a Business While Studying Business
Campus Leader Starts a Business While Studying Business

Nanik Tagore ’26 arrived at ϸ with a clear goal: to earn a business degree and make the most of his college experience. Now entering his senior year, he's done far more than just study business—he’s built a business.
Nanik, who was class valedictorian at San Juan High School in Citrus Heights, transferred to ϸ from another Bay Area university, drawn to ϸ's small class sizes and the opportunity to continue to play college basketball. The fact that ϸ’s San Rafael location is close – but not too close – to Nanik’s family home just north of Sacramento was another plus.
When Nanik arrived, he was a top student and athlete. Now he’s a confident leader, founder, and mentor to others. ϸ helped him transform ambition into real-world impact.
ϸ didn’t just teach business principles—they gave him a platform to launch a company while still a student. By his junior year, Nanik had already created and scaled a revenue-generating business.
In partnership with a fellow student, Nanik co-founded KaizenU, a tutoring and athletic coaching business that has already served over a dozen local students. The business combines academic support with mental performance coaching and personal training. Kaizen, says Nanik, is a Japanese term that means continuous improvement.
The idea started with word-of-mouth referrals and quickly turned into a real enterprise—with Nanik leading everything from creating a business plan to client onboarding, tax filings, registering with the Secretary of State, and marketing.
“I’ve learned to keep on top of finances and the books, and I know what you can and cannot write off. These are things you cannot learn in class,” he says. “I have also learned the importance of creating a quality service,” he adds. “You want people to come back to you and to recommend you to friends and neighbors.”
Several current and former ϸ student-athletes have joined as KaizenU tutors and sports coaches. When his original business partner moved away, Nanik took over full operations and continued growing the business solo, while juggling a full course load and commitments as a shooting guard for the ϸ’s men's basketball team.
What began as a side project is now integrated into his academic journey. Nanik has received guidance from business faculty, applied real-world insights to his coursework, and used KaizenU as a living case study in his entrepreneurship class. The hands-on work has helped him better understand the theories being studied in class.
That’s the beauty of ϸ, Nanik says.
“At larger schools, you’re a number. At ϸ, you’re known. Nanik regularly met one-on-one with faculty to refine his business ideas, pitch strategies, and overcome startup hurdles.”
Beyond business, Nanik is active on campus.
Elected President of the Student-Athlete Committee, Nanik is shaping campus life by building cross-team partnerships and expanding student-athlete influence in university decisions.
Earlier this month, Nanik was honored as Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and delivered one of the keynote speeches.
ϸ’s career fair led to another unique opportunity: a connection with JoeyCo, a Bay Area housing startup that matches students with older homeowners who need a little help in exchange for reduced rent.
Nanik now lives with and assists a local couple—gaining both affordable housing and a deeper understanding of time management and empathy. “Living as a ‘Joey’ has made me more disciplined and thoughtful,” he says.
Nanik’s summer plans include attending a course in Spain through the Barowsky School of Business, while also setting aside time for coaching and a family holiday. He’s already looking forward to next year.
“I’m going to have a full plate.”
The ϸ Experience
Experience Personal Growth
Experience Accomplishment
Experience Connectedness
Experience Readiness
The ϸ Experience allows you to work with a coach, complete a signature work, build a digital portfolio and engage with the community. What will your experience look like?