Tara Godby is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Co-Founder of Teakeasy Tea, an upscale tea company that combines luxury, innovation, and music-inspired flavors. With over 25 years in corporate America, Tara transitioned to full-time entrepreneurship in 2018, bringing her vision for Teakeasy to life.
She also serves on the board of SAFE Austin, dedicated to stopping abuse for everyone, focusing on sex trafficking, rape, and domestic violence. Additionally, Tara is a founding member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Austin chapter and partnered with the NAWBO Institute and AARP to facilitate the 2023 Established and Ready to Grow Cohort.
Leveraging her entrepreneurial journey, Tara launched Elan Coaching & Consulting, offering expert guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs. As a certified coach, consultant, speaker, and mentor, she passionately empowers individuals through career and personal development, making a lasting impact in both the business and non-profit sectors.
Quinn Valentine, M.S., M.Ed., a California native, has been in education for over 25 years, serving as a higher education and secondary education program and center director, assistant professor, high school teacher, and athletic director. Quinn is an expert in pitch development and helped students secure several funding awards, winning the two highest awards in WooTank, an intercollegiate pitch funding competition.
Quinn is currently the Director for the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Texas State University with the goal of providing innovation, entrepreneurship, and small business creation resources to all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community seeking to develop their brand of entrepreneurship.
Before coming to Texas State University, Quinn was at Clark University School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program Director in Worcester, Massachusetts. Under Quinn’s leadership the E&I Program has been awarded the 2020 Innovations that Inspire award from AACSB International (AACSB), the 2021 Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Center’s (GCEC) Outstanding Student Engagement and Leadership award, 2022 finalist of Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Conference Award, and the 2024 (Americas) Most Impactful University, Triple-E-Awards, bronze award.
Additionally, Quinn was an Assistant Professor, and Assistant Director of the Kelley Center for Entrepreneurship at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota, designing curriculum, teaching innovation and entrepreneurship, and developing student small businesses and co-authored with Dr. Ryan Van Zee three books, Creative Entrepreneurship and Innovation, The Entrepreneurial Experience and A Starter’s Guide to Small Business Ownership.
Max Feber
Max Feber, a student entrepreneur and innovator, will soon share his journey at Texas State University in a keynote address focused on the unique challenges and rewards of starting and building a business while in school. His experience offers a practical and inspiring look at what it takes to balance classes with a growing business, leveraging college life to fuel entrepreneurial success, and the invaluable network of supporters that make the entrepreneurial ecosystem work.
Balancing the demands of being a student and an entrepreneur, Max has firsthand experience in time management and priority setting. His days are split between lectures, assignments, and running a business, each requiring equal dedication and energy. Max will share the strategies he developed for finding equilibrium, from staying organized to setting achievable goals, making his story one that any student balancing work, classes, or other pursuits can relate to.
In his journey, Max benefited from the "ecosystem of entrepreneurship," a network of mentors, advisors, classmates, and university resources that provided guidance, advice, and practical help as he built his business. From connecting him with potential investors to providing resources on campus, this supportive community was essential in helping him navigate early challenges. Max will touch on how these connections inspired him, how they continue to shape his business, and why a strong support network is a powerful asset for any aspiring entrepreneur.
One of Max's key takeaways is the advantage of being a college student while building his business. Through leveraging his college identity, he gained press exposure and the attention of others interested in student innovation. College provided him with credibility and appeal that differentiated him in the crowded startup landscape. Being a student entrepreneur, he found, can be a strategic asset when positioning oneself in the market and capturing the interest of the public and media.
Max will also explore how the college environment directly contributed to his growth as an entrepreneur. Being in school exposed him to diverse ideas and perspectives from his peers and professors, helping him approach his business creatively. He also learned the value of adaptability and perseverance, as college presents daily opportunities to practice these traits. The resources available to him as a student—whether through academic programs, business incubators, or extracurricular activities—equipped him with practical skills and knowledge that have proven vital in running a business.
This keynote will offer attendees not only a glimpse into Max Feber's journey but also a practical roadmap for anyone considering a similar path. Max’s story highlights the importance of resilience, using your environment to your advantage, and building a supportive network. By sharing his experiences and insights, he aims to inspire Texas State students to explore entrepreneurship, embrace their resources, and perhaps start their own ventures, even while juggling the demands of college life.