STEPHEN W.
ZOELLER

Since graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2014 with a degree in economics and entrepreneurship I have focused my career on marketing eco-friendly products. In my first role at Yumi EcoSolutions I worked with Chinese factories that manufactured our plastic alternative (bamboo) tableware. By the end of my almost four years at Yumi I continued my logistics and supply chain role but also took on the role of marketing manager. I created social media content, wrote newsletters, blog posts, and press releases. I filmed and directed shoots, edited and produced videos, and launched digital advertising campaigns.

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in 2018 I met my current business partner by happenstance and it felt very much like I was in the right place at the right time. He had invented a restaurant dishwashing tool called PLATESCRAPE that reduced a restaurant’s water use sometimes as high as 50%. He just finished building the first 40 units and had no idea how to sell them. We did a handshake deal and two years later I was made a full partner of the company. I created a brand and a marketing plan that got PLATESCRAPEs into some of the largest restaurant chains in the world, including Denny’s and Disney. When the pandemic hit we almost lost the business. Sales went to zero for almost six months straight. I kept the company afloat sometimes by taking out personal credit cards. We weathered the storm and years later I am happy to report the company is doing better than ever and onto PLATESCRAPE V2 and PSV2 Mini.