An Interview with a Computer Science student about her startup, her inspiration, and some pro tips for young entrepreneurs

How and when did this company start? What was the inspiration that drove the founding of this product and business? What is your personal story in relation to this project? 

CherryWheels.com began about eight months ago, after an experience that really touched my heart. I was walking in a park and saw a little girl in a wheelchair who looked sad and isolated. Other kids were paying but it was like she wasn’t sure how to connect with them. That moment stayed with me. I wanted to create something that could bring more joy to her, boost her confidence, and help spark positive interactions. This inspired me to design fun, colorful, and stylish wheelchair wheel covers that could act as conversation starters. The response so far has been truly heartwarming; seeing the smiles and newfound confidence our covers bring to wheelchair users keeps me passionate about our mission. 

Please talk about the ways that your Baskin Engineering education plays into this work.

Yes, CherryWheels.com came to life around the same time I started my Computer Science studies at UC Santa Cruz. Initially, the idea was more about the design and concept, but once I got involved in Baskin Engineering, I learned so much that helped shape the business. For example, while we use Shopify to run our e-commerce storefront, my tech background has helped me customize features, optimize user experience, and streamline things like tracking sales and inventory. It’s also helped me experiment with generative AI for marketing—like using Adobe Firefly to visualize various wheel cover designs that appeal to different age groups. By generating mockups with different colors, themes, and patterns, we’ve been able to fine-tune our concepts and ensure our covers resonate with children, teenagers, and adults alike.

Your website says that you’re a “women-founded company based in Silicon Valley.” Who are your co-founders? How did you all find each other? Are they fellow students?

My mother and I co-founded CherryWheels.com. She’s always been an incredible source of support and encouragement. She was a practicing doctor in India, and we moved to the U.S. about three years ago. Through her medical background, she gained valuable insight into some of the challenges wheelchair users face, especially around confidence and social engagement, whereas, I bring the tech and engineering perspective from my Computer Science studies. We both share a passion for empowering people and making a difference in our community. Combining our strengths felt like a natural collaboration, and living in Silicon Valley—a hub of innovation—has only fueled our excitement to keep pushing boundaries.

Why do you feel it is important to ensure that folks who come across your company know that it is women-founded and operated? 

Women are still underrepresented in technology and entrepreneurship, so for us, being women-founded isn’t just a detail—it’s a statement of empowerment and inclusion. We want to show that women can innovate, lead, and create impactful solutions in any field. By highlighting our background, we hope to inspire other women, girls, and anyone from underrepresented groups to feel confident pursuing their own ideas. Diversity in leadership and innovation is so important, because a range of perspectives often leads to more creative and inclusive products.

Talk a little bit about the process of building a business as a team/partnership: What are some unexpected difficulties? Perhaps there were some aspects that were easier than expected? Do you have a staff of employees that you manage? What’s been the most fun part? 

Building CherryWheels.com has been an incredible journey. We’ve handled every step ourselves—from crafting each wheel cover design to managing production. To keep our covers affordable for everyone, we set up a manufacturing team in India, which introduced its own challenges—especially scheduling meetings across vastly different time zones. Nevertheless, we successfully coordinated across continents and navigated all the logistics. We still operate with a lean structure, designing all our wheel covers with love and handling the marketing ourselves. The most rewarding part is seeing our designs come to life and watching users light up when they put on our wheel covers. Their excitement and smiles reinforce exactly why we created CherryWheels.com.

For any intrepid students such as yourself who might be interested in starting a business, what are some pro tips that you’d like to share? 

1. Find Your Core Motivation: It’s a lot easier to push through challenges when you genuinely care about what you’re building. That personal passion will help you stay focused and driven, even when the workload piles up. 

2. Leverage Your Campus Community: UCSC offers so many resources like student orgs and clubs that can connect you with collaborators or friends with similar interests. Don’t hesitate to reach out for advice or support. 

3. Iterate and Learn: Start with a simple version of your product or service, get feedback, and make improvements. The best ideas usually evolve over time, so be open to adapting and refining your approach. 

Starting a business can feel overwhelming, but it’s also one of the most rewarding learning experiences you can have. For me, building CherryWheels.com has been a chance to combine creativity, compassion, and technology—all while making a real difference in people’s lives.