Senior Daniel Dorfman bolts out of the classroom, weaving through crowded halls to get to his car before dashing to his makeshift kitchen-turned-warehouse. In just a few hours, he’ll need to be back at the Nichols Auditorium to pitch his startup Roobi Tea at the BEcon sHarker Tank competition, where $1,000 dollars stand on the line. But this rooibos tea has a ticking clock of its own with only a 24-hour shelf life. At the warehouse, Daniel and his partner carefully brew the tea with precision. Two jugs of natural caffeine-free tea later, they are ready for the pitch. 

“The judges deliberated, they came back with their verdict, and that was extremely amazing,” Daniel said. “Even more so, we had some tea left over, and we started handing it out to the audience. The responses from the people in the crowd were amazing, and I was excited to see the product shared with students.”

Hoping to pursue entrepreneurship and business in the future, Daniel’s journey to this moment began over a year ago when he chose to take the startup Incubator course. In his junior year, Daniel envisioned creating a caffeine-free and low-sugar tea for students his age. This idea took shape as he, alongside seniors Sam Parupudi and Vedant Balachandran, brainstormed the startup that evolved into Roobi Tea. 

During the development stage, Daniel and his team set up tea-tasting stations in front of public libraries, seeking feedback from the community. Engaging with the public taught Daniel valuable lessons about delivering responsive customer service and collaborating with his team to adapt to critiques. 

“Especially in the beginning, a lot of the feedback was not nice, but those were the most meaningful ones,” Daniel said. “If someone says something like ‘the vinegar is too strong,’ then we can use that and build forward. It was a little hard to take it in, but it’s very needed because you can’t do it on your own.”

Setbacks early into the process often left Daniel disheartened, but he and his team persevered, learning from each round of testing and criticism. After gradually improving the drink recipe and receiving encouraging feedback, Daniel felt the satisfaction that emerged from his commitment. Along the way, he and his business partners also strengthened their bond as they continuously bounced ideas off of each other. 

“At the start, we made a mock flavor, and it came out with a sandy-water texture because we processed it wrong,” Daniel said. “But we’ve watched the drink get progressively better and better as time went on. Just the knowledge that we could do it and the mindset of focusing on one problem at a time helped us keep going.”

Throughout this iterative process, Daniel maintained a positive, collaborative attitude, ensuring that each business discussion was productive and engaging. Close friend senior Rajas Apte admires how Daniel’s light-hearted yet focused approach to Roobi Tea translated into success. 

“He’s really funny, but he can also be serious,” Rajas said. “He gave me some of his tea samples and asked for feedback before. I got to be honest with him, and he appreciates that. They improved it, and he executed it really well.”

Close friend senior Maziar Ziai reflects on Daniel’s kindness, noting how his infectious personality creates a comforting environment for those around him. Beyond his interactions with customers, this supportive nature makes a lasting impact on his peers. 

“He’s a very nice person and super polite,” Maziar said. “He also has this really bright mood, and he can always make anything funny. He always tries to find the good in things, likes cracking jokes and is always there if you ever need anything.”

In his entrepreneurial endeavors, Daniel embraces risks in order to create a better product. Math teacher Caren Furtado commends his perseverance, both in his startup and in the classroom, where Daniel’s willingness to ask questions and fully understand difficult concepts reflects his dedication. 

“Daniel brings such a strong spirit of determination,” Furtado said. “He works hard, and he’s not afraid to be wrong. It really sets a very good tone for everyone because they can all take his example. He’s put in so much work into his startup, and I’ve seen that if he puts his mind to something, he can change the world.”

Building a business from the ground up involves navigating many failures, a reality Daniel is not a stranger to. From the initial sand-textured beverages to the well-praised batches at SHarker Tank, each misstep pushed him and his team closer to the perfect recipe. As Roobi Tea nears its official launch, Daniel maintains his determined mindset because even the most bitter failures can catalyze a delectable final product.   

“Working on Roobi has taught me how to bounce back from failures, and that problems need to be addressed one bit at a time because you can’t just tackle huge goals,” Daniel said. “I learned to not be afraid of failure because every failure is a step towards success. I try not to look back and wish I could change something because I can’t. It’s the past. Instead, I look forward.”