By Claire Burris, Staff Writer
Starting a business in college requires a willingness to take risks and recognize opportunities beyond the classroom. For Roman Lancaster and Abigail Drennan, Crashout Teas has provided an opportunity to do just that. What began as an idea has developed into a business that has challenged their abilities, shaped their college experience and influenced the way they envisioned their future.
When Lancaster and Drennan first established Crashout Teas, they could not have anticipated everything that would come with running a business. The process required them to move beyond the initial excitement of starting something new and understand the responsibilities that come with sustaining it.
Roman expanded on an unique experience only found in the life of a young, college entrepreneur: “I had to call the IRS and have them fax me a piece of paper to the UPS machine, but I also had an intermediate accounting class in 10 minutes. So, I walked up to my professor, and asked, ‘Hey,, I have to go figure out a problem with the IRS at the UPS office. Can I be here in like 30 minutes?’”
As more experiences like this kept occurring and Lancaster and Drennan’s business developed, so did their understanding of what it takes to make an idea successful. Experience became one of their greatest teachers, offering lessons in decision-making, communication and recognizing where changes needed to be made. They learned to evaluate what was working, address what was not and approach challenges with the willingness to improve.
“I think at first we didn’t know if it was going to be successful, and so we were asking ourselves the question, ‘what if it fails or what if no one buys them?’’ Drennan reflected. “But then we also had the faith to ask well what if people do like them? We were willing to take that risk and be okay if we failed, and thankfully we didn’t fail. I think the fact that we have had so much success within the first year of doing it is just because we have faith and pray about it a lot that we can keep growing and see what the Lord does with it.”
Both entrepreneurs’ perspectives on the business have changed considerably since its beginning. What they might have approached differently as a first time business owner has become an opportunity to apply what they have learned and make more intentional decisions moving forward.
For Lancaster and Drennan, their experience has extended beyond the practical knowledge of operating a business. It has given them an opportunity to recognize their strengths, develop skills and gain a clear understanding of the work required to pursue long-term goals.
Now, their attention is turning towards what comes next. Rather than viewing Crashout as simply a college endeavor, they are considering its potential beyond their time at Ouachita. Their ambitions reflect both what they have accomplished and what they believe is still possible.
That vision also coincides with the significant transition in their personal lives. Now engaged, the two are preparing for marriage while considering the opportunities and responsibilities that await them after graduation. Their experience building Crashout has become one part of the future they were approaching with shared admissions and understanding of what it takes to work toward together.
Lancaster stated, “It’s only grown up and grown us closer. Again, it’s like you’re in those pressure situations. We have to know what each other is good at, and what each other is not good at. We have to just know that about each other and love that about each other and remember that.”
Although the direction of Crashout will continue to evolve, the experience has already given Lancaster and Drennan something that extends beyond the business itself. They leave their college years with practical experience, a greater understanding of their capabilities and a clear vision of the opportunities they want to pursue. What happens next remains to be unseen, but the foundation they have established gives them a starting point for the next chapter.
