By: SJ Tannenbaum
In honor of National Entrepreneur Day, the Sy Syms School of Business and Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership鈥痑re proud to highlight six remarkable students, alumni and faculty whose ideas, passion and determination embody the spirit of entrepreneurial leadership. From establishing community-driven ventures to creating global travel services and consumer products, these innovative founders demonstrate the creativity and business acumen shaping the next generation of Jewish business leadership.
Students
Creating Comfort and Opportunity:
Rockie (Frankenthal) Kluk 鈥26SB
Founder of Chi.Waitressing
A Marketing major and Sacks-Herenstein Center Leadership Scholar from Chicago, started Chi.Waitressing when she noticed a distinct need in her community. Although high school boys were often hired to work social events, there were no parallel opportunities for girls, even though guests would feel more comfortable with female staff at women鈥檚 events.
What began as an idea rooted in sensitivity and design intuition grew into a thriving business. With support from family and friends, Rockie built a team of 30 trained high school waitresses who handle setup, serving, and cleanup for weddings, bat mitzvahs, sheva brachos, and community events. As Chi. Waitressing enters its sixth year, Rockie continues to oversee operations. To ensure the experience remains empowering for the next cohort of young women, leadership is passed to a senior head waitress annually.
Check them out on Instagram .
Tutoring That Transforms Communities:
Leah Solomon 鈥27SB
Founder of After the School Bell
is a Data Analytics and Strategy & Entrepreneurship dual-major and Sacks-Herenstein Center Leadership Scholar from North Woodmere, New York, with an idea whose time has come. As a ninth grader, she volunteered as an online tutor during COVID and gained just as much as the students she worked with: insight, empathy and a sense of possibility. With the help of philanthropists, she turned that possibility into action by launching After the School Bell, an organization that pairs high school volunteers with elementary-age students in need of accessible tutoring.
For Leah, the impact her organization has had extends far beyond homework help. Families experience reduced stress; tutors develop confidence and purpose; and children gain the academic and emotional support they need to succeed. "I'm really lucky to be part of it," she says with characteristic humility.
Learn more on their website at and on Instagram .
Unlocking Global Travel Value:
Avi Dadon 鈥26SB
Co-Leader of MilesBuyer
A lifelong entrepreneur from Los Angeles, brought his early success in sneaker reselling to a new arena: the global travel rewards marketplace. Avi, a Finance major with a minor in Strategy & Entrepreneurship and a Sacks-Herenstein Center Leadership Scholar, joined MilesBuyer 鈥 the leading mileage brokerage founded by his brother 鈥 after realizing how much hidden value airline miles and credit card points can hold.
Today, MilesBuyer is one of the world鈥檚 largest point suppliers, partnering with luxury travel agencies and concierge services. Avi focuses on scaling operations, strengthening client relationships, and refining systems that allow customers to safely sell, buy, or manage their points鈥攐ften unlocking premium travel experiences for a fraction of the cost. His story reflects the power of curiosity, connection and the ability to spot opportunity in unlikely places.
Learn more on their website and check them out on Instagram .
Innovation in Every Brushstroke:
Alexandra 鈥淭iti鈥 Cohen 鈥26SB
Founder of Mister Brush
For , a Sy Syms Honors student majoring in Strategy & Entrepreneurship, innovation began at home鈥攕pecifically, in a shared family bathroom. Constantly juggling a brush and spray bottle while styling her hair, she imagined a smarter, cleaner solution.
The result is Mister Brush, a first-of-its-kind hair-care tool that combines a detangling brush with a built-in sprayer and refillable reservoir. Designed for portability and ease of use, Mister Brush allows users to hydrate, detangle and style anytime, anywhere. Alexandra鈥檚 product reflects her vision for consumer goods that elegantly simplify everyday routines.
You can purchase your own Mister Brush with a YU community discount of 18% using code SSSB18 at and check them out on Instagram .
Alumni
Luxury Tailoring, Made Personal:
Aaron Tuchman 鈥24SB
Founder of Noble Custom Suits
Alumnus , who graduated in 2024 with a degree in Strategy & Entrepreneurship and a minor in Marketing, launched Noble Custom Suits to solve a problem he experienced firsthand: the suit-buying process felt inconvenient, impersonal and was often disappointing.
Noble Custom Suits brings the fitting room directly to the client, offering made-to-measure formalwear crafted from the finest materials and backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. For Aaron, his business is about more than clothes. It鈥檚 about restoring personal connection and trust to luxury menswear. Every suit is tailored not only to a client鈥檚 measurements, but also to their lifestyle.
Visit Noble Custom Suits at and on Instagram . 麻豆区 students, alumni and faculty will receive a 5% discount.
Faculty
Empowering Businesses to Thrive:
James Sandler, MBA
Founder of KM Consulting, LLC
Entrepreneurship at Sy Syms doesn鈥檛 stop with students and alumni; our faculty leads by example. , Adjunct Professor of Business Strategy, brings decades of experience and passion for problem-solving to both his classroom and his company, KM Consulting, LLC.
With academic roots at Pace University (MBA in International Business & Management) and Clark University (BAs in Psychology and Sociology), and personal ties to communities across Riverdale, Teaneck, Vernon, and Cliffside Park, Sandler founded KM Consulting to help privately held businesses overcome operational overcome operational and strategic obstacles hindering profitability.
His mission is deeply personal. Having seen his own family鈥檚 business 鈥渢aken away,鈥 he is committed to ensuring other entrepreneurs avoid a similar fate. KM Consulting helps business owners escape what Sandler calls the 鈥淚solation Chamber鈥鈥攖he experience of feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and unsure of next steps鈥 by adopting real-world, actionable solutions tailored to each company鈥檚 needs.
Learn more about KM Consulting at and connect with Professor Sandler on LinkedIn at . He is also offering a 15% discount off his hourly rate for members of the YU community.
Entrepreneurship Embodying the Values of Sy Syms and the Sacks-Herenstein Center
These founders represent the values of both the Sy Syms School of Business and the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership. Sy Syms strives to empower students with the tools, values and vision to transform industries and uplift communities. The Sacks-Herenstein Center helps students find their passion and their purpose through undergraduate and graduate cohort programs that stress character, leadership, innovation and impact. Whether improving daily routines, supporting families, creating meaningful job opportunities or building global enterprises, each of the entrepreneurs highlighted here demonstrate how innovation paired with a mission can create lasting impact.
This National Entrepreneur Day, we proudly celebrate the leaders who are already shaping the future, and inspiring the next generation of Sy Syms and Sacks-Herenstein Center entrepreneurs.
Learn more about the Sy Syms School of Business on their website www.yu.edu/syms and social media and learn about the Sy Syms MBA including its six concentrations at .
Learn more about the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership on their website www.yu.edu/sacks-center and social media .
