Celebrating World Entrepreneurs Day: Meet Haseim Townsend

Alumni Spotlight: Meet Haseim Townsend ’22

Program: BBA General Management

Campus: Albany

Shortly before earning his degree, Bryant & Stratton College alumnus Haseim Townsend took the leap and opened his own business. While working a desk job at home, Haseim decided he wanted to strive for more.
With his background of working in the healthcare field and his passion for health and fitness, Haseim decided to continue his education in a field where he could pursue both. He enrolled at Bryant & Stratton College to earn his bachelor’s degree in business administration in general management to learn the skills he needed to open a business of his own.

“Living a healthy lifestyle has always been a part of me. Working out, eating better, and having overall health is what makes me happiest,” Haseim said. He used this passion for health and fitness and turned it into the driving force behind his business, Organa Juice Bar.

Organa Juice Bar is a vegan restaurant and juice bar that promotes a healthier lifestyle to the community. The business offers plant-based meals, healthy snacks, and great meal replacements created from quality organic ingredients received from local farmers, all without any additives or preservatives. All the products at Organa Juice Bar are made fresh to order from original recipes.

“Organa Juice’s mission is to educate the surrounding public on how to live a healthier lifestyle by providing refreshing organic drinks, wholesome snacks, and nutritious plant-based meals. At Organa, we believe that eating healthy, organic foods helps a person to have a clear and positive mindset, which has a major impact on personal well-being and overall health,” Haseim said. “I started my journey at Bryant & Stratton College at the age of 28 thinking I didn’t have a shot of starting – let alone finishing – a degree. With my own determination and belief from the staff at the college, that’s exactly what I did,” Haseim explained. Using knowledge from his college career helped Haseim take steps in the right direction to enable him to open his own business.

“My time at Bryant & Stratton College was very productive. Learning about SWOT analysis, how to write a business plan, and how to identify my customer base helped me set the proper foundation to get started on what I wanted to do with my business,” Haseim explained.

With the college experience, consistency, and the support that he received from his wife, Haseim was able to open Organa Juice Bar, which gave him the freedom to become his own boss while making a difference in his community. “Having my own business and working for myself is something I have always wanted, and the things I learned at Bryant & Stratton College helped me earn that,” he said.

When looking forward to the growth of Organa Juice Bar, Haseim hopes to open more locations and even turn it into a franchise someday. Haseim said, “It has been the best experience knowing that I have full control over my destiny. I wouldn’t trade being my own boss for the world, and knowing the endless possibilities of where I can take my business brings me joy and excitement.”

Haseim’s advice to other individuals looking to start their own business is to “never think it’s not possible to do anything because the power of your mind is endless. Figure out what you want to do in life, and just do it. It’s that simple – put one foot in front of the other and make it happen.”

Earning his degree at Bryant & Stratton College was the kick start to his success. Having the experience from his classes and support from the college helped guide him on the path to opening his own business. His great energy and resilience gave him the opportunity for a second chance that in turn created great success.