Cagehero founder
UD alumnus Mark Mastrandrea shares entrepreneurship story with Lerner class
1:29 p.m., July 25, 2011--“The hero comes from within.” This was the takeaway message for students in an economics of entrepreneurship class from University of Delaware alumnus Mark Mastrandrea before their semester came to an end.
Mastrandrea, who graduated from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics with a degree in marketing in 2008, paid a visit to the class in order to share with students his experiences about the challenges and successes of being an entrepreneur.
People Stories
'Resilience Engineering'
Reviresco June run
As the current owner and CEO of Cagehero, a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) comic book-infused apparel brand based out of New York City, Mastrandrea told students the importance of not being afraid to follow their dreams.
“The mantra ‘Follow your passion,’ one of the Cagehero signature lines, explains my life,” said Mastrandrea. “When I graduated I felt a little lost but eventually found my way by aligning my passion with MMA into a business. Work isn’t work for me. Every day I wake up and do what I love.”
Indeed, Mastrandrea’s words inspired student would-be-entrepreneurs.
“Not only was it inspiring to see that Mark graduated from UD, it was inspiring to see that he has been able to achieve success and happiness at such a young age through starting his own business,” said Nicalia Thompson, a marketing major. “He definitely got across the message that it is possible to wake up every day to a job that you are passionate about.”
The students also appreciated the fresh perspective that Mastrandrea brought to their educational experience.
“Because Mark is new to the business, he gave us a different viewpoint and an advantage that the seasoned entrepreneurs we heard from throughout the semester didn’t have,” said Ed Bach, a recent graduate. “While the other gentlemen definitely had experience and stories to tell, Mark could relate to us because he just got his start and he can offer advice on a college level.”
Bach was also inspired that Mastrandrea saw entrepreneurial spirit as more than just having a decent grade point average, noting “it’s inspiring for my plans of being my own boss.”
“Mark brought a great amount of energy and pride into the classroom,” added Jake Jaskowski, also a recent graduate. “He realized very quickly that in the real world you have to be on your toes at all times and can’t hesitate to make a decision or you will be left in the dust.”
Jaskowski, who knew Mastrandrea as a fraternity member when the alumnus attended UD, also noted the professional change in the young entrepreneur.
“It is truly remarkable how much he matured by becoming a 25-year old CEO in an increasingly growing industry,” said Jaskowski.
As part of his visit to class, Mastrandrea also shared with students the ventures he had during his days at UD. He ran a T-shirt company in his junior year that sold apparel out of National 5 and 10 and Flavor and to various fraternities; he tried out a delivery business in his freshman year; and he organized assorted bus trips.
Following college, Mastrandrea told students he moved to California where he was in sales for a variety of eco-friendly companies. At that time, he also became one of the youngest people in the world to become a LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional), a designation that represents a knowledge of green building technologies.
Not finding the work stimulating enough, Mastrandrea said he sought other alternatives.
“I needed to work on my own project, something I was passionate about,” he said. “I pitched a potential partner on a DJ website in New York and never went back to California.”
Mastrandrea didn’t have immediate success, though. After six months of developing the concept he came across the issue of funding.
“It was really hard to raise money,” said Mastrandrea. “Things grew harder when my partner passed away. Months went by but I never gave up. I eventually received funding for Cagehero from an angel investor. Hard work always pays off. What started as an apparel company is now becoming a brand stretched across other verticals in the entertainment space such as a comic book and online web series. Whatever industry we are in, the message will always be the same:
To inspire people to follow their passion and believe in their dreams.”
Jim O’Neill, professor of economics who instructed the entrepreneurship class, noted that Mastrandrea’s story was a great one to help students understand the economic forces that influence new and developing businesses.
“Mark had a very interesting story to tell,” said O’Neill, who is also the director of the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship. “The students learned a lot from the experiences he shared about networking, building a brand and venture capitalism.”
Cagehero information can be found at the website, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
Article by Kathryn Marrone Meier