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SGSB MBA candidate Kevin Gonzalez brings a full-circle business opportunity to Cal Poly Pomona

When Kevin Gonzalez (’25, MBA) enrolled in instructor Cervantes Lee’s GBA 5700 Business Planning course at Cal Poly Pomona, he wasn’t expecting it to alter the trajectory of his graduate career — or that he’d soon help bring sushi, internships and scholarship opportunities to fellow students on campus. But thanks to mentorship, initiative and a shared belief in hands-on learning, Gonzalez and Lee turned a classroom concept into a real-world business success that now supports other students at the university.

“I was just a student trying to figure out how HR could make a bigger difference in the business world,” says Gonzalez, a recent MBA graduate from the Singelyn Graduate School of Business at Cal Poly Pomona. “Instructor Lee’s class pushed me to think differently — he told us about his experiences in the entrepreneurial world, and it was very inspirational. Even though I was HR, I wanted to see if this could create a business opportunity in real life.”

Gonzalez, a political science undergraduate and MBA-candidate-turned-HR-manager, was already working for Red Shell Sushi as an HR specialist when he started the entrepreneurship course. He knew the company had retail locations throughout California, but he saw an opportunity to bring something fresh — literally — to campus.

“There was no fresh sushi station here, and I thought, why not?” Gonzalez recalls. “But I didn’t know who to talk to.”

Making The Connections

Gonzalez’ instructor Lee, director of CBA’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, saw the collaborative vision and jumped in to assist. With decades of experience in the restaurant industry and deep knowledge of campus operations, Lee connected Gonzalez to Cal Poly Pomona Foundation CEO Jared Ceja, CEO of Cal Poly Pomona Enterprises and David Corral, (MBA CASP) Director of Dining at ÁùÉ«Íø. Gonzalez took an extra step, reaching out to the on-campus foodservice team, and holding a few meetings, before ultimately bringing Red Shell Sushi to campus for a tasting event featuring other vendors such as Kikka Sushi, sponsored by Grubhub. What started as a simple classroom discussion quickly grew into a live pitch opportunity for Red Shell Sushi to join the university’s retail offerings.

“I told Kevin, HR is organizational behavior — but even in HR, you need to understand business,” says Lee. “I challenged him. I said, ‘Why not try to bring your company to campus?’ He did more than that. He brought it to life.”

Through a student-led proposal and demo day, Gonzalez spearheaded Red Shell Sushi’s bid to enter the campus dining scene. He worked closely with Lee, his own CEO Bill Bunker, and ÁùÉ«Íø Foundation leadership to compete for one of five on-campus food vendor spots. In the end, Red Shell earned two locations — and sales have more than doubled since launch.

Kevin’s Top 3 Business Takeaways:

Research: Becoming more involved in the business outside of HR meant being more involved in the research. I worked to understand our previous supplier margins, to create the best deal that we could offer that also would be a good fit for both the school and our business.

Building Trust: I learned from David Corral how to build trust for partnerships through collaboration and confidentiality. Before anyone else knows what you’re doing, you must make sure everything is set in stone before you start, because there's always something that might come up that might delay or affect the relationship or product launch.

Transparency: Transparency and being honest are crucial to any whole business project. You can’t be afraid to say no, and if it doesn't work out, - remember that it’s not personal. You never want to burn a bridge because of a lack of transparency, or emotions in the moment.

The Bigger Picture

Beyond product placement, Gonzalez envisioned a broader impact; internships and scholarships for fellow students, especially those in the MBA program.

“My family came from poverty in Guatemala. I know what it’s like to struggle and not have connections,” Gonzalez explains. “I wanted to create something that helps students get experience, because sometimes all they need is a chance. I strongly believe that going to non-Ivy League universities prepares us as students to put ourselves out there more. With Ivy League grads, because they have connections, they're able to just enter big companies. For students like us, we really have to put ourselves out there and not be afraid to create opportunities.”

Through Red Shell Sushi’s ÁùÉ«Íø partnership, students now have access to internship roles and scholarship support — many of which Gonzalez helped design to serve underrepresented communities and first-generation college students. “I was given a chance here,” he says. “Now I want to give others the same opportunity.”

Kevin Gonzalez and Instructor Cervantes Lee at a Sushi Face-off at Cal Poly Pomona, between Red Shell Sushi and Kikka Sushi, December 5, 2024

Gonzalez’ hands-on experience extended well beyond HR, as he learned the logistics of vendor negotiations, market segmentation, and social media management. He sat at the table with executives, drafted partnership terms and led brand promotion efforts — skills he said came directly from Lee’s teachings. “Prior to this, I had no experience in setting up contracts or building partnerships between companies or universities. Now, I’ve been able to sit at the table with real-world business leaders and experience a real-world business collaboration while applying the entrepreneurship perspectives that I learned in class.”

Full Circle

Lee, who previously taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, recently brought his background in restaurant entrepreneurship to Cal Poly Pomona and believes in the power of one-on-one mentorship. “I try to meet with every student for an hour each semester,” says the instructor. “When I met Kevin, I saw someone ready to try something new. I thought maybe he could learn something from a business development entrepreneurship.” That nudge from his instructor, combined with Gonzalez’ drive, has culminated in a true, full-circle embodiment of the university’s polytechnic ethos: become by doing. “Kevin made this opportunity. He stepped up — and now he’s helping others step through the door, too.”