News Releases

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Julia Guard and Katie Mulich

Two outstanding University of Kansas business minor students prove that having a business background benefits the present and the future.  Katie Mulich, a sophomore from Louisburg, Kan., and Julia Guard, a senior from Lawrence, Kan., put their business school lessons to the test.

Mulich, a film major, already owns her own business.  At age 12, Mulich invented the Paw Wash, a device designed to help pet owners conveniently wash their pets’ paws after a muddy trip outdoors. Since its inception, the design has been patented and Mulich sells her product online at thePawWash.com.

In March, Mulich attended a pet expo in Florida to showcase her product. She hopes to get the attention of national pet chains such as Pet World and PetSmart. These pet stores could pick up her product to sell in their stores and that would expand her market.

Expos, meetings, sales pitches and presentations are normal for Mulich.  She uses her business background to help her make sure she’s staying on the right track.

“Marketing is very interesting and helpful.  I like to backtrack and look at past decisions I’ve made for the business and see if I made the right decision,” Mulich said.

Statistics helps when it comes to concepts and new product lines.  Mulich hopes to expand the Paw Wash business.  She would love to add a dog shampoo and maybe even leashes.  Her dream goal is to use her business minor to open a dog boutique in a big city, such as Los Angeles, where, she says, canines are treated like kings.

“My business classes have made me more savvy in my everyday life,” Mulich said.

Julia Guard, the other business minor, will be across the country interning with National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C.  Guard is a geography major, but she says that her business minor helps her be a more well-rounded student and applicant.

“The mix of the substance-based business minor and the more abstract geography major really give me balance,” Guard said. 

Although Guard may not spend her professional life crunching numbers, she says that the classes in management and finance will impact her career and personal life. 

“Management shows how important communication is in shaping a good work environment,” Guard said.  “And now I am able to make more informed decisions when it comes to personal finance.”

Where ever the future takes them, Mulich and Guard intend to use the knowledge and lessons learned in the School of Business in their future careers.