Marist Saxbys’ SHE-EO
How Mabel Aronson changed the game for Saxbys and Student CEOs.
By: Jayda Cockett
On the right is Mabel Aronson, student CEO of the Marist Saxbys
When Saxbys opened its doors at Marist College on September 24th, 2024, it wasn’t just another coffee shop opening, it was the beginning of a new chapter led by Student CEO, Mabel. Meet Mabel Aronson, a senior Fashion Merchandising student with a minor in Business, and the first ever Marist student CEO of Saxbys Coffee shop, the new cafe in the Dyson Center.
Mabel's role as student CEO is no small task. She oversees the daily operations of the café, including managing a team of 50 students, handling inventory, placing orders, overseeing payroll, and ensuring financial management stays on track. Mabel's demonstration of creativity, business acumen and her deep understanding for the Marist community is what has driven the Marist Saxbys to immense success; despite it only being open for a short time. “It’s crazy, but awesome,” she laughs. “We’re a smaller school, but our Saxbys stands out. It’s a testament to the team and the energy we’ve created here.”
“I’m here every day,” Mabel says. “Even when I’m not directly involved in the operations, I’m always offering support to the team. My job isn’t just about making sure things run smoothly; it’s about empowering my team to do their best even when I’m not around. They’re amazing.”
Despite the daily high demands Saxbys receives, Mabel seems to be handling the pressure amazingly, she credits her abilities to her prior experience working in the food industry. While discussing how her studies in Fashion Merchandising play a part in her new position she reveals that the classes she has taken at Marist have played a huge role in a lot of the work she is doing. Her major has taught her skills in sales, target consumer and retail management. Followed up with her minor which has taught her business acumen along with financial aspects of running a business that she now applies to her real life scenario of running an entire cafe.
“Running a café is different, but the core principles of retail are the same: Scheduling, inventory, managing a team. It’s all about understanding the business from top to bottom.”
Mabel's brand awareness of what the students of Marist want from a cafe has caused sales to skyrocket. She has cultivated an environment that feels welcoming, vibrant, and distinctly student-driven, which has made Saxbys stand out compared to the other cafes on campus.
“I think the fact that we’re students serving students makes a huge difference,” Mabel explains. “We know our audience because we are the audience. We understand what the students want, and we work hard to deliver that in everything we do.”
With Mabel being the first ever student CEO of Marist's Saxbys, she has become the pioneer for many strategies being implemented into the cafe. She introduced the initiative of accepting credit cards at the in person register, along with being open on Saturdays. These strategies have proven to be effective and have really made Saxbys a hot spot for the student community.
Mabel's accomplishments don't end here, she plans to finish her senior year with her leadership involvement on the Silver Needle Runway fashion show production team. Throughout this interview Mabel expressed her love towards experiential and hands-on learning saying she accredits most of her confidence in her abilities and skills to the hands-on experiential courses she has taken throughout her time at Marist. Being a part of Silver Needle Runway in the past, along with her new CEO position, has allowed Mabel to show what she's made of.
“The most rewarding part has been learning real-world skills. I’m not a lecture learner, I need to do things hands-on. This role has given me the opportunity to do that, and it’s been amazing.”
Naturally when running a cafe there will be challenges. The cafe has faced higher demand than expected, yet, Mabel has taken this challenge head on enforcing new strategies to help decrease wait times. Mabel admits keeping up with the large demand for orders was tough at first, especially in a small space where storage and preparation areas are limited. But, Mabel made the necessary adjustments and Saxbys is right back on schedule with decreased wait times and higher levels of efficiency.
“Running Saxbys and being the student CEO has shown me that if I can do this then I can do anything”
With graduation right round the corner, Mabel intends on keeping her options open. While her love for fashion and the fashion education she has gained from her time at Marist remain strong, she also has a love for the food industry and business. Mabel remains eager to explore her options and see what the world has to offer. For now, Mabel's main focus is on running Saxbys, continuing their success, and paving the way for the next student CEO.
“The next CEO will have a much different experience because of the groundwork we’ve laid,” she notes. “But I’m excited to see where they take it. It’s been such a rewarding experience, and I hope they get as much out of it as I have.”
As Saxbys continues to grow, so does Mabel, with everyday being a learning experience. Her leadership skills have been put to the test and she has repeatedly exceeded all expectations. Mabel's experience of starting the Marist Saxbys from the ground up has proven a student can run a successful business with some dedication, enthusiasm, and a smidge of coffee-fueled determination.
