From homemade matcha to a thriving pop-up
Inspired by their own dietary needs and shared love of matcha, this mother-daughter duo launched Hearty as a pop-up offering handcrafted, premium matcha drinks made with allergy-friendly, clean ingredients. Since then, they have hosted more than 45 events and served more than 1,500 drinks across the Waterloo Region.
Both founders have brought their Conrad School experiences into the venture. Shatha is completed the MBET program, where she gained mentorship, market insights and an entrepreneurial community that supported Hearty's development. Jana, a Mechatronics Engineering student, took BET 300 during Hearty's early stages and applied the course's business planning, analysis and communication tools directly to the venture.
Their story demonstrates how entrepreneurial education can help turn a personal need into a business opportunity and how combining different perspectives, from engineering to business strategy, can help a venture grow.