On November 17, 2021, seven finalists will compete for $22,500 in awards in the Fall 2021 Skandalaris Venture Competition. In anticipation of the SVC finals, we are publishing a Q&A series with the finalists. Today’s featured team is ClosetSwitch.

ClosetSwitch is an online clothing trading platform made for college and high school students. To trade, members simply list unwanted clothes on the website, collect ClosetCoins, shop for clothes available for trade on their campus, and pick up their new trades on campus.

The ClosetSwitch Team includes:

Chiara Munzi (LA ’23) (I am the only team member currently!)

What problem are you solving?

When I was home for COVID, I was selling a lot of my old clothes on Poshmark and was so frustrated by the high sales commission the platform took. I realized I didn’t want to sell and buy secondhand clothes, but wanted to TRADE them, and there was no easy way for me to do it. I made ClosetSwitch because it allows members to TRADE clothes without being limited by mutual agreement between two traders. Rather, students can trade with anyone else on campus.

What do the next 3-6 months look like for you?

I am hoping to expand to SLU and get a smart locker to facilitate trades on campus. Also – I am looking for a co-founder or coder who can help me build a native app. Email me at chiaramunzi@wustl.edu if you are interested or know someone who might be!

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned since starting your venture?

Keep pushing against all of the “NOs” that you get.

What do you love about being an entrepreneur?

Being involved in the St. Louis start-up ecosystem and meeting really interesting and smart people.

What words of advice do you have for those starting a business?

Do it, but have a life backup plan in place!

What activities, student groups, professors, or classes had the biggest impact on you during your time at WashU?

My freshman year was cut short due to COVID, so to be honest I have never been involved in many groups.

Website: Home (closetswitch.com)