Beckett Kitaen (Texas Christian, '26)
When Beckett Kitaen (Texas Christian ’26) finds a problem, he innovates. As a young entrepreneur from the Iota-Pi Zeta, his journey began not with a grand vision, but with a simple, relatable frustration: the lack of truly healthy snacks that still felt indulgent and filling. That frustration became the foundation for his startup, BUFFS, and a proving ground for the mindset that defines him today: action-oriented, resilient, and relentlessly curious.
The idea for his product emerged organically. While he was with his friends eating potato chips, Kitaen recognized a difficulty that many consumers quietly accept: the foods we enjoy most often offer little to no nutritional value. Rather than settling for that reality, he saw an opportunity. If people crave crunch and flavor, why not deliver that experience with real nutritional benefits, specifically high-quality protein? What followed wasn’t instant success, but a year of experimentation, iteration, and research. The product evolved from concept to a unique “beef puff” snack, filling a gap in a market dominated by predictable options like jerky and meat sticks.
For Kitaen, innovation wasn’t about reinventing everything. It was about improving something people already loved.
That same bias toward action carried into how he built traction. Without relying on paid advertising, Kitaen and his team grew their audience entirely through organic social media. Progress felt slow at first, but instead of pivoting away, Kitaen leaned in. The BUFFS team tested different ideas, refined messaging, and studied what resonated.
Eventually, those efforts paid off. A handful of successful videos sparked momentum, growing their following to tens of thousands and generating hundreds of pre-orders. It was a lesson in patience and experimentation: proof that consistency and adaptability often outperform quick wins.
“A lot of the organic social media content has allowed us to spread the word, and get people to pre-order,” Kitaen said.
What makes Kitaen stand out isn’t just his willingness to start, but his comfort with uncertainty. He openly admits that even now, he doesn’t have all the answers, especially when it comes to defining his exact ideal consumer. Rather than forcing assumptions, he prefers to let real data guide decisions. This grounded, iterative approach reflects a maturity that many early entrepreneurs struggle to develop.
Much of Kitaen’s leadership ability can be traced back to his time with Iota-Pi Zeta, where he held roles such as fraternity educator and philanthropy chair. Those experiences became an unexpected training ground for entrepreneurship. In the fraternity, he learned how to cast vision, rally people around shared goals, and create energy around initiatives. Whether organizing events like an American Red Cross blood drive, or increasing engagement through fraternity education sessions, he discovered that leadership isn’t about authority; it’s about belief. If people believe in what you’re building, they’ll follow.
That principle now drives his business. Kitaen understands that a strong brand isn’t just about the product. His ability to inspire belief, first among his fraternity brothers and now among customers, has become one of his greatest assets. Along the way, he’s also built his confidence, trusting that he can take an idea and turn it into something tangible.
“I would say my Brothers and my buddies, they all have been so supportive, and that’s been a huge thing [for BUFFS success]. It’s very encouraging to have friends around you who are fired up for you, instead of making fun of you for trying to do something unique,” Kitaen noted.
Equally important are the habits that sustain his productivity. Kitaen relies heavily on time blocking, identifying his most effective hours (early in the morning) and protecting that time for focused work. Just as importantly, he knows when to step away and recharge. In a college environment full of distractions, he’s learned to say no, prioritizing long-term goals over short-term experiences. It’s a discipline that reflects clarity of vision: he knows what he’s building, and he’s willing to sacrifice for it.
His advice to aspiring founders is as direct as his journey: get in the game. Kitaen rejects overthinking and perfectionism, emphasizing that real learning only happens through doing. Failure, in his view, isn’t something to fear; it’s an essential part of the process.
“For the first year running this company, I genuinely was like, I don’t know if this is going to work, and you probably won’t know at first,” Kitaen said. “But through that, I met incredible people and learned so much and got well connected in the industry.”
During his first year, he constantly questioned whether his business would succeed. But through that uncertainty, he built relationships, gained industry knowledge, and developed confidence. Even if the venture had failed, the growth would have been worth it. That perspective allows him to take risks without being paralyzed by the outcome.
“You can’t be limited by other people’s opinions,” Kitaen stated with confidence.
At his core, Kitaen is someone who turns ideas into action and obstacles into opportunities. Whether leading peers in a fraternity or launching a startup from scratch, he operates with a simple philosophy: start now, learn fast, and that persistence will carry you forward.
