How do you create a compelling brand and product? How do you bring a product concept to life?

These tough questions for entrepreneurs everywhere swirled through the minds of BUILD students as they ventured out to Framingham to see the Staples Headquarters on Tuesday.

Scott Young, the Senior Vice President of Product and Business Development at Staples, came down to meet students and tell the story of how Staples was founded.

After a brief Q and A, the Staples design, product management (packaging) and product development teams wasted no time getting to work with our young entrepreneurs.

Six BUILD teams from the Jeremiah E. Burke High School and the Community Academy of Sciences and Health High School came to attend the field trip. The student teams in attendance were Glassics (customizable eyeglass accessories), Fusions (colorful music speakers), Adorkable Lidz (interchangeable pom-pom winter hat), Straight Bumpin’ (retractable pen), Gaming Generation (t-shirts, hats and decals designed for video gamers), and B-Ties (3-in-1 bow-ties.)

The students gave 30-second elevator pitches to the Staples teams on their products who gave them feedback and worked one-on-one with teams.

Adorkable Lidz, CEO, Petagay told the story of how she came up with her product. “When I came to Boston after growing up in the Tropics, I wasn’t ready for the cold. So I designed a product that’s both warm AND stylish!”

The session wrapped up with pizza and snacks. Thank you to all of the Staples teams who came out to support our students, and a special thank you to Emily McCann for making this visit possible!