Haslam College of Business - UT Haslam MBA Alum’s Philanthropic Mission and Business

Nick DiMeglio (MBA, ’24) is on a mission to spread love through a philanthropic clothing line he established with his sister. Originally from Somerset, New Jersey, DiMeglio, who earned his MBA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business, combined his business acumen with his sister Cait’s fashion background to create a clothing line that donates 10 percent of all sales to charity.

The siblings established Much Love by Cait in April of 2022 in response to national events. “At that point in time, there were some different things going on across the news and just in our nation where there was not a lot of love and positivity being spread,” shared DiMeglio. “We were trying to figure out how to create a clothing brand that was different, and that’s kind of how Much Love by Cait was born with the mission of spreading love and not hate.”

Gaining Traction

Since its founding almost three years ago, Much Love by Cait has made over 400 donations to various charitable organizations. “That is something that gets us out of bed every morning, knowing that we’re making positive change with each order and every sale,” shared DiMeglio.

In addition to their social impact, the siblings were recognized and awarded with a Small Business Excellence Award in 2023 by New Jersey’s Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce.

University Support

DiMeglio received support for this small business through Haslam’s Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation while pursuing his MBA. He met with the center’s Startup Coaches for advice on business development and mentorship, which profoundly helped his entrepreneurial pursuits. “With the Anderson Center, one of the things that I found extremely valuable was meeting with the Startup Coaches. With them being well-seasoned entrepreneurs and a lot of them also being UT alums, they are very interested in seeing students succeed,” said DiMeglio.

About the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, housed in the Haslam College of Business, is the front door to entrepreneurship at UT, connecting entrepreneurs and innovators at every stage with the resources, networks and expertise needed to solve real challenges. By cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset across campus, connecting entrepreneurs with resources and mentorship they need to grow and collaborating with the UT and regional ecosystem, the Anderson Center is developing an entrepreneurial culture where Volunteers are empowered to identify unmet needs and take bold action to create value through new ventures.

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CONTACT:

Brennan Hullett, brennan@utk.edu