Kevin Gelfand

President, CEO, and Co-Founder Shake Smart

Entrepreneurship (2011)

Gelfand co-founded Shake Smart in 2011 during his junior year at SDSU after experiencing success at several national student business-plan competitions. Primarily offering protein shakes and smoothies outside the campus fitness center, Shake Smart was established to meet gym goers’ nutritional needs within 30 minutes of a hard workout.
Healthy, affordable food options are a must for students living the on-the-go college lifestyle. Shake Smart reflects sensitivity to student budgets as well as dietary requirements in its menus and price points. The company was an innovator of proprietary self-ordering which decreased wait times while increasing sales.
Shake Smart generated $3.6 million in revenue in 2017 and has grown from four employees to over 200. Locations include two SDSU stores, CSU Northridge, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Camp Pendleton, University of Texas, Texas State University, University of Arizona, University of Oregon, University of Florida, and VCU.
INC Magazine featured Gelfand among its “Rising Stars,” billed as the most inspiring entrepreneurs of 2018 while listing Shake Smart among its 5,000 fastest-growing U.S. companies for two consecutive years. Forbes placed him on its 2019 “30 Under 30” list after including him among its 2012 “All-Star Student Entrepreneurs.”
Gelfand gives back by mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs at SDSU and working with students through the university’s Lavin Entrepreneurship Center.

Notable CSU Alumni in business & professional services