When Joey Beim graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2011 with a degree in Entrepreneurship and a minor in Economics, he didn’t immediately launch a retail business. Instead, his early ventures focused on education — specifically, helping intermediate Spanish learners advance their skills. After earning a master’s in language instruction, Joey created and sold Spanish-language short stories and lesson materials, which are still in use today by teachers and students alike.
This experience, while different from traditional brick-and-mortar entrepreneurship, taught him how to identify a market need, build a product, and reach customers — foundational skills that would prove invaluable when he later launched a physical storefront.
Building a Bottleshop in the Heart of Kansas City
Today, Joey lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where he co-owns River Market Liquor with his sister. The business is located in the River Market district, a neighborhood filled with young professionals and limited options for high-quality liquor and customer service. Recognizing a gap in the market, the siblings opened their store just over a year ago to meet the area’s growing demand.
River Market Liquor offers curated selections and personalized expertise that set it apart from larger chain stores. The business reflects Joey’s long-standing interest in the industry — something sparked years earlier while working at a family member’s liquor store.
Systems Over Hustle
What makes Joey’s story particularly compelling is how he balances business ownership with a full-time job as a Spanish teacher. Rather than relying on constant hands-on involvement, he’s focused on creating systems that allow the store to run efficiently without needing to be there all the time. That mindset — thinking like a strategist, not just an operator — is something he attributes to his entrepreneurial education.
Lessons from CSUF that Still Apply
Joey’s time at Cal State Fullerton gave him more than just textbook knowledge. The consulting projects he completed as part of the entrepreneurship program allowed him to work with real businesses on real challenges. That practical experience helped him stand out early in his career and continues to inform how he approaches problems and opportunities today.
For him, those hands-on projects were a pivotal part of learning what it actually takes to run a business — from developing strategies to implementing them under real-world constraints.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
His message to current students and early-career entrepreneurs is clear: choose a path that aligns with your passions. Running a business takes time, energy, and perseverance — and the only way to sustain that effort is to truly care about the work you’re doing.
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