When John Shute came to campus a decade ago, he didn’t anticipate striking gold. He was invited to speak to a class focused on the business of marijuana, to share his experience running a cannabis marketing agency, PufCreativ. Then in his mid-20s, he explained the challenges of starting a business with a young, relatable voice.
John Shute
Two years later, he was back on campus judging a final project for another class. He connected with marketing student Cam Rizai (BSBA 2022) and was impressed by his work. When PufCreativ opened its internship program, Shute immediately thought of Rizai, bringing him on as an early intern.
Since 2020, Rizai has grown from an intern to the leader of the company’s sales and business development team.
“He took the guidance, applied it and now outperforms me in a lot of ways,” Shute said. “That experience set the tone for our relationship with DU and Daniels. Over the years, we’ve brought on more students who come in ready to contribute, test the culture and find where they fit. For an agency like PufCreativ, that kind of pipeline is incredibly valuable and has become a core part of how we build our team.”
That’s The Daniels Effect—one of the many ways the Daniels College of Business connects with industry. Each year, the College welcomes more than 600 unique companies to campus for guest speaking opportunities, meet and greets, coffee chats, and other activities. The connections students make, last.
At the Daniels College of Business, guest speakers turn into hiring pipelines for future students.
What started in Rizai’s University of Denver classroom has grown into a six-year career at PufCreativ. That experience has stuck with him. When it came time for Rizai to hire marketing and business talent for the company, he first thought to reach out to former professors.
“Daniels produces sharp, motivated graduates, and I knew that firsthand,” he said. “We have hired from that pipeline and the goal is to deepen that relationship and bring on even more DU talent going forward.”
Shute and Rizai agree that Daniels students stand out from the competition because they emerge from their schoolwork ready to contribute. They have a positive attitude, professional communication skills and are able to solve problems without much direction.
“They also show a high level of emotional intelligence, which helps them navigate team dynamics, client relationships and fast-paced environments,” Shute added.
Rizai lauded the College’s experiential learning opportunities, which provide space for students to work with real businesses on real projects. These projects combine group, problem solving and hands-on learning in a real-world environment.
“Students come out of that program having actually done things, not just studied them. That translates directly into how they show up as employees,” he said.
Cam Rizai
Shute and Rizai have returned to the well again and again for new full-time hires and interns. Marketing alumna Caroline Simon (MS 2025) has served in both capacities at PufCreativ, now a year into her role as a sales and business development associate.
She was first drawn to the agency because of its energy, calling it a place “where creativity and strategy actually come together in a meaningful way.” Simon entered the role ready to work, bringing classroom lessons to industry.
“Daniels really gave me a strong foundation, but more than anything, it taught me how to think,” she said. “A lot of the work there focused on understanding consumer behavior, analyzing data and turning that into something actionable, which is exactly what I do now.”
Marco-Alexis Chaira is wrapping up his MBA program at Daniels and has served as a business development intern at PufCreativ since January, taking on project management responsibilities more recently.
He credits Daniels with helping him think more strategically about business, branding, communication and growth.
“A lot of what we learn in class connects back to real business situations, so I have been able to take those concepts and use them directly in my work at PufCreativ,” he said.
And the relationship between classroom and industry is a two-way street. Chaira often brings situations from his internship to share with his classmates and professors. It helps him, helps his classmates and furthers learning by bridging the gap between the classroom and the boardroom.
“Since my coursework and role at PufCreativ overlap, I am able to apply what I learn in class at work and bring real agency experience back into the classroom,” he said.
Shute isn’t planning to sever this beneficial relationship anytime soon, as he expects to be back on campus recruiting in the future. He’s looking for candidates that are willing to build a career at PufCreativ and points to the countless examples from Daniels that have already flourished.
He’s also looking for candidates that bring a mix of foundational skills and a real-world mindset. He wants people that can communicate, problem solve, take initiative and bring a high level of emotional intelligence, along with technical skills.
“The students who stand out are the ones who show curiosity, take ownership of their work, are willing to learn quickly and keep the vibes high,” he said. “If someone brings that combination of skills and mindset, they have a strong shot at building a career with us at PufCreativ.”