For Bethune-Cookman University students Brandon Philpot and Noah Clayton, a late-night conversation about entrepreneurship has grown into a business with ambitions well beyond their college campus.

The two business students are the founders of CampusCrate, a collegiate moving and storage company launched in Daytona Beach in 2026. The inspiration came unexpectedly.

Philpot, a Colorado Springs native, was talking about entrepreneurship with a business partner in Colorado when they turned on an episode of Shark Tank. They watched Wake Forest students present a collegiate moving and storage business, and Philpot immediately began thinking about whether a similar concept could meet a need at Bethune-Cookman.

He spent hours working through the numbers and logistics, mapping out expenses, revenue and operational details. The more he explored the idea, the more convinced he became that it could work. He prayed for guidance and wisdom throughout the process, asking that any success would bring glory to God.

But he also knew he did not want to build it alone.

Balancing a new company with academics, leadership, ministry, health and campus involvement would require the right partner. Philpot thought of fellow business student Noah Clayton of Jacksonville.

“Noah was the first person who came to mind,” Philpot said. “His thoughtful questions, analytical mindset and business instincts made him an ideal fit.”

Clayton quickly committed to the project, and when the students returned to campus, they began turning the concept into a business.

Their entrepreneurial journey has been shaped in part by opportunities at Bethune-Cookman that extend learning beyond the classroom. Both Philpot and Clayton participate in the University’s Student Chapter of the Business Executive Exchange Program (BEEP), under the mentorship of Dr. Kevin Cooper.

BEEP helps students grow as leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals through real-world experiences. The program combines professional networking and business exposure with mentorship and community engagement, including mentoring students at local elementary schools. Its mission is to help develop the next generation of business leaders and give students opportunities to turn vision into action.

For Philpot and Clayton, another opportunity to put their entrepreneurial skills to work came through Bethune-Cookman’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED), in partnership with JPMorgan Chase. Students were challenged to develop innovative businesses while integrating artificial intelligence.

After considering numerous ideas, Philpot and Clayton pivoted back to CampusCrate. With guidance and encouragement from business leaders and keynote speakers throughout the program, they refined their business model. CampusCrate soon moved beyond an idea and became an operating business serving students at Bethune-Cookman.

For the founders, however, success is about more than building a company.

Their Christian faith is central to how they approach the business. They view CampusCrate as an opportunity to live out Christ’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

That principle shapes how they want to serve customers—with excellence, honesty and genuine care. During their first season, each box carried, dorm room emptied, storage unit organized and student served became an opportunity to put those values into practice.

Now, Philpot and Clayton are looking beyond their first campus.

“Our vision is to expand CampusCrate to colleges and universities across Florida and eventually throughout the East Coast, with a special focus on serving historically underserved institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions,” Clayton said.

It is an ambitious vision for a company for such a young company. But CampusCrate’s story is also one of young entrepreneurs recognizing a need and having opportunities to develop the skills, relationships and experience needed to act on it.

For Philpot and Clayton, the path from business students to business owners is already underway. And as they look toward CampusCrate’s future, their promise to students remains simple: “From campus to crate, we’ll keep your things safe.”