About Us

Elm is a platform that connects small business owners looking for business support with entrepreneurial college students looking for real world experience and a flexible part time role. We strive to create these connections through simple and accessible media and technology platforms that help foster entrepreneurial growth. By investing in college students, business owners are passing on their knowledge, benefiting their businesses in the short term and helping create the next generation of entrepreneurs in the long term.

Dan Zeplowitz is a Philadelphia native and a 2016 Drexel University graduate. In late 2017, he co-founded Tuck-ins, the Inside-Out S’more company. Maddie Vassallo, now in her third year at Drexel, joined Tuck-ins in early 2019 and is currently the Marketing Manager.

In the year after Maddie joined, Tuck-ins had employed over 20 college students in various roles such as Production, Marketing, Business Development, Sales, Event Staffing, Media Outreach, and other miscellaneous tasks. Elm was started with the goal to replicate the success Dan and Maddie have had by utilizing college students to help small businesses grow and support mutual growth.

Through a connection at Penn’s Graduate School of Education, Dan and Maddie were connected to Ken Nakai to develop the app and join the team as the Chief Technology Officer.