For Leya Dagher, ‘23 Political Science, opportunity didn’t just knock on her door, it walked into her classroom. While a student at UNLV, she was already working to establish her business Swalty Mediterranean — a healthy, handmade snack inspired by her Lebanese heritage — when a guest speaker propelled her even faster down her entrepreneurial path.
That speaker turned out to be Mitch Keenan, a UNLV alumnus who came to Dagher’s internship class to talk about his own career journey. That included working for UNLV’s Alumni Engagement Office and then going on to the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance.
“He mentioned RebelForge or Black Fire Innovation. At the time, I was still brainstorming about my business idea and had already got my LLC. I was motivated to reach out to the team to gain more information because I wanted to be sure I was getting everything done correctly and legally.”
RebelForge is a one-on-one business advising program for UNLV students who want to start or grow their business. It is a joint initiative by UNLV’s Office of Economic Development and the Nevada Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to promote entrepreneurship and innovation among students.
Dagher started receiving help from the Nevada SBDC as a UNLV student in December 2022. Her student advisor, Phoebe Hendarmo, walked her through setting up her business plan and developing a pitch deck, logos, and packaging.
“RebelForge previously wanted to focus on big innovations like robots and tech,” said Hendarmo, ‘22 Business Administration. “But when I joined, I realized robots and tech receive grants and support from so many other groups. I decided to pivot RebelForge more toward small businesses like online shops, small cafes, and more.”
With campus resources supporting her, Dagher then was able to pitch to another campus partner: Aramark, which manages UNLV's dining and catering. Dagher made her pitch and now Swalty Mediterranean snacks are sold on campus at the P.O.D. Market in the Student Union.
“Aramark is a true supporter of students and their success during their time on campus and after graduation — we are thrilled to be that kind of partner with UNLV. Aramark is honored to partner with Leya Dagher to be able to share her family recipes through our Student Union P.O.D. Market,” said Courtney Cawthon, Aramark resident district manager.
Dagher’ added, “I’m thankful for every opportunity and person that came along the way – the classes I took and the people I met. Aramark played a huge role by accepting and honoring my product at the P.O.D. Market.”
Stirring up success
Dagher’s product inspiration came from her Lebanese grandmother's recipes and her mother’s cooking. “My mother always made these snacks for us, and I used to take them with me everywhere I went because they would last a long time and they were flavorful.”
The thyme used in Swalty Mediterranean is hand-picked in Lebanon, and she doesn’t use any preservatives in her products.
“I wanted to create a business where I could be my own boss someday, as my family instilled that entrepreneurship attitude in me at a young age,” Dagher said.
Currently there are vegan options for her snacks, and she’s working on a gluten-free recipe. “The more I sold at local farmers markets, the more people asked for those specific options, and now I’m able to provide most needs for people with those dietary restrictions,” Dagher said.
Stop by the Student Union P.O.D. Market to pick up her snacks, or follow Swalty Mediterranean on Instagram to find the company at farmers markets in the Las Vegas area.
