From new marketing proposals to business startups, members of Emerson High School’s business community are always looking for ways to increase their skills and prepare themselves for the future ahead. However, there is one group of bright students who stands out. Incoming EHS DECA President Sanjay Chellamuthu, 11, and his partners Anay Goyal, 10 and Mahit Kapugurla, 11 have been trailblazers in the arena of starting their own business.

Nature’s Note, a business they started together, is just beginning to take off. Launched in 2025, Nature’s Note is one of the few successfully run businesses here at Emerson. Goyal is one of the founders of Nature’s Note and serves as the company’s CEO. He helped build it from the ground up into an award-winning, student-owned business. His parents served as a huge inspiration for his decision to take the company seriously. 

A major factor was his mom getting constant allergic reactions to the colognes he would wear. “It made me realize how harsh and synthetic most fragrances on the market really are,” Goyal said. “We asked ourselves: Why doesn’t a cleaner, more considerate fragrance exist? So we built one.”A major factor was his mom getting constant allergic reactions to the colognes he would wear. 

Nature’s Note is a fragrance company focused on natural scents and experimenting with many different oils and lighter scents. Nature’s Note is grounded in essential oil-based scents and our MoodSync concept, which personalizes fragrance to the wearer rather than overwhelming everyone around them. 

“Start before you feel ready, and stay patient. Success is slower than social media makes it look,” Goyal said. “Negative feedback will come, and it should. Learn to treat criticism as a free roadmap.”

Goyal, Chellamuthu and Kapugurla have been mentored and inspired by various upperclassmen during their time running Nature’s Note. 

“Upperclassmen like Sujit Pai and Nikita Suresh have been invaluable,” Goyal said. “That kind of genuine investment in someone else’s vision is rare, and it’s a big reason we took first place at the district pitch competition and first at the SMU Cox Business Pitch. You don’t win alone.” They have also been guided by their DECA advisor Revenia. Lock, who has been a massive help throughout the entire project.

That mentality is what has driven them to win multiple competitions. Nature’s Note has won impressive awards, including first place at the official Frisco ISD District Pitch Competition. Their success did not stop there. The team went on to qualify for DECA’s international competition, ICDC, and traveled to Atlanta to present their business on a national stage, and they’re just getting started. Nature’s Note is continuing to invest in and discover new technologies, while actively promoting their products on social media. 

“We’re currently expanding into diffuser technology, so there’s a lot more coming that we’re excited for people to see,” Goyal said. “Real product, real pitches, real wins. And we’re not done.”

Goyal, Chellamuthu and Kapugurla continue to run Nature’s Note, emboldened with a new vision to increase sales, boost outreach and build brand awareness. While they face challenges ahead, they are confident in their plans for success. 

“When everyone owns a piece and shows up consistently, the overwhelm shrinks. It’s taught me that a disciplined team beats individual hustle every time,” Goyal said.

The Nature’s Note team would like to thank their families for providing startup funds for their business and Ms. Lock for being their guiding light throughout the journey. They also encourage anyone who is nervous about starting a business to take the chance before they feel ready.

Check out their website naturesnotefragrances.com.