Hannah Perez always had an interest in entrepreneurship. She grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 2016, which is when her passion for creating a business really began.

In high school, Perez enjoyed reselling knock-off Yeezy boots, which were very popular at the time, and that eventually led her to becoming the co-founder of SEEQ, a clear protein powder company that does its market exclusively on TikTok.

Perez initially went to college in Mankato, Minnesota, for elementary education, but she soon switched her major to marketing when she realized her true desire was to go into business.

One of her internships, called College Works Painting, involved starting a company, building a team and going door to door selling paint. 

“That really created my drive and let me know that I am capable of doing something that’s hard and just-out-of-left-field, like selling paint,” said Perez. “I’m not passionate about paint, but if I can sell that, I’ll be able to do anything.”

After graduating, Perez started working at a digital marketing startup called The Social Butterfly in Minneapolis, where she met Ben Zaver, who came on as an intern. 

Eventually, The Social Butterfly shut down and Perez started her own digital marketing agency, Awake Social, but not before Zaver came and pitched his new protein powder, hoping to start it as a business. Perez jumped on the idea, and the two spent the next year developing the company before launching SEEQ in October 2021. 

“I know how to manage a business. I am really big into fitness, so this was right up my alley,” said Perez. Zaver’s parents loaned them initial investment money for that first round of inventory and things took off after that.

“Without them, we wouldn’t be here, so shout-out to the Zaver family,” said Perez.