From Campus Custodian to CEO: My Journey from Biola to Global Business

This week, I had the incredible honor of returning to my alma mater, Biola University, to share my story with the next generation of students and leaders. What a full-circle moment it was to speak at the very place that shaped my faith, character, and career foundation. I hope my journey encourages you to pursue your calling with faith, diligence, and excellence.

🟡 Part I: My Story – A Journey of Faith, Grit, and Growth

In May 1993, I graduated from Biola University. I began my career with a full-time job at Harte-Hanks in Brea, earning four promotions within one and a half years and securing a sponsored work visa. But shortly after, I had a financial awakening. With only $40 in my bank account after graduation, I knew things had to change. I started attending classes at Fullerton College and began self-educating in financial investments. Within two years, I made about $45,000 from trading stocks — equivalent to about $95,000 today.

In 1998, I bought my first property and turned it into a $900,000 profit through strategic reinvestments over the years. That single real estate decision became the launchpad for $1.1 million in gains. From that point, I learned the power of investing wisely and living below my means.

I was later recruited by a pre-press firm for my Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator skills, which I developed at Biola. My salary doubled within a few years. In 2002, I earned my MBA from Cal Poly and co-founded my first company, 1st Global Graphic. By 2004, I launched TSE Worldwide Press under my father’s mentorship, and within three years, we reached nearly $5 million in annual sales.

In January 2008, I founded United Yearbook Printing after receiving a vision from God in a dream. It has since become the core of our publishing business and is expanding internationally.

Along the way, I became a U.S. citizen, lost my beloved father and mentor, and began investing in international real estate. Most of the properties I purchased continue to generate passive income and have appreciated in value.

But my path wasn’t without hardship. From 2011 to 2018, I endured seven years of adversity, including an unwarranted IRS audit and investigation during which I was falsely accused of money laundering involving a foreign country. The ordeal stemmed from a consultant-attorney who, after failing to extort money from my growing business, filed a false report—an incident that ultimately ended with an official apology from the agency. I also fought a legal battle to reclaim the trademark of my yearbook company from a competing photographer who had infringed on the name and resold it to other franchisees. On top of that, I filed a lawsuit against a former client—an independent publisher my company had initially helped fund—over $1.3 million in unpaid accounts receivable. Although they sold and profited from the products I delivered, they failed to pay. The mounting legal expenses from this and a series of other legal battles nearly bankrupted me. I also faced serious health issues and felt completely stripped—emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Yet it was in that valley where I learned the most life-defining lessons.

On August 17, 2018—exactly seven years to the day after my season of adversity began, not one day early or late—all the legal issues were miraculously resolved, and my business was reborn. Seven years of non-stop adversity seemed very long, but it was highly significant. In the Bible, the number seven is often associated with completion, perfection, and divine order. Since then, both my company and investment portfolio have seen significant, steady growth.

In 2019, prompted by the urgent advice of my mother, I published my memoir, 7 Years on the Front Line, to share the lessons I learned and the gospel of redemption. That same year, I began re-engaging with Biola—a dream come true. In 2021, I co-authored From Illusion to Reality with Professors McHugh and Curtis from Biola, with the hope of helping students gain clarity and a strong start after college graduation. I recruited alumni Alyse Mgrdichian, who served as the lead writer and editor of this project, a connection that began with an informational interview.

In 2023, my company, TSE Worldwide Press, released The Art of Mentoring, authored by the late Harold Taber Jr., who founded the Mentorship Program at Biola in the 1980s. He was also a former executive at Coca-Cola and the first president of the company that created the Monster Energy Drink brand. A year earlier, in 2022, Biola alumna Jessica Carrera was referred to me by a capstone class student—one of her close friends who attended one of my guest lectures—to join my company. Just a year later, I entrusted her with one of our biggest projects: leading the development of Taber’s first and final book, applying the skills she gained as an English major at Biola. Taber praised Carrera for her interview skills and her ability to preserve the authenticity of his voice in writing. Carrera said, "It was truly an honor to work on Harold’s legacy book, an opportunity I never imagined having—especially at such a young age. Getting to know Harold and helping bring his story to life has left a lasting impact on me that continues to shape my life every day." The book was released on April 19, 2023. Sadly, Taber passed away less than a month later, but his legacy lives on through this work for generations to come.

All of these publications share one central theme: mentorship.

Many of my closest friends and business partners come from relationships built at Biola. A few Biola alumni now serve alongside me, including one who graduated a decade before me and another decades after me. Regardless of the gap, we understand that our role as Biola alumni doesn't end after graduation; we continue to make an impact in the world with the gifts God has given us.

Most recently, I began my business succession plan in 2022 and took time off from 2023 to 2025 to care for my mother, who showed progressive symptoms of dementia. In March 2025, I officially transitioned into investment and development work

Today, my focus is on mentorship, advocacy, and legacy-building.

Here, I offer my latest tips to fast-track your success as a student and upcoming graduate from Biola or any university you are currently enrolled in.

🟡 Part II: Biggest Life Lessons I’ve Learned

• Get a mentor — but don’t mistake them for God. My father was my first mentor. We built TSE together, but I’ve learned to rely most on the Lord. (Psalm 32:8, Proverbs 3:5–6)

  
  

• Stay humble. Listen more, speak less. I often seek wisdom from children, students, and elders alike. (Micah 6:8, James 4:6)

  
  

• Know your craft. Find your natural gifts, not just your passions. Sharpen your skills and build a strong foundation. (Romans 12:6–8, 2 Timothy 1:6)

  
  

• Don’t ignore discernment. The Holy Spirit offers warnings and direction. Don’t brush them off. (Philippians 1:9–10, 1 John 4:1)

  
  

• Choose your circle wisely. A strong, small inner circle will shape your life in powerful ways. (Proverbs 13:20)

  
  

• Live below your means and invest wisely. Steward your finances well and let your money work for you. (Proverbs 21:20, 1 Timothy 6:17–19)

  
  

• Be holy and run from evil. Take a stand for what is right. Be bold enough to say “I’m out” when something does not align with your belief. (1 Peter 1:15–16, Romans 12:1)

  
  

• Embrace adversity. Your hardest seasons are often your greatest teachers. (Romans 8:28)

🟡 Part III: Let’s Engage

To close the session, I challenged the students to participate in a group discussion focused on a real-life business problem from my yearbook company, United Yearbook Printing. They were encouraged to develop a pitch they could later include on their résumé or CV—and yes, there was a prize involved! But more importantly, I hope they left inspired to pursue their calling with excellence, integrity, and a heart to glorify God wherever He leads.

Prize winners who pitched the most feasible B2B business ideas during the group discussion—all within 20 minutes. These students understood that in sales, it's crucial to first identify the target leads responsible for signing contracts and making payments.

These students came up with the time capsule idea for yearbook recipients, creating a compact yearbook that clearly displays the timeline of events throughout the school year—a fresh and innovative business concept.

These two students and their team proposed pitching yearbook concepts to parents, who would influence schools' decision-making on orders and contracts. What a brilliant idea!

Although I could only select one winning group, the rest of the business ideas pitched by the students are highly implementable and worth mentioning. I hope they reflect on these ideas and come back one day to see how their small concepts have grown into big ones. Here’s a summary of their ideas, which targeted end users and presented valuable concepts that could be implemented in future campaigns: 

Déjà Vu Concept Feature social media posts showing students’ photos from their freshman year alongside their current senior portraits. This idea also works well for highlighting baby photo sections and senior portrait panels in the yearbook.

Interactive Yearbooks Develop virtual yearbooks that allow students to play videos using QR codes embedded in the printed books. Some schools, like San Bernardino High School, already include QR codes linking to video content. For example, St. Anne School's 2023-2024 yearbook includes a code on the front cover that links to an audio clip.

Innovative Design Offer premium pricing for innovative yearbook designs, including unique design features such as pop-ups, special die-cuts, gatefolds, and more. These high-quality editions would appeal to students and parents willing to invest in something unique.

Final Reflection

Whether you’re a student, an entrepreneur, or simply navigating life’s seasons, I want to remind you: God is faithful. Take inspiration from these eager and enthusiastic Biola students who, under a 20-minute time crunch, took this assignment seriously by pitching practical business ideas, utilizing the education they received in the classroom. Do everything with excellence, and never underestimate where small beginnings can lead when placed in the hands of the Master Builder.

To dive deeper into my personal stories, you can read 7 Years on the Front Line. For career development, Professors McHugh, Curtis, and I coauthored From Illustration to Reality, which provides a broad perspective on building your career path, starting before college graduation and continuing into your early years. Hope you enjoy the reading! Visit this link for more: https://www.sarahytse.com/