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USC Marshall Senior Brews Success with Eruta Nature Startup

USC Marshall Senior Brews Success with Eruta Nature Startup

From dorm room dreams to daily brews at Rock & Reilly’s: Meet Justin Solomon, founder of Eruta Nature.

by: Fiona Huang
05.13.25
Justin Solomon at Eruta Nature

Justin Solomon with the original coffee cart setup on Trousdale Parkway.

[Photo courtesy of Solomon]

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What began as a simple coffee cart concept at the Trousdale entrance has grown into Eruta Nature — now a thriving business partner of Rock & Reilly’s at the USC Village. Behind it all is Justin Solomon, a senior majoring in business administration, who carved out a unique path as an entrepreneur while pursuing his undergraduate degree full-time.

Marshall News spoke with Solomon about his entrepreneurial journey, from the initial challenges of balancing a startup with academics to the pivotal moments that shaped Eruta Nature’s success. Solomon’s dedication, innovation, and unwavering persistence exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit that defines USC Marshall.

Interviewer: What inspired you to start your business?

Justin Solomon: One day I was listening to a podcast where they were talking about how Dutch Bros started their company off of a coffee cart, so I just decided to give it a try. I set it up right outside the Trousdale entrance and sold coffee on a whim!

What are some key classes/resources you’ve utilized to support the growth of your business?

JS: The Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, one hundred percent. All of their courses are great for the actual entrepreneur, the small businesses. You get to experience more hands-on work and apply it to the real world.

How did you get a local establishment to agree to the licensing partnership deal with Eruta Nature?

JS: Last semester, I needed somewhere to store the equipment for my coffee cart because it used to live in my dorm room when I wasn’t actively selling out there. As a final resort, I walked in the front door of Rock & Reilly’s and asked an employee if I could please just get the contact of anyone that may be able to answer my question.

I was able to get in contact with the manager, and she wasn’t sure if it could happen, but she talked to the owners anyway. The owners ended up sitting down with me to have a conversation. They offered me the entire event room when it’s not in use to run my coffee shop, and that’s how it became a licensing partnership deal.

The no’s will lead to a yes down the line, and the yes down the line is better for you.

— Justin Solomon

Founder, Eruta Nature

What is the advice you have for your peers who are trying to start a business while in school?

Being in college is a time where you have all the responsibility but no responsibility at all. I’d say utilize that time you have in college because you don’t have to go work a “nine-to-five,” you just have classes and homework, that’s it.

Another [piece of advice] is don’t take no for an answer. You will get pressure from other people to stop and to give up on your idea, but if you have faith in it and you keep working on it, the business will work out. If you put your mind to it, you’re going to be able to succeed. Every single turn, there were so many no’s that I wanted to sit down and just give up. If I got the yes to store equipment in the village for my coffee cart, I wouldn’t have this space. That’s the way to look at it. The no’s will lead to a yes down the line, and the yes down the line is better for you.

What’s an exciting business development you’re looking forward to this year?

We’re at the bar now! Since we picked up some traction, the owner decided to give Eruta a corner at the bar. This whole restaurant will be able to work cohesively with Eruta in the mornings until 3:00 p.m., and then it will revert back over to Rock & Reilly’s; it’s going to be really fun to have this whole space.

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