DAVIS, Calif. - Entrepreneurship and college students have always gone together, with the campus atmosphere fostering a sense of creative energy. Student-athletes are presented with a unique situation where they need to balance their sport with school and life, creating new opportunities for that entrepreneurial spirit to take shape.

UC Davis football punter Cade Cox, former linebacker Aaron Shebloski, and quarterback David Rasor used that opportunity to create Aggie Elite Services, a company providing the Davis community with window washing, holiday lighting, and other at-home services.

The idea was started just over two years ago by Cox during a trip home to Redding. While at home, one of his childhood friends told him about how he had begun to wash people's windows in their homes to make money. " I'm like, there's no way, so I go out with him one day, and within 30 minutes, I got a $350 sale, and we do it in three and a half hours. That at the time was my two-week lifeguard paycheck."

Hailing from San Diego, California, Shebloski had also spent much of his time at home doing different side gigs. "I used to cut hair, and I would teach kids chess. It was just a bunch of random little things I did to try and make money." After Cox told him about his window-washing experience, the duo decided to team up, and Aggie Elite Services was officially born.
 
As student-athletes who often train 30-40 hours a week, managing a startup simultaneously posed a number of challenges for all three men. "Before [Aaron] got involved, there was a four-week stretch where it was just me." Cox said, "During the day of our spring game, I woke up, worked from 8 to 12, and then we had our spring game. After the game, I had to go work another six hours, so it was a 12-hour day."

Shebloski, still battling injuries sustained during the 2024 season, used his summer break not only to build the business but also to make tough decisions about his football career. "I did the whole offseason with the team, and then right after July 4th, I went home for a break and talked to my dad," he said, "My body was pretty beat up, I was losing weight really fast, and there was no way to do football ten hours a day while also going and doing the business since it was a complete startup."

After medically retiring, Shebloski used his newfound free time to help Cox continue elevating Aggie Elite Services, establishing a permanent holiday lighting system and an at-home subscription service.

Using their funds, they've also taken another step forward in promotions, putting together a package of advertisements that can run during home football games at UC Davis Health Stadium. "We know that our target audience is UC Davis football fans, and a lot of them will be at the games." Cox says, "UC Davis can use it as a story for young entrepreneurs on the football team, so we believe that it was very beneficial for both sides."

Getting commercials on the video board was all thanks to a collaboration between the two men, UC Davis Sports Properties and Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Administration & Development, Josh Flushman, who also serves as the administrator for the football program.

"When Cade and Aaron first approached me, I wasn't sure if this was a real business or just a college hobby," said Flushman, "But after sitting down with them, I was sold on both their product and their passion behind it. It's been a great process to watch as the business has grown and they've continued to dive deeper into it. They've poured everything into this, and it's been exciting to see them and their teammates build something that not only benefits the community but also generates revenue and delivers a product they truly believe in."
 
"What's even more impressive—and worth celebrating—is that these guys haven't just built a successful business," he continued. "They're creating real opportunities by employing their teammates, helping them develop valuable life skills, and providing steady jobs and income during the off-season. They truly bleed Aggie blue and gold, and it's been incredible to see that pride come full circle as they give back to the program by becoming official sponsors of the Athletics Department."

As friends living out their dreams of running a business, Cox, Shebloski, and Rasor believe that this is something that's possible for everyone. "I don't like talking about things that could happen. You just need to go out there and take actual steps, make a to-do list, and start crossing off things as they get done," said Shebloski.

Anyone interested in scheduling with Aggie Elite Services can visit their website, aggieeliteservices.com, or check them out on social media, @aggieeliteservices.