WELCOME TO SPRING 2023 FROM THE TEAM
To our returning Creators, Managers, and One-of-a-kind community,
WELCOME BACK!
If you are just joining us for the first time this semester,
WE’RE SO GLAD YOU DISCOVERED STUDENT-MADE…
We are honored that you decided to bring your passionate energy into this growing community. Our customers, supportive faculty, local communities, and of course, our student entrepreneurs & managers are what makes this special environment what it is.
You are here for quite possibly the most special semester in Student-Made’s history… I’m daring to even put this one above our debut in 2017. You’ll see a few reasons why in a minute.
But first, some important questions to ask:
Why is Student-Made here to begin with? And what exactly are we aiming to do?
There will be lots of “what’s” talked about this semester, so we first want to make sure we communicate our:
Why?
At Student-Made, we are here for Creators because we understand their passion for making & growing something awesome that reveals a big part of who they are.
And we are here for Manager Teams because we know the magic that comes from a dedicated team bursting at the seams with the positive energy to expand the bounds of what’s possible on their campus.
Student-Made actually shares a very similar path with our Creators & Managers. Our team knows quite well the journey of uncovering a passion, gathering up some confidence, and pursuing the bright possibilities ahead despite the inevitable fear, doubt, and challenges that can arise…
Until eventually, you can see it molding into something you feel proud of.
Fall 2017 - Our First Pop-Up Market
Spring 2023 - 10 Unique Online Shops operating
And Over 200 Creators + 70 Managers
All the new daily challenges, little failures, lessons learned, and determination to keep improving— these are the beautiful parts of the journey that we’re here to encourage our talented students in— for Creators establishing & growing their brands, and Managers becoming more confident & effective on their teams.
Today we want you to hear from the members of our team who have committed to this same ride in making Student-Made an AWESOME program for YOU, and so many students, alumni, faculty, and campus communities to be part of!
Here’s A Little Bit of Our Stories
Lindsay Reeth, Co-Founder & Head of Company Operations
“Hey Friends! As many of you know, I’m the Co-Founder of Student-Made, a company that I started when I was a junior in college. I started Student-Made because I was so inspired by students making incredible products and growing creative businesses from their dorm rooms. My deepest passion is in helping showcase these talents with a community of people who I know will admire them, and want to support it as much as I do. Starting this company ignited an energy in me that nothing else did… It was so much fun, and it didn't feel like work. That’s how I knew that I would do anything to pursue this dream, and grow this community. The experiences I have had and the things that I have learned through building this company are truly unmatched. I want the experience of our students in Student-Made to feel the same way– an authentic, engaging, fun, hands-on learning opportunity that will last a lifetime. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me, it means the world to see an idea flourish into so much more.”
FUN FACT: If you could spend a day with one famous person, who would it be?
Joanna Gaines
Abby Goretsky, Program Operations Manager
“Hi friends!!! I am Abby, the Program Operations Manager with Student-Made Store! I first found out about Student-Made when I wrote an article about them in 2020. Ever since I finished that article, I was obsessed. I knew I wanted to be involved, so I became a Brand Ambassador. Then fast forward to 2022, they were looking for interns and I jumped at the opportunity. Now, here we are! Being the Program Operations Manager is such an amazing position, and I am so honored to have this role. I am in charge of the Success Managers and help to ensure they are helping their campuses be successful in every single way. I also help with making sure the managers are trained and feel as supported as possible. I love working with all our incredible students, and can’t wait to see how this wonderful program grows. This position has taught me so much about how to be a good leader as well as so much about me as a person. I am so thrilled you are here on this journey with us!”
FUN FACT: If you could only watch one episode of one show for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This is one of the most stressful questions I have ever been asked, but I would have to say either “Song Beneath the Song” from Grey’s Anatomy or “The Dinner Party From Hell” from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Sara Massey, Head of Finance & Legal
HI everyone! When Lindsay and Ryan invited me to join them in this journey, I jumped at the chance to help so many students get a running start on their post-collegiate journeys. Every single thing our students learn and experience by being a part of Student-Made will help them, now and later, whether it's running your business, or a kid’s soccer team, or a neighborhood homeowner’s association, or sitting on the board of a local non-profit. Whether a Creator or a Manager on the campus team, this is a lab, an incubator, the place to learn and practice things and ask questions and challenge assumptions. My focus is on building & improving our foundational systems in a way that students get to be a part of running them. This has included financial systems we use— Quickbooks, bill.com, Squarespace, Stripe, Square, and TaxJar to name a few! This also includes stream-lined resources that students across all our campuses can use for collaborating and idea generation, as well as trend analysis for reporting & sales improvements. This semester, two sales channels— the website marketplace and the in person Pop-Ups, have been enhanced. And we are working on a new strand of programming— a series of optional workshops to help our entrepreneurs with all aspects of building their businesses as we build ours.
FUN FACT: What would most people not know you are secretly good at?
Crabbing (which is not the same as being crabby!) The locals of SC have been more than glad to teach me.
Ryan McElhinney, Co-Founder & Head of Communications
“To echo Lindsay’s answer, when we discovered a few students who were running businesses on our campus, it just seemed obvious that everyone on campus should know about them– and have a way to support them too. But we found this wasn’t the reality– these students were actually having a tough time getting the word out to potential supporters on their campus. That’s when Lindsay and I brought together 15 student founders for a pop-up market in 2017, and 35 founders in 2018– and watched as the reaction from the campus community was incredible. Fast forward to today, what I look forward to immensely this semester is highlighting the many talented Creators & Managers from each of our campuses in creative ways— that showcase their unique stories, special entrepreneurial journeys, contributions to their manager teams, and the campus inspiration that comes from each of their distinct cultures & communities. I hope to create even more meaningful ways for you to connect & collaborate with each other, as well.”
FUN FACT: If you weren’t at Student-Made, what would you be doing?
Hopefully teaching meditation outdoors somewhere beautiful.
As you can imagine, it means quite a lot to us that you are here part of our journey.
Sincerely,
The Student-Made Team
