For most USC students, the pressures of classwork and clubs make the idea of running a small business the last thing on their minds. But when it comes to the creators that make up Student-Made USC, their passion for entrepreneurship overrides those concerns.
The program, which is USC’s branch of a larger national organization, started in 2021 and currently includes 23 creators. A variety of different disciplines are currently represented, including digital art, baked goods, jewelry, apparel, visual art and crochet.
The organization hosts sales opportunities in various pop-up locations such as Russell House, Greene Street and the popular, weekly Soda City Market. Student-Made also offers regular professional development for its members in the form of workshops.
Those opportunities are especially appreciated by creators like first-year hospitality management student and Dream Big Bakery owner Sara Jacobs.
Jacobs, a Columbia native, started her business back in 2020 but is looking to ramp things up to new heights joined Student-Made this semester to help accomplish that.
“Marketing and finance, that’s the part that I don’t know about. I’m more on the baking side,” Jacobs said. “I’m hoping they’ll have those workshops, and I can learn about the business parts that I’m not super adept at yet.”
Third-year graphic design student Savannah Mason, who runs a sticker and keychain business, Sincerely, Savannah. She also serves as Student-Made USC’s social media manager.
Mason said the organization aims to foster a community of like-minded students that support each other’s goals.
“We’re all students, and we’re all starting our own business, and it can be pretty nerve-wracking,” Mason said. “But we’re all here to help.”
Second-year neuroscience student Haley McKelvey, who owns Wandering Duck Creations and offers a wide assortment of earrings , hairbows and bracelets, said she benefitted the most from guidance in building up her business’s social media presence and personal brand.
McKelvey also said the support and resources from management, both USC student-led and corporate, such as a speaker series, have been valuable.
“Our management team is awesome,” McKelvey said. “They’re so good at keeping us together, even though we’re getting bigger.”
Balancing the workload presented by rigorous academics and running a small business can be challenging, said Ellie Dawkins, second-year anthropology and geology student and E&B Arts jewelry maker. Dawkins said the key to staying confident and succeeding in both arenas is hard work and strategy.
“It can get a little bit tricky at times, especially like the night before a pop-up, because during the week, I don’t always have the time to sit there for a few hours and make jewelry,” Dawkins said. “What I try to do is get ahead so I have less assignments to do, and that opens up some time for me to make a few products.”
Second-year international business and management in entrepreneurship student Ariana Conroy operates Conroy Custom Kicks, creating personalized shoes for her customers. After initially reaching out to football coaches in an effort to put a spotlight on her business, she had a chance encounter at a store with Dawn Staley and delivered her a unique pair.
Conroy said the most important steps to running a successful business are promotion and persistence.
“You can be really good at what you’re doing, but if no one knows your business, you’re not going to get any sales,” Conroy said. “Just continuing to put yourself out there and take risks and take chances is the biggest thing.”
Dawkins said a key aspect of Student-Made is the sense of community and common goals.
“Having a community that supports me and my craft is something that means a lot to me. My friends and family have always been supporting my dream of making jewelry, but it’s also nice to have people at school who do the same thing,” Dawkins said. “We support each other.”
As Student-Made USC continues to grow and recruit new creators, they aim to offer support for all kinds of different creators with varying long-term goals.
Jacobs said her work with Student-Made is laying the groundwork for her long-term dream of opening a brick-and-mortar bakery.
Conroy said the skills that members learn will help them be successful even if they have different ambitions for post-grad life.
“I’ve always combined creativity with entrepreneurship,” Conroy said. “Even if this business isn’t something I’ll do after college, it’s definitely going to be experiences and skills that I’ll take from it.”
Mason said a clear opportunity exists for Student-Made to expand to new pop-up locations such as local coffee shops and emphasized that Student-Made wants more creative students to sign up and join the organization.
“We definitely have a lot more room for new creators,” Mason said. “I know there ’s a lot of people who would probably benefit and love to do something like this.”
More information on Student-Made USC and its creators, along with their individual online stores, can be found on the organization’s website.