Making It Creative

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Julia Kelly, a junior marketing major and founder of Shop Julia Kelly shares her entrepreneurial journey from high school slime sales to building a thriving  business around JMU school spirit– from stickers to buttons and anything else to accessorize your gameday experience. Stick around to hear her post-grad plans to eventually go full-time into the next phase of her business.

🌟 Key Topics + Chapters

Julia Kelly's entrepreneurial journey from high school to college

The role of community and campus markets in business growth

Strategies for social media marketing and product photography

The importance of adaptability and rebranding for long-term success

02:29 Julia's Early Entrepreneurial Spirit

08:33 Transitioning to College and Business Challenges

11:32 Finding Community at JMU

14:33 Product Development and Market Adaptation

17:23 Sales Strategies and Customer Engagement

20:22 The Role of Social Media in Business Growth

23:11 Balancing Business and Academic Life

25:58 Inspiration from Fellow Creators

29:04 Looking Ahead: Future Aspirations

45:24 Adaptability and Sustainability in Business

48:05 Reflections on College Life and Growth

📱 Instagram:

@studentmade_jmu

@shopjuliakelly

@ Student-Made Store

@Making it Creative Podcast  

🛍️ Shop:

Student-Made JMU 

Shop Julia Kelly

All Campus Shops

📖 Read:

Julia's Story

📺 Watch:

Follow On Youtube

🎧 Relevant Episodes:

Trey's OkState Episode⁠

🏛️ Join Us:

⁠Launch on Your Campus 

Apply to Be a Creator!

🙏🏼 Our Awesome Partner: 

Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship

🤔 Other Shoutouts

JMU Young Life

Riles Design Co.

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Welcome to our April edition of “Our Top Student Brands,” hosted by Student-Made’s Digital Marketing Strategist, Liz, who breaks down why she chose these 2 student brands who have each shown a big key to success in creating buzz for their young brand. Our campuses featured today are JMU and Winthrop. 

🤔 Takeaways:

Brynn's entrepreneurial journey began with a simple idea: using seashells to create beautiful accessories and home decor. She personally collects shells from beaches, which adds a personal touch to each piece. "Collecting the shells is the part I enjoy the most. It’s what makes my brand unique.". This hands-on approach not only sets her apart but also allows her customers to connect with the story behind each product.

Landon's journey into entrepreneurship began with a love for vintage fashion. He enjoys the thrill of hunting for treasures in thrift stores and garage sales. "I go out and try to find some fast, old stuff for cheap. It’s exciting to discover hidden gems that others might overlook."

📱 Instagram:

shells.by.brynn

landolakesvntg

@Student-Made JMU

@Student-Made Rock Hill

👩🏽‍💻 Shop:

This Month’s Top Products

Shells by Brynn

LandoLakes Vintage

📺 Watch:

⁠Follow On Youtube

🎧 Listen to Relevant Episodes: 

Our January 2026 Top Brands

🏛️ Join Us!

Launch on Your Campus 

🙏🏼 Thanks to Our Awesome Partners: 

JMU Gilliam Center

Winthrop College of Business + Rock Hill Economic Development

Our Campuses

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Hear from our co-founder Lindsay as she shares practical tips on how to reset your workspace and mindset for spring, emphasizing the importance of your environment for boosting creativity and productivity. Ryan and Lindsay discuss seasonal shifts, workspace organization, and inspiring visual cues to enhance your work life. In Student-Made we work mostly with creative founders making cool things… and your surroundings matter for what phase of your project you’re in at the time!

💬 Takeaways + Chapters 

• Having your goals visible daily increases clarity and intentionality.

• Visual cues like posters or a cork wall can keep you motivated.

• Organized spaces reduce overwhelm and boost productivity.

• Your workspace should reflect what excites you.

• Align your space with your energy and goals.

03:17 The Importance of Workspace Clarity

11:01 Designing Your Workspace for Productivity

17:05 Adapting Spaces for Different Tasks

19:36 Creating an Inspiring Workspace

22:57 Personal Inspirations and Motivational Displays

27:35 Visual Resets for Goals

31:20 Goal Setting and Tracking Strategies

37:23 Navigating Digital Distractions

50:37 Mindset and Work Environment

📱 Instagram:

Student-Made Store

Making it Creative Podcast

👩🏽‍💻 Shop:

⁠Our Campuses

ASU Desert Themed Merch Collection

App State Mountain Themed Merch Collection

📖 Read:

Lindsay's March Letter

🎧 Relevant Episodes:

Lindsay's February Episode: 4 Reasons to Love Being an Entrepreneur

3 Ways to Avoid New Years Goal Burnout as an Entrepreneur

📺 Watch:

Follow On Youtube

🏛️ Join Us!

Launch on Your Campus 

🙏🏼 Thanks to Our awesome Partners: 

Our Campuses

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Join us for a fascinating convo with Trey O'Toole, a student entrepreneur from Oklahoma State University, who built a successful vintage clothing brand called Threefold Vintage. Hear how he started from trash pickup day in the neighborhood, leveraged his campus culture to define his brand, and mastered marketing to grow his business into a potential full-time venture.

✨ Highlights + Chapters: 

"Digging through trash led to my business"

"Marketing and branding are key to growth"

"That's roughly $87,000 in sales"

02:07 Meet Trey O'Toole and His Vintage Brand

04:03 Starting Out in Wiley, Texas and College Choices

04:50 Discovering Vintage Clothing Through Trash Pickup

07:05 Building Community and Networking in Vintage

10:11 Applying Lessons from Trash to Business

14:16 Connecting with Peers and Mentors

19:06 Sourcing and Selling Vintage at Markets

20:34 The Meaning Behind the Name 'Threefold Vintage'

22:01 Campus Life and Business Culture at Oklahoma State

23:26 The Impact of StudentMade on Business Growth

24:32 Highlighting the 100 Piece Drop and Marketing Strategies

28:31 Sales Volume and Revenue Insights

30:50 Future Plans and Graduation Goals

33:11 Strategies for Growth and Mentorship

39:17 Signature Moment: The Vintage Find in the Trash

📱 Instagram:

@studentmade_okstate

@threefoldvintage

@ Student-Made Store

@Making it Creative Podcast  

🛍️ Shop:

Student-Made Ok State 

All Campus Shops

📖 Read:

Trey's Story

📺 Watch:

Follow On Youtube

🏛️ Join Us:

⁠Launch on Your Campus 

🌟 Shoutout to the OSU Managers: 

Kaylynn Heath

Hannah Buxton

Emily Strange

Trey O'Toole

Rylie Bomhoff

Kierra Miles

🙏🏼 Our Awesome Partner: 

Riata Center for Innovation + Entrepreneurship

🤔 Other Shoutouts

Patagonia Worn Wear

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Today we are talking about the power of collaboration– specifically between the Student-Made company and a nationally ranked entrepreneurship program– The Burgess Institute for entrepreneurship at Michigan State University.  This partnership has enabled so many major impacts for Creative students becoming entrepreneurs on campus– some who came into college with an existing business, and some who came in with just a creative talent wondering if there could be an opportunity to expand it into something bigger. A staggering amount of the younger generations today are starting, or planning to start a side hustle business to supplement their income but also just be a outlet for creativity and balance as they take on other full time jobs. We’re going to hear from two college founders from Michigan State today, including Megan, who shares her journey from social work student to successful entrepreneur, highlighting her strategies for building a community-driven business that stays true to the values of her brand, Blue Threads and Co. But first up we’ll hear a bit from Lori Fischer, the Director of operations at MSU's Burgers Institute, as she speaks to how universities are evolving to meet the demand of creative Founders today, in a bit different way than the traditional startup Pathways that have been dominant in the collegiate entrepreneurship world in the past.  

💬 Chapters + Takeaways: 

"Start from a place of authenticity and keep it real"

"Price all materials, time, and overhead accurately"

"Know your purpose and your brand identity"

00:00 Introduction and Megan’s Background

04:46 Highlighting Megan’s Sales Success in 2024

11:17 Community Building and In-Person Markets

22:31 Pricing Your Handmade Products

28:54 Scaling and Future Plans

40:57 Advice for Student Creators

42:30 The Importance of Authenticity in Business

42:53 Q&A and Final Thoughts

📱 Instagram:

Student-Made Store

Making it Creative Podcast  

Blue Threads & Co.

Stuck on You Design Co.

Student-Made Michigan State

👩🏽‍💻 Shop:

⁠Our Campuses

Student-Made Michigan State

Bluthreads & Co.

Stuck on You Design Co.

📖 Read:

MSU Success Story

📺 Watch:

Follow On Youtube

🏛️ Join Us!

Launch on Your Campus 

🙏🏼 Thanks to Our awesome Partner: 

MSU Burgess Institute

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Our co-founder, Lindsay shares insights on the joys and challenges of entrepreneurship– emphasizing the importance of long-term thinking, resourcefulness, self-discovery, and freedom with purpose. Discover how these mental shifts can transform your approach to business and life. 

02:35 Thinking Bigger: The Entrepreneurial Mindset

05:08 The Shift from Urgency to Long-Term Goals

07:47 Resourcefulness: Embracing Challenges

10:50 The Power of Adaptability

13:25 Self-Discovery Through Entrepreneurship

15:59 Finding Purpose in Daily Tasks

18:47 Commercial Break: Updates from Student-Made

21:31 Discovering Your True Capabilities

24:54 The Growth Journey of Entrepreneurship

28:11 Learning Through Necessity

30:38 Freedom with Purpose

36:05 Balancing Freedom and Responsibility

41:17 Celebrating Entrepreneurial Milestones

💬 Episode Snippet: 

“Entrepreneurship isn’t just a career path. In so many ways it’s actually just a personal development journey disguised as a business. It challenges how you think, stretches your traditional skillset, and asks you to grow in ways no other job ever could. While it’s hard work, the lessons you learn along the way are invaluable–  you gain clarity, resilience, and a deeper understanding of yourself. For those willing to commit to the work, the uncertainty, and the responsibility, the lessons become just as valuable as the outcomes and that’s the ultimate sign of success.”

📱 Instagram:

Student-Made Store

Making it Creative Podcast  

📬 Contact Us:

[email protected]

[email protected] 

👩🏽‍💻 Shop:

⁠Our Campuses

📖 Read:

Lindsay's February 2026 Letter

📺 Watch:

Follow On Youtube

🎧 Relevant Episodes:

3 Ways to Avoid New Year's Goal Burnout, Feat. Our Co-Founder, Lindsay

🏛️ Join Us!

Launch on Your Campus 

Apply to Be a Creator

Apply to Be a Manager

🙏🏼 Thanks to Our awesome Partners: 

Our Campuses

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Just about the wisest young person I’ve talked with in a long time, Kenisha Nanda from UNC brings so many words of wisdom to starting a buisness on the side of being a full-time student (a pre-med major nonetheless) with a super busy schedule and many extracurricular activities. Discovering the overlap between a future in medicine and KN Designs today was fascinating– especially how Kenisha sees the lessons learned in her business as SUPER applicable to a future career in serving patients and making people’s lives better and happier. There are clearly SO many life lessons to be learned running a creative small business, whether it’s jewelry or anything else. Managing balance in ourselves too as creative founders is crucial for long term sustainability of our brand… adaptability is key! I think you’ll enjoy this conversation just as much as we did!

📱 Instagram:

@studentmade_unc

@shopkndesigns

@ Student-Made Store

🛍️ Shop:

Student-Made UNC 

KN Designs

All Campus Shops

📖 Read:

Kenisha's Story

📺 Watch:

Follow on YouTube

🏛️ Join Us:

⁠Launch on Your Campus 

Apply to Be a Creator!

Apply to Be a Manager!

🌟 Shoutout to the UNC Managers: 

Courtney Humphrey

Lindsey Hill

Emma Wieber

Samantha Wang

Anna Routh

Marina Messura

Blaine Lester

Ayla Shapiro

Natalie Boylston

Sherry Chen

Lola Edwards

🙏🏼 Our Awesome Partner: 

Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship at UNC

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Welcome to our February edition of “Our Top Student Brands,” hosted by our digital marketing strategist, Liz, who breaks down why she chose these 3 student brands across the country who have each shown one big key to success in creating buzz for their young brand. If you’re in the early stages of a creative venture– you’ll want to hear what these 3 founders are doing to gain traction on their campus and beyond. Also catch some of the inspiring founding stories of these entrepreneurs! Our campuses featured today are Michigan State, UNC Chapel Hill, and Missouri. 

📱 Instagram:

Baking by Jade

Cardinal.and.co

Just Laina Jane

@Student-Made Michigan State 

@Student-Made UNC

@Student-Made Missouri

👩🏽‍💻 Shop:

This Month’s Top Products

Baking by Jade

Cardinal.and.co

Just Laina Jane

🎧 Listen to Relevant Episodes: 

Our November 2025 Top Brands

📺 Watch:

⁠Follow on YouTube⁠

🏛️ Join Us!

Launch on Your Campus 

Apply to Be a Creator

Apply to Be a Manager

🙏🏼 Thanks to Our Awesome Partners: 

MSU Burgess Institute

UNC Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship

Trulaske Center For Entrepreneurship

Our Campuses

🎙️ Episode Description: 

In today’s world of entrepreneurship, the pressure of achieving goals can often lead to burnout. In this episode, co-founder Lindsay Reeth shares her journey and insights on maintaining well-being while pursuing ambitions, especially as we embark on a new year filled with resolutions. Burnout is a common challenge for entrepreneurs, but Lindsay emphasizes a perspective is vital for anyone looking to sustain their passion and energy in the long run. This insight encourages budding entrepreneurs to embrace their unique paths rather than conforming to the” traditional” notion of business success. 

💬 Episode Snippet: 

“Believe it or not, the most successful habits don’t depend on motivation. You could have the best intentions and still fall short. So what do successful habits rely on? In my opinion, they depend on structure."

"By creating a daily routine that supports your goals, you shift the focus from pushing yourself to “make it happen” to “following your plan.” When you lean into this mindset, your routine becomes the engine that drives progress, and each small action stacks up into meaningful results.”

📱 Instagram:

Student-Made Store 

📬 Contact Us:

[email protected]

👩🏽‍💻 Shop:

⁠Our Campuses

📖 Read:

Lindsay's February 2026 Letter

🏛️ Join Us!

Launch on Your Campus 

🙏🏼 Thanks to Our awesome Partners: 

Our Campuses

🎙️ Episode Description: 

Today we’re bringing you our Fall 2025 Manager Stories from campuses part of our Student-Made network across the country. These managers are learning invaluable lessons everyday in leading their community of student founders and working together with their team, and we wanted to share some of those with you. Whether you’re in our program or not, we hope these are helpful lessons in growing something creative that matters to you. Read the full stories and support our campus shops below!

🔥 Highlight Snippets:

Hannah: “More than anything, I want to take this community with me when I graduate. When any of them goes on to do something extraordinary, I want to excitedly turn to the people next to me and say, I knew that person in college!!”

Jamarion: “I work to build relationships between the student-entrepreneurs, our campus, and the larger community so that everyone can see the value in supporting student creativity.”

Madison: “Being entrusted with fostering growth for my manager team, Student-Made’s brand, and the creators’ success has been a nerve-wracking weight to hold, but the amount of freedom I’ve been given to do what I love has been exhilarating.”

📱 Instagram:

Student-Made Arizona 

Student-Made Troy

Student-Made Loyola Maryland

 👩🏽‍💻 Website:

Student-Made Arizona 

Student-Made Troy

Student-Made Loyola Maryland

🏛️ Bring Student-Made to YOUR Campus!

Launch Your Campus 

🙏🏼 Thank you to our awesome partner campus

UofArizona McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship

Troy University IDEA Bank

Loyola Simon Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation

🌟 Other shoutouts

Hannah mentioned the screenprinting process for the Made in Tucson tshirts, check that out here!

Made in Tuscon T-Shirt Design