NOTE: This story has been updated to list the April 15, 2025 Marketplace and a new club officer.
The UNCG Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization (CEO) club, a student-led organization, accommodates students by facilitating educational opportunities that push them to tap into their creativity and network with other like-minded individuals.
The club informs, supports, and motivates students to be more entrepreneurial and to start or continue promoting a business. Jules Belfi, president of CEO, Vice President Meaghan Dohnert and Marketplace Director Carrie Holcombe have worked to make CEO as interactive as possible for students by hosting various events and workshops that support innovative thinking.
From Idea to reality
Belfi was inspired to start the CEO student marketplace after seeing a need for her peers to expand their audience and combine both business and design. The student marketplace provides a platform for students to sell and market their goods and services to other students on campus. Typically, the marketplace happens every fall and spring semester on College Avenue.
The most recent marketplace took place on October 1, 2024. Seventy-three vendors collectively made over $27,500 in sales, with an average of $475.55 per vendor. 59% of vendors made more than $200 each.
The next marketplace is on Tuesday, April 15 on Stone Lawn and will include a slate of musical performances as well as apparel, jewelry, artisanal crafts, and more.
Got to start somewhere
Ayla Thompson, an entrepreneurship and marketing student and director of media for CEO, sold 87 items from her business called “Finds & Reminds.” She says, “I wanted to start my business at fourteen, but I didn’t prioritize it until the first student marketplace last fall. Since then, I have promoted my business at over ten markets outside of the CEO club. The student marketplace gave me the push I needed to get started and keep going.” Thompson’s business upcycles and resells clothes to help reduce textile waste.
Like Thompson, there were many students who got to explain what their artistic pieces signify. For computer science graduate student Lakshmi Bobbili, her passion for her business was rooted in her childhood love for crafts.
“I specialize in handmade Indian fusion jewelry that blend traditional Indian elements with modern designs. Each piece reflects my love for craftmanship and is created for those who appreciate unique, culturally inspired accessories.” Bobbili goes on to say, “Entrepreneurship is not just about building a business but also creating value. It’s a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and innovation, where every step is an opportunity to make a difference.”
Taking on a challenge
While you can expect to grow personally and professionally in entrepreneurship, there are also several challenges that come with managing business responsibilities. For Bobbili, being an entrepreneur means dealing with uncertainty, taking risks, learning from setbacks, and trying to understand customer preferences in a competitive market. “Despite these challenges, the journey is incredibly rewarding, as each obstacle provides an opportunity to grow, learn, and improve,” Bobbili says.
The CEO marketplace not only increased awareness of student businesses but also prompted students to meet new people and connect with other student entrepreneurs. Briana Johnson, a new media design student with an established business since 2016, shares that being in organizations at UNCG like CEO helped her become more comfortable talking about her business and what it represents.
“In entrepreneurship, I’m in control of my success or failure,” Johnson says. One of the business skills she’s learned from UNCG is improving her self-image and how she presents herself to others. Johnson’s business “Br33zytees” sells handmade custom tie-dye, bleach, ice-dye apparel and hand-painted accessories.
What’s your story?
Behind every business is a story waiting to be heard. UNCG encourages all students to lean into what drives their creativity, embrace obstacles, and further the transformative ideas embedded inside of them. Students interested in learning more about entrepreneurship can find more information here.
Story by Lauren Segers, University Communications
Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications
