Junior management major Jorie Hodapp has big dreams for her small business, “Jorie Cakes,” thanks to the resources and support from Berry.
When Jorie was 12 years old, she began baking from her home in Dublin, Ohio. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to start her own business making cupcakes and cakes, and eventually wedding cakes. Before graduating high school, Jorie had established her small business, “Jorie Cakes.”
Besides baking in her free time, Jorie is also a talented golfer. When deciding what path to take following high school, Jorie decided to leave the north to attend Berry College and play for the golf team. This also meant leaving the community that had supported her and her business from the start, but Jorie took this fresh start as an opportunity to grow her business further.
“Moving my business to Georgia from Ohio gave me a chance to start over in the sense of rebuilding a customer base, marketing to a new area, and adjusting to that new market,” she says. “I’ve been blessed by the response from the Berry community—people here love cupcakes! Berry students, faculty and staff have greatly influenced new flavors additions, social media marketing posts and the community aspect of the business itself.”
Jorie is now a junior management major. She bakes from her townhouse on campus and her business is growing faster than she had anticipated. She makes dorm room deliveries, and bakes dozens of cupcakes for Berry events. She recently won the Bettyann O’Neill Innovation award at the Berry Pitch competition which awarded her with $5,000 to continue to grow her business.
Her academics and athletics have also been remarkable. Jorie has found herself on the Dean’s List each semester, and she has won numerous golf awards, most recent being the 2017-18 Southern Athletic Association Player of the Year. Golf Coach Brian Farrer, and Jorie’s work supervisor, Assistant Athletic Director Ginger Swann, have impacted her in ways that extend much further than the golf course and the office.
“Coach Brian has shown me endless patience and given me guidance that I will carry with me forever. He is the first person to support me and encourage me, and also challenge me to be a better athlete and person,” Jorie says. “Ginger demonstrates Martha Berry’s principles daily in how she teaches her students and teams, and how she interacts with others. She’s taught me how to ask intentional questions, what it means to be a leader and to use everything as a learning opportunity.”
Jorie hopes to open a storefront bakery following graduation.
“The willingness of people to connect me with business and campus leaders and serve my cupcakes at various events has been very instrumental in the growth of the business,” Jorie says. “Berry is a wealth of resources and opportunity—just like the Gate says!—and those opportunities paired with the people who make them happen continue to help me get closer to reaching my business goals.”
junior Megan Benoit
