Rachel Zheng (Questrom’27) has taken her pipe cleaner art from a hobby to a business with the help of Student-Made. Photo by Innovate@BU initiative

Student Life

At BU, Student-Made Gives Young Entrepreneurs a Place to Grow

From crocheted animals to custom rings, student creators are gaining visibility and support through an Innovate@BU initiative

This fall, Innovate@BU, a Boston University initiative rooted in student entrepreneurship, launched a chapter of Student-Made, a national program that supports and promotes student small businesses with managers, pop-up events, and an online marketplace. 

For student creator Rachel Zheng, the new business has given her the confidence and trust she needed to take her pipe-cleaner art from a hobby to a business: Florify Made, handcrafted pipe-cleaner flowers, Christmas trees, and poinsettias neatly in pots, perfect for a desk or table. 

“It’s definitely a journey where you’re always doubting yourself and your abilities,” Zheng (Questrom’27) says. “Student-Made is really the backbone to push me through this.”

Students pay a $50 fee to join Student-Made, but the program does not take any cut of their sales moving forward, explains Austin Boyer, Innovate@BU associate director of marketing and communications. In addition, Student-Made has five paid student managers who help creators run their businesses and maintain communication. 

Yige Qin joined Student-Made as its marketing manager. Part of her job involves collaborating with creators for content sessions, where she photographs and films their products for social media posts. “I think it’s a good way for me to get to know the creators personally and understand their brands,” Qin (Sargent’27) says. “It’s a good time, doing that together.” 

Julia Lawrence-Riddell has been crafting rings for Julia Designs since high school. She initially ran her business through Etsy and social media, but became overwhelmed by the workload. 

One benefit of Student-Made, Lawrence-Riddell (CFA’27, CAS’27) says, is that the support provided by student managers lessens the stress of running a small business. Student managers notify creators when an order comes through the online marketplace and help track it until it’s completed and shipped. 

Lawrence-Riddell also says the store’s pop-ups, held a few times every semester, bring her the most profit and allow her to get to know her customers. “I feel like that’s what’s unique about being in a group that’s on campus—it allows me to connect with customers face-to-face when I’m at pop-ups,” she says, “and that’s something I never had before.” 

Other creators, like Avery Fox, had prior experience with a small business, but Student-Made has only elevated her skills, she says. Fox (COM’28), who runs Avery’s Amigurumi Crafts, began making crochet pieces in high school to relieve stress, and when she started at BU, she picked up crocheting again, began posting on social media, and was soon flooded with orders. 

“I enjoy being creative, and it’s a fun outlet for me to do something other than career-oriented things,” she says. 

While participating in Boston craft fairs can be difficult because of strict regulations and fees, she says, Student-Made offers skills workshops, covers any tabling fees at craft fairs, and helps creators run a Square account to manage payments. 

After a semester of creating custom work and selling through Student-Made’s online marketplace, Fox appreciates Student-Made and BU for platforming small businesses and giving students the skills needed to grow. “It’s easier to get yourself out there [with Student-Made],” she says. “They really make it easy for you.”