COMMUNITY STORIES: TESS RILEY
Growing up, my grandmother, Kathy Riley, would often babysit us. She was an incredible jeweler, and on long summer days, she taught us how to create different pieces of jewelry. I was fascinated watching her transform simple materials into something beautiful.
Wearing the jewelry I made with her gave me such joy—it was a tangible reminder of my own creativity and effort. Those early days of crafting with my grandma planted the seed for something much bigger: a passion for creating and a desire to share that joy with others.
From a young age, I knew I wanted to be my own boss. In second grade, I started a perfume business from my swing set. At ten, I co-founded a Play-Doh company and was even featured in a local magazine. In seventh grade, I organized a haunted hayride in my neighborhood that raised over $1,000 in one night for a local child battling cancer.
These ventures were more than childhood fun—they were my first real steps toward becoming an entrepreneur, driven by the desire to help others and bring ideas to life.
While the world paused, my mind hit “go.” Inspired by frontline nurses, I began making bracelets with encouraging words to give them as small tokens of gratitude. Seeing the impact those bracelets had lit a new fire in me. Soon, nurses from all over began reaching out, wanting their own. That small gesture turned into something much bigger—and I took the leap into officially starting my business.
I’m now a Business Marketing student at James Madison University, drawn here by the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship and a prestigious business scholarship awarded to just five students. From the beginning, I felt supported—not just as a student, but as a young entrepreneur with big dreams.
I didn’t know about Student-Made until my friend, Julia Kelly, introduced me to it. She’s a fellow Student-Made creator at JMU, and as soon as she told me about it, I felt like God had placed this opportunity right in front of me. I had been looking for a way to blend my business with college life—and this was the perfect fit.
I get to connect with other creators, share our goals, and engage with students from all across campus. Watching people light up when they find a piece they love—something I made with intention—is the most rewarding feeling. Walking around campus and seeing students wear my jewelry is an indescribable joy.
Being a Student-Made creator has already given me so much: hands-on business experience, connections with professors and peers, and a growing community of fellow creators who are walking this journey with me. There are moments where I pause and think, “Oh my goodness, I’m living my dream.”
I’m even participating in a pop-up with Anthropologie—a huge milestone with a brand that’s long inspired me.
I often say that I have ADHD, while my family insists I just have a creative mind. Either way, I’m always dreaming and creating. I draw inspiration from Pinterest, combining ideas into something new, and from nature, where I find endless beauty in colors, shapes, and textures. Faith is a huge part of my life and the core of who I am. Spending time in God’s creation fuels both my heart and my creativity.
Whether I stay in the jewelry world or pursue something entirely new, I’m excited to see where God leads me. Student-Made has already taught me so much about community in business—how vital it is to support and uplift others, because you never know when you’ll need the same in return.
Owning a business is like buckling up for the roller coaster ride of a lifetime—full of highs, lows, joy, challenges, and everything in between. But as Student-Made emphasizes: you’re not on the ride alone.
