camp cupcake
A camp made for girls by girls!
When I was 11 years old, I founded an all-girls summer camp called Camp Cupcake.​
This small passion project eventually grew into a 7 year booming business that I am extremely proud of.
how did it start?
It all started in May of 2014.
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I sat down with my mom (and my entrepreneurial mindset), trying to brainstorm ways I could make money over the summer.
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I already had some babysitting experience under my belt and with all the little kids in my neighborhood, I figured I had a pretty good chance of hosting a summer camp.
So naturally, as any 11 year old would, I coined my business Camp Cupcake and started spreading the word.​​
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I hung up flyers and sent emails around to parents who I thought might be interested. Within a few days, 15 girls were signed up to come to camp the first week of June.​
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I then recruited my sisters and a few friends to be my fellow counselors and we got to work planning itineraries, buying craft supplies and child-proofing our house. Of course, I also insisted on ordering, designing and screen-printing custom T-shirts for each camper to wear throughout the week.​
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​We hosted girls ages 4-10 from 9:00 am to1:00 pm with optional aftercare until 3:00 pm Monday through Friday. Activities ranged from jewelry-making to dance lessons to tie-dye to nail painting to a slime station to decorating cupcakes and more.
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The first week was such a success that I knew
we couldn't stop there.
how did it end up?
And don't worry... we didn't stop there.
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In fact, we ended up having our second session the very next month and by then had already grown from 15 to 22 campers.
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The following year, we were up to about 30 girls per week so I decided to add a holiday-themed session over winter break called Camp Cocoa.
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By 2018, I had a full-fledged, highly-anticipated business that served countless kids (and let's be real, parents) in my community. At that point, I began sending out the flyer in January as our waitlists would fill up months in advance.
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This increasing demand not only expanded my leadership skills but instilled my desire to give back. Throughout the years, I have donated a portion of our proceeds to Camp Sunshine, an organization that helps enrich the lives of Georgia's childhood cancer patients. In addition to monetary donations, I also made several visits to Camp Sunshine to deliver goody bags of extra camp supplies we had collected over the years.
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Look how far we've come!
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One week ---> Four week-long sessions per year
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Grew to an average of 40 campers per session
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Recognized yearly in our community newsletter
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Expanded to girls from neighborhoods all over Atlanta
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Philanthropic efforts to Camp Sunshine
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Hired former campers to help as "junior counselors"
personal impact
As Camp Cupcake continued to grow over the years, so did I.
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I learned that patience and quiet action go a long way.
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I learned that I have a passion for being a role model to younger girls.
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I learned that no matter how small an idea may start, it can always grow and succeed with hard work and persistence.
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Above all, I learned that being a leader doesn't mean controlling others, but it is rather a discipline that allows you to serve and support others.​
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Oh, and don't worry! Camp Cupcake did not end with me!
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In fact, just before heading to UNC, I had the privilege to pass the "lead counselor" title into the hands of one of our original campers, who is now a leader of her own.
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My ultimate goal is for Camp Cupcake to continue to be a treasured tradition for young girls in my community for years to come.
Describe your image
Click through the gallery above to watch the craziness unfold over the years.