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.
I sat down with my mom (and my entrepreneurial mindset), trying to brainstorm ways I could make money over the summer.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In fact, we ended up having our second session the very next month and by then had already grown from 15 to 22 campers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I learned that patience and quiet action go a long way.
I learned that I have a passion for being a role model to younger girls.
I learned that no matter how small an idea may start, it can always grow and succeed with hard work and persistence.
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.
Oh, and don't worry! Camp Cupcake did not end with me!
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.
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.