Business Matters

We are delighted to share with you an exclusive event that your student experienced recently. The entrepreneurship panel invited notable figures in the cutting edge of creativity and commerce and was moderated by Dale McCauley, assistant director of InnovationX.  

Your student listened in on honest and empowering stories from nationally recognized talents, who are shaping our future today. Over 700 first-year business students came together in the Memorial Union to hear Avery Hadley, Sofi Thanhauser and FreshSam discuss the creative challenges of industry, materiality and societal responsibility.  

Avery Hadley is the founder of Hadley and Demolition, two clothing brands he launched as student member of InnovationX. He began his entrepreneurial journey as a first-year student in the BA 160 series of classes, developing his initial business concept as a classroom microbusiness and then continuing with his teammates to form a founding partnership to launch the company. His message is an important one for our students: There is nothing stopping you from starting to work on your ideas immediately and launching while you are still in college. 

FreshSam is a fashion designer and wardrobe stylist based in Los Angeles, California. Her style is unique, her vision, one of a kind. She seeks to empower and inspire people through feeling confident and looking their best. FreshSam has worked with artists such as The Pharcyde, Method Man, Iggy Azalea, & globally recognized brands like Puma, Reebok, Skull Candy, Under Armor, and Bose. She spoke to students about her journey, overcoming the challenges she faced to be taken seriously as a young designer in a rapidly evolving industry. 

Sofi Thanhauser is a writer, artist and musician, based in Brooklyn, New York. She is the author of Worn: A People’s History of Clothing and has received fellowships from the Fulbright, MacDowell, Ucross, and the Millay Colony, among others. Her work has appeared in Vox, The Guardian, Observer Magazine, Dame and LitHub. Thanhauser brought context to our discussion, pointing out the challenges as companies navigate a textile production environment with significant ethical and environmental concerns. 

This dynamic entrepreneurship panel was made possible by the partnership of OSU Global Hemp Innovation Center, InnovationX of Oregon State University College of Business and you. Thank you for entrusting your family’s legacy with us.