
By: Mateo Osorno
Jordyn Hope is an incoming freshman with interests in sports medicine and respiratory therapy. Ms. Hope was recently selected as a Frances Wood Wilson Foundation Scholar and answered a few questions to share more about who she is.
What is your major and classification?
I’m an incoming freshman who’s undecided. I have an interest in respiratory therapy and sports medicine.
Tell us more about your business:
My sister and I started a flag football league because throughout high school, playing flag football was our way of connecting with each other, our school, and our community as a whole.
What is the name of your business?
South Metro Flag Football
What problem is your business solving?
We loved the sport and wanted to continue playing after high school. Unfortunately, there are a very limited number of collegiate flag football programs, so we were unable to do that. Upon recognizing this, we noticed that there were also very few opportunities for young women in our community to get involved with this sport.
Who is your target customer?
Young women are a commonly overlooked demographic in the sports world, so we knew that girl’s flag football was the sport we wanted to focus on and that this demographic would be our target audience.
What inspired the idea?
Knowing the positive impact that playing flag football had on our own lives motivated us to fix some of the issues young women in our community face and create a league in our area.
What funding/capital are you pursuing? Any experiences with investors?
Although we are a nonprofit organization receiving funding from parks and recreation in our community, we look forward to working with for-profit partners in the future, such as the NFL, to create something that will last.
What does entrepreneurship mean to you?
I am interested in becoming an entrepreneur because I want to do work that involves my interests; Understanding that there are few jobs and opportunities for black women like myself in the sports world, I decided that I wanted to create my own space to follow these interests.
You recently received the Frances Wood Wilson Foundation Scholarship that is designed to support Entrepreneurship & Innovation Scholars. Share more about that experience and what you will use the scholarship funds for.
When I first heard that I received the scholarship I felt empowered; It was my first step in realizing that there is a strong possibility that I can make my dreams come true. The funds will be used to help pay off my tuition so that I can delve deeper into the world of sports medicine and be able to apply knowledge to my business in the future. This is one step down a long path, but this scholarship has given me the push I needed to start pursuing my dreams.
What role has Georgia State played in your entrepreneurial journey?
Georgia State has helped me realize that although the world is large and there is much work to be done to fix all its issues, I can still make a difference with ideas and work that is entirely my own. Even if it means starting with a small summer league of young ladies, I believe that I can make a difference in my community and give more and more people an opportunity to have fun and stay active.