(Media release from Georgia Highlands College):
Georgia Highlands College (GHC) alumnae Avery Pope is following her dreams and applying what she has learned in the Entrepreneurship Pathway at GHC to her business, Ginny Bird, which opened its new location in Downtown Dallas earlier this year.
Described by Avery as “a youthful women’s clothing store with a confident and zestful vibe that has many cute pieces and gifts,” Ginny Bird is named after and inspired by Avery’s grandmother, Ginny, who was nicknamed Ginny Bird for her love for birds.
As one of the first graduates of the Entrepreneurship Pathway, Avery was able to plan her business as she completed her degree.
“One of the reasons I started the boutique business in college was because the program allowed me so many options and opportunities for mentorship,” Avery said. “When you start the business while in the program, you can create it as you learn. I really feel like doing this provided the tools to propel Ginny Bird forward.”
Avery said Associate Professor of Business Administration Shanika Turner provided guidance as she worked through the pathway, developing her business. She said she is thankful for the opportunities provided through the pathway and that her overall experience at GHC consisted of interactive classes with a personal focus.
“In the classes, you are assigned case studies that provide opportunities to dissect situations and cause you to think like the business owner in that situation, and now I’m able to apply what I’ve learned in class to situations I face daily,” Avery said. “One of the things that I am the most thankful for has been accounting because where creativity in business tends to come naturally to me, accounting does not. If I had not taken accounting classes, I would have little to no idea what to do while organizing our numbers. The preparation the classes gave me was almost like having prior experience.”
She had advice for anyone considering enrolling in the Entrepreneurship Pathway to help start a new business: “Absolutely go for it.”
“One of the things I was nervous about was that the pathway is only an associate pathway, and there’s so much pressure to get a bachelor’s degree,” Avery said. “But something that Georgia Highlands prepared me for and encouraged was the real-world experience. Get that associate degree, start your business, get out there and start doing it. I feel like because of that, I was prepared to go outside of my comfort zone and just get started.”
