When Bradley Stickley arrived at Clemson University’s MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program, he envisioned building a company that manufactured modular service trailers. Less than a year later, the Army veteran is graduating with a very different business and a growing customer base thanks to real-world testing at Clemson’s TD Saturday Market.
Stickley is the co-founder of Salamander’s Grove, a wellness company specializing in herbal products for skin and joint ailments. The business recently began selling directly to customers at the TD Saturday Market, a new opportunity that allows Clemson MBA students and alums to test products, engage with customers and gain real-world entrepreneurial experience.
Before enrolling at Clemson, Stickley spent five years in the Army, followed by five years working in the startup and venture capital sector. He wanted to formalize the lessons he had learned in startups while continuing to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, which drew him to Clemson’s one-year MBAe program. He came in with a strong vision. However, his experience in the program ultimately led him to reevaluate his original business concept.
The idea for Salamander’s Grove emerged unexpectedly after Stickley met a licensed acupuncturist who developed herbal wellness products. After experiencing the benefits of one of the remedies himself, the two partnered to launch the company. Today, Salamander’s Grove offers herbal wellness products and continues to develop new offerings inspired by traditional remedies and natural ingredients.
The TD Saturday Market allowed Stickley to take his business beyond the classroom and into the marketplace. Held at Experience Clemson, the market gives student entrepreneurs direct access to customers while allowing them to test pricing, refine messaging and gain hands-on sales experience. For Stickley, the experience quickly reinforced an important lesson. “You can have the world’s best product, but if people aren’t coming over to see it, it’s just going to sit there,” he said.
Interactions with customers, fellow students and Clemson faculty helped him sharpen both his sales approach and marketing strategy. During one of his first market appearances, support from Clemson students and faculty generated hundreds of dollars in sales while providing valuable feedback.
Stickley is one of several Clemson MBA students and alumni using the TD Saturday Market to bring business ideas beyond the classroom and into a public marketplace. The initiative gives participants an opportunity to engage directly with customers, test products and gain practical entrepreneurial experience. “Our goal is to create experiences that bridge the gap between learning and doing,” explains Jane Layton, Ph.D., Clemson Interim MBA Director.
“One of the advantages of having our campus in the heart of downtown Greenville is the ability to connect our students and alumni with real opportunities to engage the market,” she continues. “Whether someone is launching a new venture, testing a product idea, or growing an existing business, the Saturday Market provides a unique opportunity to move beyond the business plan and into the marketplace, where they can learn directly from customers, build confidence as entrepreneurs, and refine their ideas through real-world experience. We are grateful to Experience Clemson for helping make that possible and for supporting the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to thrive within our Clemson MBA community.”
While Stickley plans to pursue Salamander’s Grove full-time after graduation, he is just one example of how Clemson MBA students and alums are using the TD Saturday Market to transform ideas into businesses.
Throughout the market season, visitors can meet entrepreneurs from across the Clemson MBA community, learn about emerging ventures and support local businesses developed through the program’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
For Stickley, the experience has reinforced the value of taking an idea beyond the business plan and into the hands of real customers. “Startup is risky,” he said. “If you’re going to be an innovation and entrepreneurship student, embrace the risk and dive in.”
Community members are encouraged to visit Experience Clemson in downtown Greenville during the TD Saturday Market, held every Saturday from May through October, from 8 a.m. to noon, to meet Clemson MBA students and alumni as they test new ideas, engage with customers, and bring their entrepreneurial ventures to life.
Article authored by Drew Henry.
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