Editor's note: Each year, DC Inno and the Washington Business Journal spotlight some of the region’s top young innovators under the age of 25, and this year we’re featuring a diverse group of nine disruptors, philanthropists and venture capital enthusiasts determined to shake up the status quo. Click here to read the other profiles.
Brooke Hodge, CEO, co-founder, Georgetown Reuse
- Age: 21
- Hometown: Woodside, California
- College: Georgetown University, class of 2024
- Major: Science, technology and international affairs
- First job: Food runner
Tell us a bit about your business: Georgetown Reuse is a nonprofit that works to increase accessibility, reduce waste and promote a circular system of consumption on college campuses by providing affordable and pre-loved clothing, school supplies and dorm materials to students and community members. We created Georgetown Reuse in 2022 [because] moving onto a college campus is costly, taxing and unsustainable. The average U.S. student spent $1,200 on dorm materials and school supplies in 2021 and, to access these goods, students have to commute to distant department stores or rely on online alternatives and unreliable university mail systems. The Georgetown student body produces over 4 million pounds of waste each year, mostly around spring move-out, when students throw out [everything] from dorm items to textbooks to electronics. The items that we have seen left behind in dumpsters, such as mini-fridges or storage bins, are often in good condition.
What was your inspiration for idea? In 2021, the six co-founders of Georgetown Reuse met in Georgetown’s environmentalist club. While we were brought together due to our shared motivation to make our campus more sustainable, our inspiration for creating Georgetown Reuse stemmed from our lived experiences on campus. We started by hosting small-scale clothing swaps. After witnessing the success of these swaps, we applied for a grant through the Earth Commons at Georgetown to collect some larger items during move out to be stored over the summer and sold to students in the fall.
Who are your customers? While the majority of our customers are students, our team is working to ensure that our products and services are accessible to the entire DMV community.
How does the business generate revenue? Georgetown Reuse generates revenue by selling second-hand clothing, school supplies, and dorm items at pop-up sales. Our most lucrative sales are during move-in, but the majority of our revenue comes from our weekly pop-up sales at the Georgetown Farmers Market.
What funding have you received to date? The majority of our fundraising has come from pitch competitions that various co-founders have participated in, which have provided us with $36,250 in funding.
What has been your biggest challenge? The biggest challenge was staying motivated throughout the first six months before knowing if we would ever be able to sell on campus. In the fall of 2022 after incorporating Georgetown Reuse, we determined that the only way we could receive permission to sell items on campus was by becoming a farmers market vendor. To do that, we needed licensing and insurance. The journey to become an approved vendor on campus was the most difficult thing we have done. We hit roadblock after roadblock and until winning Rocket Pitch in February, we had no funding to pay for necessary background checks, certifications, licensing costs, and insurance.
Where do you see yourself five years from now? I hope to be pursuing a career where I am meaningfully contributing to climate mitigation and the international energy transition.
