Madison Hamilton, a junior marketing and entrepreneurship student, at Samford University’s Brock School of Business is a member of the Samford Startup student business incubator program. Founder of Stitched By Madison, Hamilton won the national round of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), advancing to the North America Regionals in Chicago where she will compete in March.
GSEA is a multi-round competition for student entrepreneurs worldwide, with participants progressing from local, regional and national rounds in an effort to reach the global finals.
"In each round, you pitch not only your business but also yourself as an entrepreneur," Hamilton said. "Competing so far has been exciting, emotional and incredibly challenging. Being up against such impressive student entrepreneurs pushed me in ways I never could have expected. I have believed in my business for a long time, but GSEA has shown me that other people believe in it too, which has been really special.”
Hamilton's involvement in GSEA began through the Samford Startup program, led by Matt Mazzei, faculty adviser for the program and chair of the entrepreneurship, management and marketing department. As part of the program, all cohort members were required to apply for the competition. At the time, she completed the application without fully understanding the scope of the opportunity. Looking back, she describes that step as one of the most significant decisions she has made for her business.
Her competition pitch reflects both the story and strategy behind Stitched By Madison. “My pitch focuses on the story behind Stitched By Madison and my journey as an entrepreneur. I highlight how Stitched By Madison is not just selling sorority products, it is building connection, identity and sisterhood through pieces that feel personal and meaningful,” she explained. “I also highlight the scalability of licensed sorority merchandise and my vision to become a leading brand in sorority apparel. There is a huge market for sorority apparel, and I know that firsthand because I am part of the community I serve. I am also transparent about the challenges I have faced and the lessons I have learned while building the business. I think judges really connect with both the traction and the honesty behind my journey.”
Hamilton’s preparation reflects Brock School of Business’ commitment to experiential learning and career preparation. Through coursework in marketing and entrepreneurship, she has refined her branding, positioningand growth strategy while directly applying those lessons to her own company. Faculty mentorship and the structure of the Samford Startup program have provided accountability, feedback and encouragement as she balances academic responsibilities with business operations.
"The mentorship and encouragement from my professors have been incredible,” Hamilton said. “They have been so supportive when I have had to travel for pitch competitions, and many of them have even offered guidance along the way. People sometimes ask why I am still in college when I am already building my business, but the truth is I would not be where I am today without Samford and the opportunities it has given me.”
As she prepares for the North America Regionals, Hamilton remains focused on growth and continued development as a business leader.
"I am most excited to continue building relationships with other entrepreneurs at GSEA,” she said “Being in rooms with people who are building innovative businesses is super motivating. Of course, my big goal is to advance to the global finals. In the past, I never would have imagined making it this far, but now I truly believe I can keep going. No matter the outcome, this experience has already been one of the greatest gifts in my entrepreneurial journey, and I am so grateful for how much it has helped me grow.”
Hamilton’s success is a testament to Samford's national rankings: ranked #3 for career preparation and #7 for student learning opportunities by The Wall Street Journal (2026).
