Chloe Paulk ‘26 started her first business, “Chloe’s Sweets,” selling baked goods when she was a 10-year-old saving up for a car once she turned 16. But what started as a side gig became a passion project that Paulk has carried throughout grade school and college.
Her business has transformed into a ingredient-conscious cake mix business to fill an accessibility gap she saw in rural Georgia.
To suit those needs, the marketing and entrepreneurship double-major started a new venture, "Cake It With Chloe," in 2019 that specializes in gluten-free cake mixes. Her mixes, which she released to the public in 2024, are now sold at 15 specialty retail stores and 10 Piggly Wiggly grocery locations across Georgia. They are also sold online via her website
Paulk’s business hit a turning point in 2020, when she developed a gluten allergy.
“Running a baked goods business when you can’t eat flour proved to be difficult,” Paulk said.
She became more attuned to accessibility issues that coincide with food allergies, especially in rural areas and food deserts.
“I have this belief that everyone deserves a piece of cake, regardless of dietary restrictions,” Paulk, who later transformed this sentiment into her business slogan, said. “I suddenly knew that I had to reinvent my business, because I knew that there was a real need for people who were in my situation.”
“I could also see it evolving not just as a cake mix business, but as an opportunity to help mentor younger entrepreneurs," Chloe Paulk '26 said. The young business owner hopes to use her experiences to help others learn how to be more accommodating to those with dietary restrictions. Photo provided by Chloe Paulk.
Paulk pivoted from whole baked goods to gluten-free cake mixes during her sophomore year at Mercer. She began experimenting with ingredients in her kitchen and said she spent seven months refining her product before her first sale.
“I was working pretty closely with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to make sure everything was up to code and that my product was safe for consumption,” Paulk said. “I asked a lot of questions and made lots of connections to get the mix out there.”
One of Paulk’s closest mentors as a student entrepreneur was Briana Stenard, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship and MBA program director for the Stetson-Hatcher School of Business. Stenard primarily works at Mercer’s Atlanta campus, but has maintained a close relationship with Paulk through virtual mentorship and entrepreneurship practicums.
The pair first met when Paulk pitched Cake It with Chloe at Mercer’s Elevator Pitch competition, winning first place as a freshman.
“I noticed right away Chloe’s confidence and passion during her pitch,” Stenard said. “She was absolutely exceptional. From then on out, I built a really close relationship with her as a mentor and business advisor.”
Paulk has remained an active member of campus while running her business, serving in leadership roles in the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, working as a Mercer Ambassador and traveling to Rwanda as part of a Mercer on Mission trip.
“It is challenging to balance being a college student, doing all the things, and running a business, but there is a much stronger support system for student entrepreneurs today,” Paulk said. “I got a lot of support from the communities I surrounded myself with.”
She said her entrepreneurial journey was enhanced by her commitments as a college student.
“Something that I'll hear people say is, ‘It's so hard to be a student entrepreneur, you should wait until you know everything,” Paulk said. “I actually say that being a student entrepreneur is the prime time to start a company. You have so much help and so many resources at your fingertips, all you have to do is ask and reach out about it.”
She is currently a student founder and social media content creator intern for Georgia FLEX, a program that engages high school students in the business world through experiences and mentorships.
“Chloe exemplifies a truly well-rounded student, balancing her campus involvement, working for FLEX and her own company, all while maintaining academic excellence with a stellar GPA,” Stenard said.
Paulk plans to continue growing Cake It with Chloe after she graduates from Mercer as she pursues a master's degree in business administration. She plans to expand her product line and use her platform as an educational space to help businesses better accommodate those with dietary restrictions.
Hannah Mock ‘28 is a communications and graphic design double major at Mercer and is currently a staff writer for The Mercer Cluster. When she’s not at a coffee shop catching up on her studies, Hannah is working on her latest artistic projects or out hiking a new nature trail. Her favorite things to write about include arts and culture, social issues and community accomplishments.
