They say necessity is the mother of invention. For Ball State University sophomore Lydia Greene, that sentiment holds true. Ms. Greene, a marketing student, decided to get creative to help cover tuition costs, so she turned to her entrepreneurial spirit to pay for school.

And of all things, she turned to chunky blankets.

“I started my blanket business on a whim,” Ms. Greene said. “My mom found a video on how to make them and I thought that others may enjoy a blanket.”

A self-professed “non-creative” person, Ms. Greene put her basic sewing skills to use in creating Chunky Blankets by Lydia. What she considers a lack in overall creativity, she makes up for in understanding what people want.

Ms. Greene credits her family for instilling an understanding of hard work and that nothing is ever handed to her. Their encouragement and support led her to Ball State, where she is a student first.

“I love how the class sizes are small, so you get the one-on-one attention that many students need to thrive,” Ms. Greene said. “I get the freedom to work where and when I want to, so I’m able to have another job and still complete all of my schoolwork and make the dean’s list here.”

Ball State has also taken notice of Ms. Greene’s start-up business. Dr. Kesha Coker, assistant professor of Marketing at the University, thinks Ms. Greene’s endeavor is authentic, innovative, and sustainable.

“Lydia embodies the heart of Ball State’s Department of Marketing,” Dr. Coker said. “We’re all about putting marketing into practice for successful real-world solutions to meet customer needs. I can see her authenticity shining in her storytelling of her blanket-making journey. In this way, Lydia’s business endeavor is also an authentic reflection of the Ball State Spirit of Beneficence.”

With a goal to be a social marketer, Ms. Greene would ultimately like to market for an animal rescue. She sees social media as a necessity in her generation’s future and wants to present content using the ever-changing form of communication.

As for Ms. Greene’s advice for her fellow Ball State entrepreneurs, it’s as simple as her blankets.

“Do what you love. Don’t let others tear you down for being a little different for doing what makes you happy,” she said.