April 28, 2025
Jack Dee '23 (Little Silver, New Jersey) and Will Simone '23 (Long Island, New York) were part of the freshman class that was cut short due to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon returning to Catholic University and the Busch School, they realized the resulting disconnect between college students and the community of businesses. The two began promoting restaurants and bars, helping to connect college students with one another and with businesses that were struggling to stay open. Soon after, Jack and Will realized communities needed a new way to connect altogether, leading to the development of Hoppin as a community building platform.
"Hoppin is a social map for activities on college campuses and in the surrounding communities", said Will, co-founder of Hoppin. "Hoppin began as a social platform for bar owners/managers to connect with community members, however [we] realized the possibility to implement Hoppin with the focus on enhancing campus life as well. This still allows Hoppin to benefit the community as a whole, but by instead targeting campuses directly Hoppin can reach students who have just moved to a new city, are eager to make friends and connect with their new community". On top of helping local businesses, Hoppin has a great potential to positively impact the retention and enrollment at universities. In a generation plagued by loneliness, Hoppin's potential to connect users with one another will help eery student feel that they belong and matter.
After graduation, the pair continue to be supported immensely by the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship and the VentureLab, providing much guidance, connection, and resources over the years and many iterations of their business.
"Starting your own business provides you with the opportunity to learn every aspect of an organization. Whether it is administrative (building a team, raising capital), marketing (generating content, building a user base), or sales (building a pipeline, pitching to customers), you have the opportunity to see/build the inner workings of every aspect of your company", adds Jack. Students can "Get Hoppin'" on the app and on Instagram.
What advice do these two young entrepreneur alumni have for current students? "Connect with your professors, the Ciocca Center, and fellow students who are passionate about the same things as you. The most powerful tool you have as a business is the team you can build. The only reason people fail in business is because they give up. There is always a new angle you can pivot to or a creative way around the roadblocks you are presented with."