Mahtomedi Alumna Mentors Aspiring Student Entrepreneur
Maddie McMahon, a Class of 2022 Mahtomedi High School alumna, owns and operates The Wild Bean Mahtomedi. She purchased the shop during her senior year at Mahtomedi High School. She has been sharing her expertise as a business owner through career talks with our middle and high school students and in a recent mentorship opportunity.
When Class of 2024 student Tori Jespersen wanted to take her business experience to the next level and host a pop-up coffee shop at MHS, she contacted McMahon. Tori used the business skills she’d acquired at school and through the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) to develop this student-led initiative. Tori managed the business communications, project management, staffing, and supplies for the event. Ms. Annie Dahl supervised these academic components of the project. McMahon agreed to host the pop-up and committed to giving half of the proceeds to DECA to assist Tori in attending the national competition, which she recently qualified to attend. Tori will be attending Oklahoma State University, studying marketing management and entrepreneurship. Tori shared this about the impact of mentorship in this project, “I loved learning from an alumna. I appreciated seeing her business process, and I’m inspired to start a business, too. Maddie is filled with such ambition.”
The pop-up coffee shop event was held before school and during the first, second, Flex, and third periods. During that time, students could purchase pastries and coffee, hot chocolate, crafted coffee, and energy drinks. The shop was staffed by Mahtomedi students and assisted by McMahon and another Wild Bean staffer. McMahon held informational sessions with classes who visited the pop-up, sharing her story about how she became a business owner. Students asked her about the business and job interview tips. Over 300 students visited the pop-up shop during the event.
McMahon shared this about the experience, “I feel connected to MHS, and I’m trying to give back more. I was in their shoes two years ago. It’s important for students to hear from people who have recently entered the workforce.”