Ginette Rhodes

Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School

“I strive to live holistically with intellectual curiosity, purpose-driven passion, and an enduring commitment to gratitude.”

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was on the Rowing Team in high school and went to nationals in 2015!

Undergraduate School and Major: The Ohio State University BA Political Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Founder at Netty’s Juicery, www.nettysjuicery.com

What has been your favorite part of St. Louis so far? What makes St. Louis such a great place to earn an MBA? St. Louis is a city of historic charm, a soulful art scene, and emerging innovation. I love that my hometown is full of hidden gems, places that, once discovered, create a deep and lasting connection to the city’s roots. My favorite part of St. Louis, without question, is Forest Park. Forest Park is an eight-mile network of winding trails in the heart of the city, connecting the Art Museum, Zoo, the Muny, the Science Center, and the History Museum. It is also the historic site of the 1904 World’s Fair, which gives the park a sense of legacy and timelessness.

I could not imagine a better place to earn my MBA, especially as a founder. St. Louis is uniquely rich in resources for entrepreneurs. When you combine that with the support of Olin and the Skandalaris Center, you gain a powerful ecosystem that helps you build, scale, and confidently launch your venture.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Washington Olin’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?

As a small business owner actively strategizing how to scale my company, I was encouraged by Professor Gisele Marcus to apply for Olin’s MBA program because it could help refine my plan and position me for greater success. Shortly after, I vividly remember seeing a LinkedIn post announcing that Olin was ranked number one for entrepreneurship by Poets and Quants. That moment made everything click.

Seeing that article confirmed that pursuing my MBA at Olin was the most aligned and impactful next step for my journey as a founder.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Washington Olin? One of my most meaningful experiences so far has been making the WashU Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) team, where I will compete against graduate teams from around the world. Preparing for the competition has taught me to view the entrepreneurial journey through the lens of a venture capitalist, sharpening how I evaluate opportunities, assess risk, and understand what drives investor conviction. This perspective has already helped me refine Netty’s Juicery for future investment and growth. It has also sparked a genuine interest in venture capital, and I hope to one day help other founders secure the funding they need to mature into high-growth companies.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment has been launching Netty’s Juicery, a business inspired by my time studying holistic wellness in Colón, Panama. When I returned home, I realized how many people wanted to improve their health through cold-pressed juicing, but lacked the time or access to make it part of their routine. Building an e-commerce brand that ships handcrafted cold-pressed juices and a growing apothecary of artisan teas and herbs nationwide has allowed me to make healthy habits more accessible. Growing Netty’s Juicery from an idea into a functioning, scalable business has been the most meaningful and transformative achievement of my career.

Describe your biggest achievement in the MBA program so far: My biggest achievement in the MBA program so far was pitching Netty’s Juicery in the Skandalaris Venture Competition and advancing to the semifinal round. The competition felt like a mini–business accelerator. I refined my pitch deck with stronger data, incorporated new strategic insights, and conducted in-depth customer discovery. The latter revealed valuable information about my target customers’ needs, motivations, and decision-making. The experience not only provided feedback that elevated my venture for future funding, but also strengthened my confidence as a founder.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? My best memory as an MBA so far was attending a student lunch with Michael Dorf, the founder of City Winery, coordinated by Professor Doug Villhard. About ten of us had the rare opportunity to hear Michael share his entrepreneurial journey, from launching the Knitting Factory in 1986 to building City Winery into a nationally recognized brand with twelve locations. Listening to him speak openly about his challenges, breakthroughs, and long-term strategy was incredibly inspiring and energizing. Networking with such a visionary founder motivated me to keep pushing Netty’s Juicery to new heights. I left the lunch with a renewed clarity about the patience, authenticity, and determination required to scale a company.

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