ALL THINGS WPC

Skip-NN'-Hole pool game
W. P. Carey senior ‘skips’ ahead
Career Sun Devil Stories

Jaron Lodge (BS Business Entrepreneurship ’21) has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. At age 15, the enterprising W. P. Carey senior started a dogsitting business. After stints working at Subway and Ashley Furniture in his late teens, he knew he wanted to create another business.

Not one to take any shortcuts, Lodge understood the necessity of being an entrepreneur is to be a “jack of all trades.” He explains, “I don’t try to master anything besides being an entrepreneur, which means knowing a little about a bunch of different things.”

In his case, Lodge used his time working other jobs to build the background he needed to be successful. “My experience at Subway gave me customer service skills. My time at Ashley Furniture helped me understand warehousing and inventory management. I also knew that the most successful entrepreneurs are good salespeople.” So, Lodge decided to hone those skills with a stint selling solar panels door-to-door in the Valley.

With many versatile skills in hand, Lodge was ready to launch Skip-NN’-Hole, a pool game best described as skipping stones meets cornhole.

One thing he appreciated about W. P. Carey and ASU was his access to the Makerspace in the ASU Library. There, Lodge used the 3D printer to perfect the “stones” for his game. He even got design assistance from the world champion stone skipper, whose record is a whopping 88 skips.

Lodge also participated in Venture Devils, where he has won several competitions totaling $23,000 to propel his business forward. Combined with a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Skip-NN’-Hole game set, separate skipping stones, and stones made for playing fetch with dogs are all available for purchase at stonnestore.com.

“I have a ton of gratitude to the whole ASU entrepreneurship community,” he says. “The mentorship and encouragement I’ve received here has been invaluable to my success.”
“I have a ton of gratitude to the whole ASU entrepreneurship community,” he says. “The mentorship and encouragement I’ve received here has been invaluable to my success.”