About — Vol. I
A house for young makers.
The Foundry is a curated initiative inside The Influencer Network — a studio, a school, and a marketplace where young creators learn to build, lead, and sell their own work with intention.
Origin
It began at a kitchen table.
The Foundry started with seven teenagers and a folding table at a Saturday market. They sold ceramics they had made in a backyard kiln. By the end of the day, they had a waiting list.
What we noticed wasn't the sales. It was the way they stood differently behind their own work. The way they spoke about price. The way they answered questions about their craft. Something was forming.
Today, The Foundry runs cohorts of young creators across the South, holds quarterly markets, and is building a permanent studio house. The mission has stayed the same: hand a young person a real tool, a real circle, and a real stage — and trust what they do with it.
The Six Pillars
What we teach, and how we teach it.
N° I
Creativity
Studio practice is treated like a discipline. Our creators ship real work, not assignments.
N° II
Leadership
Older creators mentor younger ones. Authorship is taught early and out loud.
N° III
Entrepreneurship
Pricing, margins, contracts, and brand — taught beside the kiln, the sewing table, the bench.
N° IV
Financial Literacy
Earnings are theirs. We teach how to save it, invest it, and let it compound.
N° V
Mentorship
A circle of working artists, founders, and elders show up monthly. Not for a photo. For the work.
N° VI
Community Impact
Our markets feed local economies. Our cohorts return as mentors. The work travels home.
Our People
Powered by The Influencer Network.
The Foundry is the youth initiative of The Influencer Network — a community of working creatives, founders, and culture-makers who agreed to show up consistently for the generation behind them.
Join the circle →
A real circle, on a real schedule.
Studio days every Saturday. Financial mentorship once a month. Market activations quarterly. Showcases twice a year. The calendar is the curriculum.