From donuts to dollars

Long before the donut was getting the cover treatment on Epicurious Magazine, Jordan Cash was dreaming of connecting the humble treat with a whole new class of consumers. All he needed was the business acumen to match his entrepreneurial ambition.

The UBC MBA, ranked among the top 45 Global Elite (QS Global 250 Business Schools Report 2016-17), gave him all that and more.

Today, Jordan is reshaping Vancouver’s foodie scene with his ever-expanding gourmet donut empire.

During his 16-month MBA program, Jordan immersed himself in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship career track where his Creativity class proved to be a turning point.

Here, Jordan and his classmates were challenged to do something related to creativity or marketing in some way. The only requirement? It had to be something new, something they’d never done before.

Jordan chose to test the viability of a gourmet donut business.

“I was taught to challenge what I was seeing as the norm, not only how to make a better product, but how to build a culture around it,” Jordan says.

Needless to say, these early tests were a hit with his professors and fellow students.

“I felt a lot of support from my cohort,” Jordan says. “It was their encouragement that convinced me to explore my business idea further.”

UBC Sauder taught me how to strategize like an industry leader. It helped me build a foundation for the business I would launch after the program.

Armed with the business acumen he gained in the UBC MBA program, Jordan took the natural next step upon graduation: launching Cartems Donuterie to a wider audience. To test everything from the donuts to operations to marketing, Jordan started Cartems as a pop-up shop. As demand grew, he opened a standalone location, then another and another, expanding into wholesale along the way.

“UBC Sauder taught me how to research whether an idea is viable or not and strategize like a CEO,” Jordan says. “With that knowledge, I was able to start building the foundation for everything I’ve been able to accomplish since.”

Today, Jordan has grown Cartems Donuterie into a beloved destination for local and visiting foodies alike, with dozens of employees and growth potential that far exceeds the city limits.