Since she was young, Annie Hoyt (Fashion Textile Management ‘25) had a passion for sewing. At 14, she started her first business, Annie Elizabeth, making A-line reversible dresses for young girls.

While her first business may have failed, she learned two things: she loved sewing and was determined not to let rules get in the way of her passion. Hoyt knew she wanted to be in charge of her business, and her discipline sparked a journey into entrepreneurship.

From high school to college

After graduating high school in 2020, Hoyt took a gap year to start her sustainable clothing brand, DENI. She created a pattern for her ruffle skirt and started developing inventory. She sold to local stores, such as Vermillion, and through her website.

During the gap year, Hoyt’s mom encouraged her to go to college. And that is how she found herself at Wilson College of Textiles, majoring in fashion design.

However, she quickly realized that this studio-intensive major did not allow her to continue working on DENi as she had hoped. Instead, she switched to a fashion textile management major, which allowed her to learn more about business and marketing.

In her courses, Hoyt would use DENI as the foundation for her business-centered projects. This allowed her to create a stronger business model.

In her sophomore year, Andre West, a professor and the director of Zeis Textile Extension, advised Hoyt to work in the Wilson College of Textiles’ Flex Factory. This is just one way that faculty and staff in the college helped Hoyt on her entrepreneurial journey. “Wilson College of Textiles is great at highlighting an entrepreneurial spirit,” said Hoyt.

She participated in the Flex Factory Summer Innovation program, which provided mentorship and funding. In 2025, Hoyt participated in the Pitch to the Pack event and won the Most Innovative award.

Accelerating Forward

Going into the application process for the Andrews Launch Accelerator (ALA), Hoyt had no idea what to expect and was convinced she would not get a spot in the group. She was pleasantly surprised when she received the email confirming her spot in the 2025 ALA cohort.

Early on, she connected with Haley Huie, the director of the Entrepreneurship Clinic, which hosts the accelerator. Huie helped her set realistic goals to climb the ladder of success with DENI.

Hoyt reflected on the supportive community that she found within the ALA. She noted, while being supportive, “they are not afraid to tell you the truth.”

All the mentors Hoyt connected with in the program sat down with her afterward to talk about their successes and failures, offering her valuable advice. She said, “The coolest part was to sit down with people who are successful and have done great in their own entrepreneurial journey, and hear that they believed in me.”

While the resources to build entrepreneurial skills and funding to further her business were influential, Hoyt highlighted that the most beneficial part of the ALA program was “the new sense of confidence gained” and the mentors who emerged from the accelerator.

Navigating the accelerator’s resources, Hoyt realized she needed to find a manufacturer so she could make time for all the other hats she wears as a solopreneur. “It was hard to trust someone else with [my design]. Post-ALA and seeing the potential [for DENI], I felt ready to move to a manufacturer.” Hoyt is now working with a U.S. manufacturer to produce 600 units of her adjustable ruffle skirt.

Hoyt also noted that the accelerator connected her to the Raleigh Founded community, where she was given the opportunity to share her business at their pitch day event, Pitch Please, in October. Since then, she has connected with other groups in the Triangle.

Developing as an entrepreneur

Throughout her time at NC State and navigating many entrepreneurship programs, Hoyt reflected on the confidence she gained both personally and professionally. “Before I would tell people I sew, I make skirts,” said Hoyt, “now, that is my baseline. There is so much more I am capable of doing.”

Seeing others believe in and be excited about her idea helped Hoyt take DENI to the next level. Making the jump to manufacturing was intimidating, as she is bootstrapping her business, but the support and encouragement helped her push forward.

The entrepreneurial opportunities Hoyt pursued throughout college and after graduation helped her gain hands-on experience and continue developing professionally as an entrepreneur. She noted her confidence in her abilities when meeting with her team of interns, “entrepreneurial ideas come naturally, without a fear of failing.” 

“It is a different language, entrepreneurship. The seed was planted when I was young, and college continued to water it.”

The future of DENI

As Hoyt expects her first shipment of ruffle skirts from manufacturers, she is reaching out to store owners to secure placement for her designs.

Overall, she wants DENI to be a customer-focused business that makes people’s lives easier. Hoyt hopes to meet customers where they are and help them find a comfortable solution to an everyday problem.

Hoyt’s biggest dream is to have a store in Raleigh where she can meet with customers face-to-face alongside an online shop. She hopes for a workshop in the back that can be a resource for Wilson College of Textiles students for things such as pattern making, sewing, internships and more.

“It is about meeting those people, fostering creativity and making a sustainable solution in their lives,” said Hoyt.

To learn more, visit DENI’s website and Instagram.