A passion for entrepreneurship
by Michelle Mondo
Ben Hodge’s growth as an entrepreneur has roots in his family tree that has branched into his second year as a student in the Online MBA for Professionals program at the St. Mary’s University Greehey School of Business.
His entrepreneurial journey began in 2011, when Hodge, who had a bachelor’s in Anthropology and an associate’s in Physical Therapy assistance, moved to San Antonio to care for his ailing grandfather. During that time, he managed his family’s 300-acre ranch in Kingsbury, along with other real estate properties owned by his parents and grandfather. Aside from taking care of cattle, the experience taught him about tax and business structures and maximizing time and processes.
He assisted his family in creating the Delta Hodge Ranch and the Hodge Trust to help manage the finances of the ranching and real estate endeavors.
“I was giving shots and vaccines to the cows then splintering off to corporations and trusts,” he said. “But that’s my experience. It’s very hands-on.”
That hands-on business training took off when Hodge’s job booking music acts for a bar in San Marcos sparked an idea for a booking service, which he named EEVET. He learned coding and software development. The goal was to match bands with places to perform. In 2017, he attended the Collision Conference and Project Music in Nashville, Tenn., and was awarded $40,000 in financing and another $350,000 in sponsorships.
Nashville turned out to be a setback as well. Corporate leaders were not as interested in the platform as Hodge thought they would be. He prefers not to think about the app being ahead of its time.
“I think about it more that I had to persevere,” he said.
Everything he learned from that experience funneled into him helping more relatives and friends become better business owners. He cofounded Thyme Digital, a data-driven marketing service. As he worked more with data and on digital transformation in Bexar County, Hodge realized he had holes in his knowledge. He also is convinced of the importance of understanding how to use statistics and data analytics. And his AI-powered artist booking platform, as part of EEVET, is looking more prescient.
Experiential learning
He decided it was time to go back to school. In 2023, Hodge began the St. Mary’s Online MBA for Professionals program with a concentration in Data Analytics. He chose the program because it fits well into his work schedule and family obligations as a father and husband.
He gained opportunities he never expected in what his professor has called “value-added events.”
“The Online MBA Program has been extraordinarily experiential,” Hodge said.
His latest opportunity was attending an on-campus event with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. He has also met former San Antonio Spurs player David Robinson and his son, David Robinson Jr., and other business leaders.
“St. Mary’s made the program a very special time when it could have just been night school,” he said.
Sergio Palacios, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management and Interim Director of Graduate Programs at the business school nominated Hodge for the Texas Business Hall of Fame Future Texas Business Legend Award. Palacios first met the man who would become his student years earlier “in the San Antonio entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
“I quickly recognized his drive and passion for innovation,” Palacios said. “Ben is deeply committed to serving our community, always striving to make a positive impact. His dedication to creating a better world, combined with his remarkable adaptability and willingness to embrace change, truly embodies our Marianist values.”
Hodge’s next year in the program holds even more promise. He received the Legend Award of $15,000 to be used on business expenses or tuition for his outstanding achievements and commitment to making a difference in his community.
“The Online MBA Program has been extraordinarily experiential.”
— Ben Hodge
He plans on graduating in 2025 after yet another aspect of the program he is eager to experience — a trip to South Korea to study international business with the MBA Program.
Hodge wants other entrepreneurs who may learn something from his own path to remember that even setbacks have a purpose.
“Be passionate about it,” Hodge said. “After meeting extraordinary people at St Mary’s, I’ve noticed they all have the same advice. … Don’t give up on what you want.”
