Awesome Entrepreneurs by Anna Stoltz

Zolli Candy- Alina Morse’s

28stoltza — 2023-11-13 21:37:36 UTC

At age 7, Alina Morse went to the bank with her father. The worker there offered her a lollipop, but she declined — The experience sparked an idea: why not make candy that tastes great and is good for your teeth? Zollipops were made, and before long, Zolli Candy was sold in stores across the country. Since then, Morse has expanded the vegan, sugar-free, tooth-friendly candy line to include taffy and drops.

Hannah Grace — BeYOUtiful

28stoltza — 2023-11-13 21:42:28 UTC

After being challenged by her father to create the same products she loved from her favorite health and beauty stores, Hannah Grace got to work. She quickly learned how to make bath bombs and soon started her own bath and beauty brand, BeYOUtiful. You can find her products on her website and in retail stores. Grace, who has type 1 diabetes, donates 10 percent of every online purchase to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund.

Maddie Rae — Maddie Rae’s Slime Glue

28stoltza — 2023-11-13 21:43:07 UTC

Slime has taken the kid world by storm and Maddie Rae has been on the forefront of the trend. As slime took off in 2017, Rae, a slime fan, began having a hard time finding glue (a necessary slime ingredient) in stores. She took matters into her own hands and worked with her dad to develop their own glue, optimized for slime production. Soon, Rae expanded her online store to feature a range of slime, slime glue, and slime accessories. Since 2017, she has broken world slime records and held a slime conference called “Slime Bash” in addition to making content on YouTube and TikTok. Her products can be found online and in stores.

Brandon and Sebastian Martinez — Are You Kidding

28stoltza — 2023-11-13 21:44:44 UTC

Brothers Brandon Martinez and Sebastian Martinez design and sell their colorful socks to elevate people’s style while also helping a wide range of charitable causes. Proceeds from their charity collections go to nonprofits including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Amigos for Kids, and many pediatric cancer organizations. In 2014, Are You Kidding also launched its “Kids Helping Kids” initiative and began partnering with schools across the United States to provide socks and other tools for school fundraisers.

Mikaila Ulmer — Me & the Bees Lemonade

28stoltza — 2023-11-13 21:46:51 UTC

At age 4, Mikaila Ulmer needed an idea for a children’s business competition she had entered. Two events inspired her: She was stung by a bee and, around the same time, a family member sent Mikaila her great-grandmother Helen’s recipe for flaxseed lemonade. Ulmer decided to create a product that would help the honeybees and that utilized her Granny Helen’s lemonade recipe. She added honey to the mix and founded Me & the Bees Lemonade. For over a decade, the company has produced delicious lemonades and donated 10 percent of profits to bee conservation.

Maya Penn — Maya’s Ideas

28stoltza — 2023-11-13 21:47:53 UTC

Maya Penn founded Maya’s Ideas in 2008 when she was just 8 years old. The company sells sustainably produced fashion accessories and has been ahead of the curve with regard to the “slow fashion” movement. Penn is not only the company’s designer but also its CEO. Today, Penn has become an environmental activist, writer and speaker who has given several TED Talks.

Cory Nieves — Mr. Cory’s Cookies

28stoltza — 2023-11-13 21:48:42 UTC

When Cory Nieves was 6 years old, he was tired of taking the bus to school. To afford a car, Nieves began a series of businesses to start saving up. The enterprising Nieves initially sold hot cocoa and lemonade, but before long he began a journey to create the perfect chocolate chip cookie using all-natural ingredients. After some trial and error, Nieves and his mother, Lisa, perfected their recipe and Mr. Cory’s Cookies was born. The pair expanded their cookie repertoire and developed several new flavors. Nieves has worked with Whole Foods, Williams Sonoma, J. Crew, and Pottery Barn. He has also partnered with several nonprofits in the New York City area.