As entrepreneurs, we love to take a little inspiration from other innovators and business leaders out there. Rarely though do we turn to those younger than us but, in fact, we can also learn a lesson or two from some of the world’s most successful kid entrepreneurs. After all, some of them are leading the way in their industry before they’ve even hit the age of 16 – just like Richard Branson once was (and still is).
There’s no doubting the determination to succeed from these kid entrepreneurs, but paired with their passion and eagerness to succeed, it’s easy to see how they can inspire us on our entrepreneurial journeys.
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Henry Patterson
Henry started his first business venture when he was just 10 years old. Not Before Tea, a lifestyle brand for children in the UK, launched in 2014 and is the fastest growing children’s lifestyle brand in the country.
Henry Patterson is now 15-years-old and believes it’s important for all children to learn about the value of money from a young age. This kidpreneur has since released an entrepreneurial children’s book (Young and Mighty) to inspire children all over the world. Henry’s passion for business is inspiring to say the least.
Alina Morse
Have you ever heard of the brand Zollipops? These popular, sugar-free lollipops were a game-changing idea by seven year old Alina Morse. After discovering her favourite sugary sweets were bad for her teeth, Alina wondered why there were no sugar-free alternatives out there… so she created one. Alina’s story goes to show, if a solution doesn’t already exist to your problem why not simply create one?
Since creating Zollipops in 2014, the sweetened lollipops are now sold in major supermarkets and online retailers across the US, including Amazon, Walmart and Whole Foods Market.
Robert Nay
Robert created his first iPhone game at the age of 14 by writing 4,000 lines of code. Bubble Ball, was downloaded more than two million times within the first two weeks of its launch – pretty impressive for a 14-year-old. The game even knocked Angry Birds off the number 1 downloaded spot on the Apple app store!
Robert told CNN: “’You can do amazing things if you just try.” With coding becoming more accessible for children (pretty much anyone with a computer can try their hand at it) who knows what kidpreneurs of the future could be developing!
Isabella Rose Taylor
Isabella began her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 12. While most children were concerned about playing with their toys and hanging out with friends, Isabella started to build her own fashion business after discovering her pure talent for sewing. Fast forward a few years later and this kidpreneur was even selling her own clothing line at Nordstrom!
Since then, she has gone on to study at Parson School of Design (graduating at the age of 16 with a degree in Fashion Marketing), shortly followed by a trip to the prestigious New York University. If you’re an entrepreneur in the fashion industry, you might have seen Isabella featured in the likes of Teen Vogue or even Entrepreneur magazine. We can certainly admire her dedication to her business at just 12-years-old. And, although this kidpreneur might have made a few sacrifices throughout her childhood, these sacrifices have made her what she is today.
Feeling inspired?
If the likes of Henry, Alina, Robert and Isabella have inspired you, why not get started with your business idea today? After all, if these kid entrepreneurs can do it, why can’t you?
Make sure you’ve got some highly skilled individuals to support you on your journey. Not necessarily as business partners, but there are established businesses out there already (such as accountants for entrepreneurs or financial advisors) that can help you make the right financial decisions. Don’t forget to read out guide on raising funds for startups.
About Carson Derrow
