3 Young Entrepreneurs Changing the Narrative of Entrepreneurship
When it comes to starting a business, there are always obstacles. But some people are willing to face these challenges and make sacrifices for their dreams.
These young entrepreneurs have proven that age is not a barrier to success. They have a passion for their ideas and have worked hard to turn them into reality.
Sydney and Toni Loew
For many people, launching a business isn’t easy. But for kids, teens and college students, starting a startup may seem like a breeze. These entrepreneurs have access to audiences they wouldn’t otherwise reach, and are reshaping commerce trends.
Whether it’s in the classroom or their dorm room, these young entrepreneurs are building their businesses from the ground up. They have the power to change their industry and inspire future entrepreneurs.
Sydney and Toni Loew launched their company, Poketti, in 2013. What started as a project idea for their 7th grade entrepreneurial class at The Girls’ Middle School and Castilleja school in Palo Alto, CA has grown into a full-scale product line of plush animal characters with “pocket powers” to inspire confidence, kindness, curiosity and more. They are currently a team of three and are working hard to bring their dreams to life.
Robert Felder
Whether they are transforming the world through their innovations or simply changing the way we think, entrepreneurs are often seen as heroes in our society. These titans of industry have shaped the current narrative around entrepreneurship and created an era where people are choosing to become their own bosses.
Entrepreneurs often spend years planning and researching their business ideas. This involves analyzing market trends, conducting competitor analysis and identifying consumer needs. It also requires a great deal of creative thinking and the ability to see beyond the present.
Robert Felder, founder of Bearbottom Clothing, began his entrepreneurial journey after a trip to Bangladesh in 2012. The poverty he saw there inspired him to create a company that would provide both jobs and clothing. His one-for-one model has since grown to include more than 100,000 pairs of pants. He is now an expert in DTC/e-commerce supply chain, product development and fulfillment/warehousing. He specializes in social entrepreneurship, bootstrapped business growth and international partnerships.
Mikaila Ulmer
Mikaila Ulmer is a 16-year old student, bee ambassador, author and social entrepreneur who launched her own lemonade brand that donates a portion of sales to save the world’s pollinators. Her wildly successful lemonade business started out as a humble lemonade stand outside her home in Austin, Texas.
A bee sting at age four motivated her to learn more about bees, and ultimately inspired her to launch Me & the Bees Lemonade—a mission-driven brand that aims to save the world’s pollinators through sustainable farming practices.
D’Andra brings over 30 years of public relations and strategic communications experience – both agency and client side to the table for Me & the Bees Lemonade. Whether it’s managing media interviews for Mikaila, handling awards submissions or executing marketing campaigns, she is committed to ensuring that the Me & the Bees message reaches all audiences. She also serves as the lead for all customer support and social responsibility efforts for the company and Healthy Hive Foundation.
Isabella Rose Taylor
When most kids her age are prancing around middle school talking about cooties, math homework and the latest Lizzie McGuire episode, Isabella Rose Taylor is designing her own line of clothing. The Austin-based fashion wunderkind has already won awards and showered the local style scene with praise. Her eponymous line, described as hippie-grunge, yet feminine, is being sold in Nordstrom this back-to-school season.
Taylor got her start at a sewing camp when she was eight. She began creating pieces for herself, and when her friends asked for their own, she started producing clothes on commission.
Taylor’s success caught the attention of New York-based entrepreneur Liza Deyrmenjian, who runs Fashion Accelerator 360, a business-coaching firm that helps emerging designers. She helped Taylor build the right buzz so a larger retailer would take notice. This led to appearances on NBC’s Today and Steve Harvey and the launch of her juniors line at Nordstrom. The collection includes 15 pieces priced between $20 and $100.