Maddie Bradshaw is a young 16 year old girl who took her ideas and turned them into revenue by creating a business called Snap Cap. Snap Caps are necklaces with a bottle cap as the pendant.
This business all started when she was just 10 years old and wanted a way to better and more original way to decorate her school locker. Her Uncle, who just so happened to have an old Coke bottle machine, gave her 50 bottle caps which she then decided to decorate herself and put magnets on them. Maddie instantly started a new hip trend and all of her friends were asking her to make them some as well.
Their enthusiasm further inspired Maddie to build her business to the necklace making business, which is what she is focusing on as of now. The Snap Caps can have possible themes of people initials, music stares, and even fairy tales.
She placed 50 of these necklaces in a local toy store and all of her products sold out within two hours, and after investing $300 of her own money to get the business started, she made her first million dollars at the age of 13.
Maddie recently launched a new line of necklaces called “Spark of Life,” which is geared more towards an older group, teenagers. She understands that her customers tastes will change over the years, just as her own do. That being said, she plans to continue to change and add to different product lines as her own desires and interests change.
The reason Maddie has been so successful is because she is not settling. She is always looking for ways to grow and expand her business in order to satisfy her target market.
Thank you for sharing this story! It is a great reminder how easily a small idea like decorating your locker can turn into such a successful business! We always think that million dollar businesses start from some big idea, but Maddie’s story is a great reminder that that is generally not the case. Maddies has realized the importance of innovation and change in her business, and her success is reflecting that. Way to go Maddie!
I like how she is not just sticking with her one idea to make it in the business world, but she is constantly changing with the market. We’ve heard of many ideas in class that have made it big but then the entrepreneur has trouble making the next idea because they’ve put so much focus and energy into perfecting the first. She has a great business and I hope it continues to grow!
bottle caps definitely aren’t my thing, but more power to her. A business that appeals to her and has a relatively easy concept.