Moziah Bridges, a Memphis native, had a dilemma that few 9 year olds would face at his age…no suitable bowties. Moziah wanted to fix this problem for himself and others, taking up sewing to learn how to create bowties. Moziah took scraps from his grandmother’s sewing projects and stitched them into bowties that aligned well with his style. Before long, “Mo’s Bows” was born, creating stylish bowties for a new generation of men, who wanted elaborate and creative designs to wear. As the business grew, Moziah began hiring employees to work for him as he began to expand the business further, even appearing on Shark Tank to pitch his product. Moziah truly came to fame when he crafted a tie for President Barak Obama in a special “Obama Blue” color. He also provided custom ties for 30 national basketball teams which further expanded the possibilities of his initial idea. Today, Mo’s Bows manufactures ties for Cole Haan, Bloomingdale’s, and Neiman Marcus, while also maintaining a site of their own for sales. What started as a simple problem for Moziah grew into a successful business that likely has strongly influenced the style of bowties now produced in America. His unwillingness to accept the styles sold in stores allowed Moziah to make a large print in the tie market and cultivate interest in his products for a wide variety of people. Not only did Moziah solve his own problem, but he likely satisfied the style needs of many of his customers, who would’ve likely never found what “worked” for them.

Mo’s Bows (mosbowsmemphis.com)

We often see cartoons and artistic renderings of people, whether it be on invitations, cards, and drawings. Something seemed different for Kamaria Warren, who at the age of 7 was out shopping for birthday invitations with her mother. One of the first things the duo noticed was the lack of invitations with African American girls on them. Upset by little inclusion in a world that puts equality on a pedestal, Kamaria with the help of her mother, who was a graphic designer, launched a line of products that included depictions of cheerful African American girls. No longer did these girls have to feel under-represented and could be validated with Kamaria’s products. From invitations, notebooks, purses, and party supplies, to dolls, Brown Girls Stationary fulfills the needs of African American girls and gives them purpose in the world. Kamaria’s company now employs 5 people and sells products on Shopify, Faire Marketplace, wholesale, and at local events. Sales generally include 10,000 notebooks, 2,500 notepads, and 1,500 backpacks each year. Sometimes, a small problem can turn into a business venture with great potential if the right action is taken. Where other designers may look away, a young mind can often see potential and explore that, which is what happened with Kamaria’s business. Kamaria can now inspire other young girls like her to find problems and fix them through good ideas and innovations.

Meet 11-year-old CEO of Brown Girls Stationery (today.com)

Candles are a popular way to create a warm ambiance in the room and give off a cheerful scent. While Grove City college dormitories prohibit the use of these, it’s generally accepted that candles have more feminine scents that women put in their homes for pleasure. While men will generally tolerate these, there has never been a market for masculine candles…until now. Hart Main, a 13 year old was fed up with the feminine scented candles his sister sold for a school fundraiser. With the help of his parents for startup funds, Hart began making candles that would please the senses of men, all because he wanted to save for a $1,500 bike. Hart’s desire for a bike led him to use his entrepreneurial mind to create a product that could be marketable for an unconventional demographic, called MansCans. Scents titled “campfire, bacon, sawdust, grandpa’s pipe, and fresh cut grass” sound like things a husband, dad, or grandparent would like, and joins brands like Dr. Squatch (Manufacturing masculine soap, deodorant, and shampoo) in marketing traditionally feminine products for men. Hart’s candles are now manufactured by the Beaver Creek Candle Company of Lisbon, Ohio by a disabled workforce. A portion of the proceeds, which exceed 6 figures annually are also donated to charities in the area. With humble beginnings, Hart Main took a unconventional approach to secure a bike, while unknowingly launching a successful company that now gives back to the community in many ways. Perhaps Hart has only tapped into the beginnings of a new market of products aimed at men, in an industry dominated by female buyers.

Hart Main, ManCans: 13-Year-Old Entrepreneur Invents Candles For Men | HuffPost Small Business

Have you ever stopped to think how different the world used to be when all music was on physical media like records, tapes, and CDs? This was how the world was in 2006, when at the age of 23, entrepreneur Daniel Ek founded Spotify, a music streaming service that completely transformed the distribution of music. No longer was it required to have a physical copy of a song, when it could be acquired on Spotify. In 2018, Spotify was offered to the public and the impact of such a service was really seen. Instead of royalties being collected from individual downloads, users now listen to advertisements or pay for ad-free subscriptions and listen to whatever music they desire. Ek correctly figured this would work out to significant earnings for musicians. Despite being so young, Daniel had an ambition for easier access of music, that allowed people to experience the gift of music without paying for individual downloads or physical media. He upset an industry that for decades relied on the individual sale of physical songs and albums, forever changing the essence of the longstanding music industry as a 23 year old.

Spotify – Wikipedia

Adelle Archer co-founded a company called Eterneva, which specializes in turning cremated pet and human remains into diamonds. Archer first thought of Eterneva when she lost a close friend to cancer and wanted a way to remember her and think back on their times together. She was not satisfied with existing memorial options such as cremation jars, caskets, or gravesites and wanted something more meaningful, that would last more than one generation. By taking the carbon from human remains, Eterneva makes diamonds that loved ones will want for generations to come. While Archer specializes in the physical aspect of making diamonds, she has a larger, over-arching idea about why she does what she does. Archer wants to help those who are grieving and change public perception on death. Her goal is to provide a safe space for people to grieve and be inspired by the way their loved ones lived their lives, dubbed “death care.” Archer came up with a brilliant idea because a current issue in society is the rise of traditional embalming and burial. Eterneva allows for a cheaper alternative that also makes someone’s life more meaningful than a stone in a cemetery or a jar of cremated remains. This idea will always have customers since people will not stop dying and will likely revolutionize the post-mortem industry. Archer’s mantra sums up her mission, stating “life doesn’t happen to you, it happens for you.”

Adelle Archer – Co-Founder of Eterneva (ideamensch.com)

Have you ever heard of the term “trickshot?” The term became popular with the YouTube channel called Dude Perfect, featuring 5 Texas men performing insane trick shots that captivate anyone who watches. Tyler Tony, Garret Hilbert, Cody Jones, and Cory and Coby Cotton were all roommates at Texas A&M University, who all shared a passion of sports. They often placed bets with each other on ridiculous shots they could do, and eventually decided to film a video and post it on YouTube for fun, featuring numerous trickshots. Within a few weeks, the video gained national attention and an idea was born to expand their YouTube empire. While Basketball was the norm early on, Dude Perfect moved on to making videos with footballs, soccerballs, frisbees, ping pong balls, nerf guns, and more, always coming up with new ideas to appease viewers and grow their online platform. Through AdSense revenue on YouTube and sponsorships, a fun hobby ended up becoming a full-time job for the Dude Perfect gang, and they innovated their idea by selling merchandise, creating stereotype, battle, and “overtime” videos, and using their following to create content that centers around the personalities embodied by each member. Dude Perfect even coined a mascot, named Panda in a Panda suit to appear in videos and represent the Dude Perfect franchise. Today, the members of Dude Perfect make a full time living off of their YouTube videos, endorsements, video games, merchandise, TV shows, books, and public appearances, forging a new view on sports in a world where traditional games and commentators ruled media beforehand. Dude Perfect has also broken 19 Guiness World Records with their trickshots, in their quest to always improve upon their various trickshots they do. While their intentions were never to become self-made entrepreneurs, their idea of fun ended up launching a new style of sports videos that have now taught a whole generation the importance of sports and their function in society.

To learn more, follow the link: Dude Perfect – Wikipedia