A 10-year-old Juliette Brindak came up with an idea of ‘Miss O and Friends’ when she was just 10 years old. Unlike just about every person her age, she used her entrepreneurial instincts to actually create something out of her idea, which is how Miss O and Friends came into existence.
‘Miss O’ was one of the characters from a series of drawing-based characters called the ‘Cool Girls’ aimed to be positive role models for young girls and teens. Brindak created the characters herself, and spurred by their popularity, her family helped her with her venture – her mother, who was a graphic designer by profession, drew the characters, while her father, a business man, helped set up and look at the business side of things. Brindak launched Miss O and Friends in 2005 based on the popular characters. The website is a ‘for girls, by girls’ website where girls can seek advice from a supportive community, and play flash games.
Books based on the Miss O characters have sold over 100,000 copies. In 2008, Procter and Gamble invested in Miss O and Friends. The company was valued at $15 million! In 2011, the site was ranked the third largest girls-only website! Today, the website generates 10 million monthly visits – which is 20 times the traffic it generated when it was created.
A now-23 year old Brindak, who remains the CEO of the company, uses different methods to keep on top of what tweens are looking for today, and makes it possible for girls to see their favorite celebrities and musicians play live by offering all-expense paid trips for them!
Uptown Cheapskate was started by two siblings, Scott and Chelsea Sloan. Being poor college students themselves, they became frustrated with the fact that being stylish in today’s society requires investing in trendy clothes. The solution they provided to this problem is called Uptown Cheapskate; the fashion exchange for young adults and teens, that has made it possible for cash-poor youth to afford stylish clothes.