Archive for Art – Page 3

Raelynn Heath: Rae’s Materials

Posted by campagnama21 
· Sunday, October 3rd, 2021 
· 3 Comments

Raelynn Heath is an 8-year-old girl from Missouri who started her own jewelry business at the age of 4. She specializes at making bracelets which she sells on Facebook and Etsy. Raelynn was recently featured in the “1 Million Cups Black Entrepreneurship Showcase” on Feb. 2

8, 2018, at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Raelynn started making her bracelets out of plastic but upgraded to using acrylic and bubblegum beads when she was 5, and even uses materials like polymer clay. Raelynn also enjoys upcycling items such as chip bags, duct tape rolls, and old clothes. Raelynn’s business is unique because she has a generous purpose in creating most of her work. She gives bracelets to community members who have experienced recent trauma. Her big heart is a motivating factor of her business. Rae’s Materials is also unique because Raelynn has created this business at such a young age. Being able to create these bracelets at the age of four is a special talent, and it is amazing that she is using her talent to help those in need.

Raelynn hopes to increase her business to other areas of fashion as well but knows that school is her first priority at the moment. She hopes to study in Paris someday and get a degree in fashion. It is impressive that Raelynn has such a clear idea of how she wants her future business to expand at such a young age. Raelynn’s mom is in the process of helping her get a business license for Rae’s Materials, and her mom suspects that she could be on her way to a millionaire at age 16. Raelynn’s hopeful outlook and creativity has gotten her far in her entrepreneurial journey, and she will continue to grow her jewelry business using her great skill.

 

The 50 Youngest Entrepreneurs in the US | Business.org

8-year-old Raytown entrepreneur strings together jewelry business (startlandnews.com)

3 Comments
Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Art, Creating, Design, Fashion, Jewelry, Kids, Positivity, Women Entrepreneurs, Young Entrepreneur

IdeaPaint: Dry Erase Walls

Posted by smithag20 
· Tuesday, November 17th, 2020 
· 5 Comments

John Goscha founded IdeaPaint, in the early 2000s. He and several friends, Andrew Foley, William Gioielli, and Alex Galperin, developed this idea through their college years. Seeing a need for dry erase walls first, when John and his entrepreneurship hall mates posted large sheets of paper up and down the walls of their hall. They eventually ran out of space on their idea sheets and had to continually replace them. Goscha decided to try and find some dry erase paint to make their lives easier. To his chagrin, there was no such thing!

John, Andrew and William started developing the business plan for IdeaPaint, and researching options and paints to test their product out. They made the walls dry erase and when students and faculty started using the walls, they realized this had an actual market. IdeaPaint received seed money for Babson, and the team began working to creating their product. After graduation, the team split up, but John Goscha kept at his idea. IdeaPaint has several setbacks finding a paint that would actually work commercially. They eventually found the perfect product, and received investors and are now a very successful company. Many large companies and universities, including Chick-fil-A, MIT, Go Daddy, Evernote, Welch’s, Google and more use IdeaPaint around their campuses.

John Goshca, came up with an incredible product idea, when he and his entrepreneurship buddies found a pain they were experiencing. He joined together with a few other classmates, realizing that working together would help him find a better solution, than if he had been working on his own. John did not let setbacks keep him down, but pursued his idea throughout the decade until he reached success. He has benefited so many individuals and companies through his hard work.

IdeaPaint now have many different options and products, including magnetic surfaces, dry erase + projector surfaces and others that allow lots of flexibility, and it all stemmed from the need to stop replacing paper on the walls of John Goscha’s dorm hall.

5 Comments
Categories : Art, College, Creating, Great Ideas, Millennial Enrepreneuers

Whateverlife.com – Ashley Qualls

Posted by lindbergmm20 
· Monday, November 16th, 2020 
· 2 Comments

In 2004, when Ashley Qualls was only fourteen years old, she found herself deeply passionate about graphic design and coding. She grew up in a lower-class household with her single mother and younger sister. However, she was determined that her situation would not define her. She worked hard and created Whateverlife.com, aimed at providing her audience with HTML Tutorials and free MySpace Layouts. Her audience was teenage girls like herself, as she wanted to invoke in others the same passion for graphic design and coding that she had.

Ashley built her website all on her own with no investor, big-wig mentor, or notable source of funds. All she had was her own self-determination. Though she did not have much growing up, the amazing work that she did by herself made her 70,000 dollars in the first month that her website was live. As online foot traffic increased for Ashley, she made modifications to Whateverlife.com that made it possible for viewers to create an account on the website, upload their own projects, and earn reward points that they could use to purchase digital goods for their designs.

Just shy of her company’s third birthday, Whateverlife.com had already recorded between three and four million page views. Ashley and her customers were not the only ones fixed on the betterment of her business, as an anonymous buyer liked the idea so much that he offered 1,500,000 dollars to purchase the website from her. Just months later, Brad Greenspan, the co-founder of MySpace, was so impressed with her work that he offered an even larger sum of money in exchange for the company, not just one time, but twice. Ashley still determined to grow her website even larger, rejected all offers.

In 2006, after being offered millions of dollars for her online HTML Tutorial and MySpace Layout business and turning it down, Ashley purchased a house for her and her family. Unfortunately, shortly after turning seventeen and becoming a millionaire, Ashley was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that caused her to suffer mass gastrointestinal issues. Her prosperous life went into turmoil, not to mention the loss of her business, house, and unborn child. Even throughout all of this hardship, her entrepreneurial spirit never died, and her determination to succeed never faded. She would not give up. In 2015, Ashley got a job that also vanished like sand between her fingers as she could no longer persist in the work environment with her worsening disease.

Though Ashley’s disease stunted her ability to do what she wanted, she was reinvigorated with hope when she read an article in The New Yorker by Megan O’ Rourke. This article made her realize that countless other people also struggle with the same disease as she does. This inspired her to create a blog called SickNotDead. SickNotDead, to this day, provides her with a place to advise, support, and create a community for others that suffer in the same way that she does. It is apparent in her motivational writings that now, more than ever, Ashley’s entrepreneurial spirit is alive and thriving. Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur, and Ashley Qualls is an incredible example of this.

2 Comments
Categories : Art, Blog, Business, Design, Websites

Pocket’s Get Wise – Sofia Overton

Posted by lindbergmm20 
· Monday, October 5th, 2020 
· 3 Comments

In this current age of technology and social-consciousness we see a new demand among children and adults of generation z wanting to make a positive social impact in some way with every purchase they make. Whether it is being environmentally sustainable, supporting a cause, or donating to a mission, every purchase needs to mean something. As a young person, Sofia Overton saw a vacancy in the market, along with a pain people were feeling within her own community. Sofia was only eleven years old when she started her company called Wise Pocket Products.Her goal was to make life a bit easier for active children, just like herself. One day she observed her cousin put her phone into her boot because the  leggings she was wearing were not conducive to storing cell phones. Not having a pocket to put your phone in is always a struggle so she framed this as a problem and grew determined to solve it. Gears began to turn and she soon went to work on a pocket that would be located towards the top part of the sock that was the right size and secure enough to effectively hold any cell phone comfortably. It was then that the Wise Pocket design was conceived and she went to work manufacturing and marketing her product. Though it was the cell phone that Sofia designed the pocket for, she quickly found that since her target market was primarily active kids, that both inhalers and epi-pens could also be safely and securely carried in the Wise Pocket.

She did not stop innovating at the sock-pocket technology, but has also innovated her unique Wise Pocket design into leggings to solve the original problem that her cousin faced.

Though safety, security, and style are the themes of Wise Pocket Products, Sofia has made redemption a major factor of her company. She found that in her school district alone, there are six-hundred and twenty seven homeless children. This saddened her so much that she, once again, innovated a solution to fix this deprivation in her community. For every pair of socks sold, the buyer makes a small positive impact in the life of a child in need. Sofia makes sure that with each purchase of a pair of Wise Pocket Socks that the Wise Movement is serving those suffering homelessness and need across the globe. She truly believes that warm feet equal warm hearts, and every child shall experience that. As a young entrepreneur, Sofia saw a problem, framed it out, implemented redemptive qualities, innovated a solution, marketed the solution, generated revenue, and to this day continues to bring warm feet and warm hearts to children in need. She continues to fight for those suffering homelessness while supporting herself with her own God-given entrepreneurial spirit.

Visit https://wisepocketproducts.com/ for more information!

3 Comments
Categories : Art, Leggings, Sneakers, Social Entrepreneur, Social Impact, Socks, Sports
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Cleveland Cornhole Co.

Posted by simmonsbw19 
· Monday, September 14th, 2020 
· 7 Comments

Cleveland Cornhole Company is a small business specializing in custom cornhole boards and rustic style furniture. Started by Chad Gerzeny a few years ago, as a way to make a little cash on the side, morphed into a legitimate business opportunity. These cornhole boards are high quality, and are highly customizable, they take him days to finish because of the intricacy that goes into each individual board. Currently the boards are made by Chad Gerzeny at his own house, but he plans to transition into a retail store within the next few years.

Growing up playing the game of cornhole was the true inspiration for Cleveland Cornhole Co. Initially Chad started with a single set of boards that he made for himself out of his garage. After enjoying the work so much on the first boards it began to feel almost therapeutic to him. As others saw the quality and craftsmanship of the boards, Chad began to receive individual orders from friends and family friends. As he graduated college and time went on he utilized social media to reach a broader market. And now he is at the point to where he cannot keep up with the orders because of his day job.

Cleveland Cornhole Co. also makes rustic household furniture, from coffee tables to farmhouse tables. Chad Gerzeny has made most of the furniture in his current home, and it will be interesting to see how moving into a retail store impacts his business.

7 Comments
Categories : Art, College, Decor, Male Entrepreneurs, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Social Media, Vintage

Lin Manuel Miranda and the Business of a Broadway Show

Posted by Justin Folger 
· Tuesday, December 10th, 2019 
· 3 Comments

Lin Manuel Miranda was born of Puerto Rican decent in New York City in the early eighties and was raised in the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Washington Heights. After completion of high school, Miranda attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut. It was here that he would get his beginnings as a playwright. He wrote and performed the first draft of his first successful stage musical, In The Heights, during his sophomore year in college (1999). The musical is a fictional story, based on Miranda’s childhood neighborhood (Washington Heights). After graduation, he met director Thomas Kail and the two of them revised the show, leading to a successful off-Broadway run and eventually opening on Broadway itself, casting himself as the main character. The musical was a hit, receiving 13 Tony Award nominations, four of which they won, including Best musical and Best Original Score.

After brief stints on television shows and various other song writing projects, Miranda struck what is now considered theatrical gold, his most well known work, Hamilton: An American Musical. This show took him over half a decade to write and revise and stage, but it was well worth it in the end. The show premiered off-Broadway in the Public theater in January of 2015, again with himself cast as the leading role. It’s since opened on Broadway in the Richard-Rodgers theater (the same theater In The Heights showed in). Miranda hosted daily performances outside the theater entitled Ham4Ham in which attenders would have the opportunity to enter a ticket lottery for a chance to see the show in the first row. In addition to having an incredible show, it was engagement with his audiences, both formal and general, that made Miranda so successful. The show still runs full time in New York City as well as Chicago, London, and San Francisco, and it also has two national tours. With each of these performances, Miranda receives a 3% royalty fee which, as you would expect, has lined his pockets quite nicely. He’s used this platform for political activism, especially calling for faster and increased aid to his hurricane-devastated homeland of Puerto Rico. The cast of Hamilton frequently raised money for various causes after shows (a practice they still continue today). These actions and interactions with the media, other celebrities, and even the common american, has helped build show brand that is not only incredibly profitable, but is beloved by the world.

Since leaving his Hamilton project behind, Miranda has starred in the Disney movie “Mary Poppins Returns” as well as writing the music for “Moana,” the upcoming live action “Little-Mermaid” remake, and even the new Star Wars trilogy. He continues to add value and personality to every project he touches, which in turn continues to make him as successful as he’s been.

3 Comments
Categories : Art, Celebrities, Male Entrepreneurs, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Music

Carolyn Rafaelian: Selling More than Just a Bracelet

Posted by Emma Lizewski 
· Wednesday, November 6th, 2019 
· 2 Comments

Carolyn Rafaelian is the creator of the successful jewelry company, Alex and Ani. For Carolyn, her idea came around the age of thirty when she returned to Rhode Island with her husband and two eldest daughters. Carolyn grew up on Rhode Island with her family, and her father was in the jewelry industry making brooches and earrings. Carolyn has memories of working as punishment in the factory her father owned, so she credits her childhood with sparking her passion.

Carolyn decided to start Alex and Ani because she was unimpressed with the costume jewelry industry and her father’s company was struggling to keep up with cheap jewelry coming from China. The brand started off with simple wire bracelets and hoop earrings, but Carolyn wanted more. That was when she came up with an idea that would allow design to be applied to the bracelets. In 2004, Carolyn patented the “Alex and Ani 14-gauge expandable wire bangle”. This new design allowed for the bangle to hold more beads and charms for better designs. Carolyn saw great success with this design when it was first launched because “it tattoos your body without the tattoos:” people could express themselves with these bangles.

But Carolyn went further by adding another unique feature to her bracelets. She wanted her bracelets to encourage positive thinking and reduce negative energy. Now her bracelets have charms, cards, and the blessings of a priest and shaman that are specific to creating positive energy while you wear them. Brent Cleaveland says, ‘”They don’t really sell jewelry. They sell positive energy. The bracelet is just the vehicle.”‘

Alex and Ani is turning over 10 million dollars a year, and Carolyn has seen major growth in her company. Her unique modification to an established market shows her entrepreneurial creativity. Carolyn found a niche, and she was able to create more than a piece of jewelry. Carolyn created a story and an experience in her jewelry, which makes her customers feel connected to her products. She didn’t create jewelry, but she added to the market by changing the purpose of bracelets. It was inspiring to learn her process of creating more than just a bangle.

2 Comments
Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Art, Experience

The History of Etsy

Posted by Michael Moosa 
· Sunday, September 29th, 2019 
· 2 Comments

Rob Kalin, Founder of Etsy

Etsy is an online marketplace where buyers and sellers can connect from all over the world to exchange unique handmade and vintage products. Etsy’s niche market attracts buyers who are looking to purchase personal handmade and vintage products that cannot be found anywhere else. Robert Kalin, Haim Schoppik, and Chris Maguire are three entrepreneurs and friends who founded Etsy in 2005. The trio wanted to build a business that catered to sellers and allowed for sellers to advertise their products as they pleased. The idea for Etsy was that a group of sellers would generate more interest from potential buyers than a single seller would selling handmade products.

The idea for Etsy was born out of Kalin’s need to find a marketplace for his wooden computer cases. Kalin was working on building a forum for woodcrafters around the same time, and saw that crafters were desperately looking for a way to sell their goods. Kalin immediately recognized the need for a marketplace that could cater to artisans and small businesses. Etsy was able to capture hundreds of thousands of sellers within months due to many different factors. Etsy mostly was able to attract feminist crafters from a growing feminist movement in the early 2000s and was also largely seen as a more seller friendly alternative to eBay. In addition, Etsy was able to appeal to the masses who were anti-establishment and anti-consumerism by selling handmade and vintage goods.

Etsy did have it’s shares of challenges in its early days. In an interview Kalin stated: “the launch actually wasn’t going quite fast enough, so Maguire and Schoppik ended up basically moving into my apartment and we spent a solid six weeks working on it day and night.” I admire Etsy’s entrepreneurs because they demonstrate work ethic and doing whatever it took to make sure Etsy had successful growth. I also like how the company took a bold stance on its views and appealed to certain niche markets as opposed to the masses. Kalin, one of Etsy’s chief founders demonstrates that determination and focus is needed to drive growth. Etsy’s founder’s have taught me that identifying issues can lead to innovation and creativity.

2 Comments
Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Art, Creating, Decor, eCommerce, Great Ideas, Vintage, Vintage Clothing

Josh Ramsay: Marianas Trench & Much More

Posted by Hannah Sedam 
· Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 
· 3 Comments

Josh Ramsay is a well-known artist and entrepreneur from Vancouver, British Columbia. He is a singer, songwriter, producer, recording engineer, actor and lead vocalist in Marianas Trench. Josh started Marianas trench in 2001 at the age of 20. Josh asked his high school friend Matt Webb, who is now the guitarist, to start a band with him. The two of them responded to a newspaper ad put out by Ian Casselman, lead drummer, looking to play in a band. Ian then introduced the duo to his roommate, Mike Ayley, who is the band’s bass guitarist. The four members are still the four members of the band today, who is currently on their Suspending Gravity Tour. The band has produced 5 full-length studio albums, been nominated for 65 music awards, and won 17 of them. While you might not recognize Josh for his own band, you might know him through some of his songs he has written. He has written 16 well known songs, including 5 Seconds of Summer’s “Story of Another Us”, Nickelback’s “Satellite” and “She keeps me up”, and the most well-known, Carly Ray Jepson’s “Call me Maybe” as well as “Guitar Strings/ Wedding Rings”.  Josh Ramsay is an incredible entrepreneur who took his love of music to start an amazing career as a musician, songwriter, and producer.

3 Comments
Categories : Art, Music, Pop

Dr. Dre

Posted by colfleshdj17 
· Monday, May 20th, 2019 
· 1 Comment

The music industry is a great place for young entrepreneurs to start. Andre Romelle Young, professionally known as Dr. Dre, has set a precedent for becoming successful in this competitive industry. Dr. Dre is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur who grew up in Compton, California. Dr. Dre started out as a rapper and quickly grew to fame. His music was unique, flavorful, and creative. Some time passed, and he had taken a few artists under his wing, including superstar and rap/hip-hop legend Eminem. The duo of Dr. Dre and Eminem were able to shake up the whole music industry and draw fans in like never seen before. Eminem was essentially an asset to Dre, and he helped him gain even more fame and profit. Over the years, Dr. Dre has really shown his entrepreneurial skills as well. His most popular product is the Beats by Dre headphones. When these headphones were first released, people went crazy over them. What they did not know was that they were basically getting ripped off. Dr. Dre charged over $100 for the cheapest pair of headphones, but they only costed around $14 to make. Dre continued to promote the headphones to be high-quality, bass-oriented, and overall a great investment. The Beats Pro headphone model sells for around $400, which is absolutely insane. You could buy a set of professional, studio-grade mixing and mastering headphones for around $180. However, Dr. Dre has continued to sell himself through his record label, Aftermath Entertainment, where he is the founder and CEO. Through that label, he has collaborated with and helped artists become stars. Some of those artists are Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, The Game, and 50 Cent. They have helped contribute to Dre’s wealth and continue to expand throughout the industry. Dr. Dre is a creative individual, and he will continue to sell, innovate, and transform many things to come in this inspiring industry.

1 Comment
Categories : Art, Business, Music
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