At 13 years old, Hart Main wanted to buy a $1,200 bicycle that he could use for triathlons.

Around the same time, his sister started selling scented candles at a fundraiser for school. Curiously, he wondered what there aren’t any candles specifically for men.

Soon after this semi-serious, semi-joking thought, he started “ManCans.” These candles come in a range of scents whether it is the smell of a new baseball mitt, sawdust, or fresh cut grass.

A family friend taught him where to buy the supplies, how to create different scents, and essentially how to start his business.

Now, his candles are in 150 stores around the country and have made over hundreds of thousand of dollars since 2015.

I think it is inventive that Main’s candle are made in aluminum cans, which came from canned soup at the start of his business. What I found uplifting about Hart Main and his entrepreneurship and business, was that he does not pocket all of his profits. A large part of his business has been dedicated to giving back to local soup kitchens.

Main showed that age doesn’t define ability and a small thought determines no boundaries for expansion and innovation.