In 2014, Alina Morse asked her dad a simple question to solve a prevalent issue among children: cavities. She asked, “Dad, why can’t we make a lollipop that’s good for your teeth?” This question sparked the creation of Zollipops. With help from her father and a significant amount of research, this 7 year old entrepreneur was able to make this dream a reality. But what would she call these healthy lollipops? Her little sister Lola came up with Zollipops and Alina loved it. Zollipops are a sugar free, vegan, smart, organic, and “yummy’ candy. They are made with the sweeteners xylitol, erythritol, stevia and other natural ingredients which are healthier alternatives to sugar. They also help to neutralize acidity in the mouth, which prevents bacteria that causes tooth decay to grow.
Last year, Alina made $70,000 in sales and entered the kids’ version of “Shark Tank.” Even through this remarkable success, Alina is not quite finished yet. She’s currently working on getting Zollipops into dentist offices and schools across the country!
Sources:
-https://zollipops.com/our-story/
-https://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/27/8-young-entrepreneurs-making-serious.html?slide=4
It blows me away at how much young kids are influencing the world and we do not even know yet. To be that young and that successful has to be a wonderful feeling.
I think this is a really good example of identifying a problem/need and pursuing it even though the idea was not entirely thought out. Alina discovered a need for sugar free lollipops and even though she did not yet have all the research done she felt strongly about her idea so she did not let those few roadblocks stop her. With that mentality, she pursued this vision and was able to make it a reality. Great post!
Zollipops is such an interesting company that combats a problem so prevalent in Children across America. Especially in today’s culture when healthy eating is all the rage, and people are carefully watching their health it is no wonder Zollipops has been successful. I am amazed that young children have the capacity to see a problem such as teeth issues and do something to change that. It is truly inspiring. Great post!