When Alina Morse was little, her parents told her that candy was bad for her teeth. This is what inspired her to create a lollipop that not only tasted good, but also had health benefits. With the help of her dad and some research, Zollipops was born. Alina was only 9 years old when she thought of this brilliant idea.

Alina’s dad stated that she always liked asking questions. From a very young age, she kept a journal of business ideas. This reveals that she had the natural talent of being a good entrepreneur.

Made with plant-derived sugar alternatives, Alina Morse’s Zollipops help reduce the risk of cavities. When she thought of the idea, Alina and her dad went into stores and researched online. They spoke with dentists and food technologists which helped them learn about acidity and Ph. Through this they discovered that they should include the ingredients erythritol and xylitol since they help clean teeth.

Alina says that they have been working to make the pops more stable and less sticky in hot or humid environments. She explained that it has taken over two years to develop their new formula. This reveals that they are continuing to improve her product idea. This stresses the importance of innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, because she is working to make the profit better in order to appeal to more customers.

In 2014, Zollipops sales reached $70,000 and temporarily sold out on Amazon. Alina even appeared on Good Morning America and “Shark Tank.” She is now working to get her product into dentist offices and schools. I find it amazing that Alina is succeeding at such a young age. This has inspired me to never lose hope on an idea. Although her idea took a long time to develop, it was worth it in the long run.

Sources:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/meet-11-year-old-who-invented-healthy-lollipop-180960951/

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/business-profiles/born-entrepreneur-finds-startup-success-at-age-9-with-healthy-lollipops/