ANDERSON – When teenagers of a previous generation thought about making money, it was through newspaper routes, mowing lawns and shoveling snow. Today’s generation of teens start their own companies.
The Madison County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday highlighted emerging businesses and companies started by graduates of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA).
A personal experience led to the opening of Sobriety Safety by Emma Losch, 15, a student at Liberty Christian.
“We created an information card to be placed on tables at restaurants and bars for the patrons that are drinking to estimate how impaired their driving ability might be,” she said. “Hopefully they will find an alternative ride home.
“One of my mom’s friends was killed by a drunk driver, so I realized that there are a lot of people affected by drunk driving,” Losch said. “I wanted something that would be easily reachable so people can know when to stop drinking.”
Losch started working on the concept last October as a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy.
She hopes to sell ads on the cards for $50 to make money.
Electra Young works for Travelmation and helps people plan trips to Disney World and Hawaii.
“If you want to travel to any Disney destination, I would help you plan it,” she said. “We actually have to pass a Disney College of Knowledge to become a travel agent.”
Young can help people with all facets of the vacation from dining to Fast Passes and while at Disney World they can contact her for assistance. Young has been working with Travelmation for less than three months and has already helped book trips for several families.
“I think it’s my passion for Disney World and that makes people want to book with me,” Young said. “My favorite part of Disney World is the Magic Kingdom and interacting with the characters.”
Miranda Huff, 15, home-schooled, started Phoenix Wings to take aerial photography of businesses but she can also do weddings and farms.
The company was started a week ago, but Huff has been practicing with a drone for about a year.
“There has been a lot of interest. It’s encouraging,” she said. “My mother and father run companies, and why not start now.
Huff believes a new technology will come along and hopes to use that new technology to improve her business.
“It was extremely hard at first,” she said of flying a drone. “My first video was blurry. I crashed a few times and crash landed. Been practicing for a long time and now I feel pretty good at it.”
Jourdan White, 13, Highland Middle School student, started HankySquared based on an idea from his grandmother that imprints team logos and sayings on handkerchiefs.
“We make hankies to be worn at any school activity,” he said. “We outsource the embroidery to Cowpokes.”
White believes it will be a long-term business venture.
Jason Bale, 13, Highland Middle School student, started Sweet J’s Salsa about five years ago with his parents.
“We make the salsa ourselves,” Bale said. “When I had the opportunity to go to the YEA Academy, I thought it would be a good business.”
The family makes the salsa from the ingredients obtained from Aspire Indiana, Red Gold and their own garden.
“Love being my own businessman,” Bale said. “I love being able to call the shots and not have to take orders from other people.”
Any proceeds will be put back into expanding the business.
Kyle Morey, executive director of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, said there are high school and middle school students doing business under their company name.
“Most of these kids had their license to be in business before they get their license to drive,” he said. “Mix them with a more established company to mingle, a lot of business mentors to help raise these young CEOs.”
Morey said their imagination is the only limit to starting a business.