PLAYGROUNDCheck out these three Amazing Kid-preneurs in Central Florida
These enterprising Orlando youngsters are turning their passions into side hustles. They’re the perfect inspo for fellow kids who are looking to start up their own business venture this summer break.
By Cindy Marie Jenkins
MacsDesigns
From the minute you meet Macayla Camps (age 13), you know you’re talking to a passionate businessperson. Her company, MacsDesigns, animates clients’ photos, turning them into unique illustrations through an iPad app.
“I began learning new tips and tricks and started to create my own version of the art,” explains Macayla about her artistic process.
Jessica Swartout, a family friend and local photographer, was impressed by Macayla’s perseverance and eye for design, so she hired her to make 30 drawings as gifts. That first big order prompted Macayla to begin collaborating with other photographers, including her own mom, Jackie Camps, owner of JBC Photography.
Macayla’s always evolving: She taught herself how to enhance her website and has built an Instagram community to share her work. She recently expanded her product line, offering her digital designs as stickers, on phone cases or imprinted on other media that her clients request.
Posh Paws
Ava Pergram’s (age 11) ultimate dream is to invent a medicine that pets love to eat. In the meantime, she decided to start saving money for veterinary school by making her own dog bandanas and bow ties. She got the idea for Posh Paws while looking for cute accessories for her dog, Sunny. Ava taught herself how to use a sewing machine, measure the correct amount of fabric and choose patterns her potential customers might like.
“I pick ones that I think would be trendy or popular,” Ava says.
While Ava plans to offer her wares at several farmers’ markets this summer, she’s also setting up shop online so she can introduce Posh Paws to even more pups.
Facebook: PoshPawCF | Instagram: @poshpawpet
Dominic’s Treats
When Dominic Capraro (age 13) claimed he could cook better than Food Network contestants, his dad challenged him to do just that. Before long, he was baking three–four hours a day, finessing his skills. His favorite recipe? Buckeyes, which is a frozen, chocolate-dipped peanut butter concoction. His first sale was at a pop-up
event in the Hourglass District.
“People liked my treats, so I thought I could make a business out of them,” Dominic explains.
Always a shrewd business owner, Dominic uses a ledger to calculate his costs and profits while also tracking which days prove better for sales, He loves to read, so any profits
he isn’t investing back into his treats go toward books.
Maddy Zollo
