Colorado Youth Entrepreneurs Win Cash Awards

DENVER - Sept. 25, 2015 - PRLog -- Nine businesses, owned by youth ages 6-21, received cash awards at the 14th annual Celebration for Young Entrepreneurs awards ceremony held at the Seawell Grand Ballroom last night. Celebration for Young Entrepreneurs is a Colorado youth business competition hosted by Young Americans Center for Financial Education.

The winning businesses, one in each age category, 6-11, 12-15 and 16-21, received $1,000 and were paired with a Presenting Mentor, a leader from the Denver business community committed to encouraging the next generation of business owners in Colorado. Two finalists in each age category were also recognized.

Winners:

Age Category 6-11

Isabelle May, age 11, Charming Wine Charms: Recognizing a business opportunity when she saw a hostess using wine charms, she knew she “could make them more unique.” And she did, crafting fish and beach charm sets for beach lovers, ballet and Nutcracker charms for the dance crowd and even Wizard of Oz themed charms. But her best sellers are her saint wine charms, with more than 15 saints to choose from. This seasoned entrepreneur purchases supplies “for as cheap as possible so I can grow my profit margin.” She also employs three young crafters (paying per piecework with a bonus for quality) and markets through multiple channels with a goal of placing her product in retail stores.

• Presenting Mentor: Maureen Tarrant Fitzgerald, President & CEO, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center

Age Category 12-15

RJ Duarte, age 15, Green Worx Landscaping & Lawn Service: RJ inherited an eight-yard lawn mowing business from his older brother at the age of eight. By his third season of running the company he wanted to grow his business. Too young to drive, RJ parlayed a $500 loan from Dad and some help from the friendly manager of a nearby mobile home park into a used riding mower with an attached retrofitted garden cart. “I was no longer the kid showing up at your door with a little red wagon. I was now the kid with a tractor towing my lawn equipment behind me.” Today, it takes a full-time employee and an online business tracker to deliver his signature quality lawn care (and caring) to 64 regular customers.

• Presenting Mentor: Jeremy Ostermiller, Founder & CEO, Altitude Digital

Age Category 16-21

InTune String Ensemble; Ethan Durell (age 18), Madeline Gesi (age 17), Eloise Hodges (age 16), Natalie Hodges (age 18), Ben Roberts (age 17), & Grace Wills (age 16). In a unique twist on social venture capitalism, these dedicated teens turned their musical talent into thousands of dollars every year for charities that help children. Their business name, a musical pun, refers both to intonation, or playing “in tune,” a special challenge for string players, and to their goal “to be ‘intune’ with the needs of our community.”

The teens donate 100% of their profits, which will top $8,000 this year. That’s a lot of help for the children at the two organizations receiving most of their support: There With Care (helps families with critically ill children) and El Sistema Colorado (provides instruments and music instructions in underserved Denver Public Schools).

• Presenting Mentor: Chuck Morris, President & CEO, AEG Live, Rocky Mtn./Pacific Northwest and Danny Sax, Talent Buyer, AEG Live, Rocky Mtn./Pacific Northwest

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize this year’s group of winners and finalists,” said President and CEO, Richard Martinez, at the event. “This year we saw an increased quality of the business applicants, as many have received feedback from mentors and peers that they were able to turn into increased success. It’s a joy to see their hard work pay off with recognition as the best of their age category.”

Finalists:

Age Category 6-11

• Jack’s Bonneau, Jack’s Stands: Franchised lemonade stands that teach kids about business.

• Acacia Stacks, Reading Goal Bookmarks: Bookmarks that help you or your book club meeting reading goals.

Age Category 12-15

• Nikki Ettig, Victorious Foods LLC:  All-natural, great tasting muffins made from scratch.

• Chloe, Nikki and Lilly Warren, Sweet Bee Sisters: Natural lip balms and lotion bars made from beeswax.

Age Category 16-21

• Nic Ansuini, Wild Wood Pens: Unique, hand-crafted ball-point pens.

• Hannah Isenhart, Hanimal Greeting Cards: All-occasion cards that feature stuffed animals in nature.

Young Americans Center for Financial Education is a nonprofit organization committed to developing the financial literacy of young people, up to age 22, through real life experiences and hands-on programs. The Center fulfills its mission by offering programs that complement and reinforce each other to build life skills, work skills and financial self-sufficiency. These include Young AmeriTowne, International Towne, a variety of entrepreneurship programs, and outreach opportunities. In addition, Young Americans Center houses the only real bank in the world designed for young people, Young Americans Bank, which shares the same educational mission of teaching children to be financially responsible. Since 1987, more than 600,000 youth have participated in the programs or bank. For more information on the Young Americans Center for Financial Education, visit https://www.yacenter.org.