Hannah Reyes used her initials to create the name of her business, HER Designs four years ago when she was eight. She sells a variety of products, including hairclips, mirrors, popsockets, and mini-personal alarms, but all have a signature rosette that she hand-makes out of fabric. Hannah is a finalist in the 2019 Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition. Learn more about Hannah below, and watch her segment on Colorado & Company ! Question: Tell me a little bit about you – name, age, how long you’ve been an entrepreneur? Answer: Hi, My name is Hannah Reyes and I am the owner of HER Designs, I am 12 years old. I have been in business for 4 years. I started HER Designs when I was 8 years old. Q: Do you have a website? If so, let us know what it is. A: My website is www.herdesigns.net . You can also follow me in Facebook and Instagram under HER Design Store. Q: What motivated or inspired you to start a business? A: Initially, I was inspired to make products for my own use. For example, I started making the rosette clips so I can use them for my hair. Then people start noticing them and wanted to buy them. The same thing happened for most of my other products. Another example is for my latest product, the mini-personal alarm. I was inspired to have a gadget for girls safety in time for my service trip to Peru. That’s when my mini personal alarm product was born. Q: Please share an overview about your business. A: My initial is HER which stands for Hannah Elizabeth Reyes. This is the inspiration for my business name. HER Designs sells hair clips and other accessories. In all of my products, I have maintained the rosette as a signature design. I have now established sub-brands for HER Designs such as HER Safety for my mini personal alarms and HER School Spirit for custom made hair accessories to match school uniforms. My latest product is my mini personal alarm that you can attach to your bag or belt. It sounds loud when pulled and it works to catch attention whenever you feel unsafe. Q: Tell us about some of the challenges you face being a young business owner. A: The hardest part in running a business as a young entrepreneur is having the access to selling products. When I started looking at retail opportunities and people hear that I am only 12, the first reaction is to turn me down. I have learned that these types of experiences shouldn’t discourage me and other young business owners but rather gives me more inspiration to stand up, do better and try again. It gives me a voice to say that age does not matter in making quality products. Q: Why should other youth start a business? A: You learn so many life skills in starting a business. You learn to be creative and try new things. You learn how to deal with successes and failures which will be valuable later in life. Q: What’s the best part about having your own business? A: The best part for me is making my products – being creative with it, figuring out how to innovate and trying something new. I love learning how to make good quality products and meeting a lot of people. All these while pursuing something that I love to do. Q: So, you’re one of the finalists for the Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition–congratulations! What motivated you to apply for the competition, and what do you hope to get from this experience? A: I am really excited to be one of the finalists this year. This is my second year to join the competition. I was a finalist last year as well. My business improved a lot since last year’s competition and I got motivated to join again to further improve my business exposure. Q: Please share about your involvement with Young Americans. A: I am really thankful for what Young Americans does for youth. They gave me the opportunity to sell my products when I started. Young Americans is inspiring kids to try something new and learn along the way. I have been selling in their Marketplaces for 4 years now. Also, they are giving me the opportunity to share my story and provide guidance to kids who are thinking of starting a business.

Monthly Entrepreneur: Hannah Reyes, HER Designs

Janet Redwine YouthBiz Leave a Comment

Hannah Reyes used her initials to create the name of her business, HER Designs four years ago when she was eight.  She sells a variety of products, including hairclips, mirrors, popsockets, and mini-personal alarms, but all have a signature rosette that she hand-makes out of fabric.  Hannah is a finalist in the 2019 Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition. Learn …

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Entrepreneurship Events for Youth at Denver Startup Week

Janet Redwine Events, YouthBiz Leave a Comment

Youth Pass returns to Denver Startup Week for a third straight year!  A collaboration among Young Americans Center for Financial Education, Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain, and Denver Startup Week, YouthBiz allows youth as young as six and as old as twenty to network side-by-side with local entrepreneurs and business leaders.  Students will participate in event workshops, lead panel discussions, compete …

Make it 'Appen Pitch Presentation: Student stands in front of judges dressed in business casual wear. An audience watches them.

Business and Technology Intersect at YouthBiz Make it Appen Camp

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There’s no shortage of technology summer camps for kids in the Denver metro area, but one camp stands out among the plethora of options: YouthBiz Make it ‘Appen Summer Camp at Young Americans Center. In this week-long day camp, youth code their own app, plus they use this app as the basis for a business plan! The idea behind the camp …

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Meet a Mentor: Leroy Williams, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CyberTeKIQ LLC

Janet Redwine Events, Get Involved, YouthBiz Leave a Comment

This week, we invite you to meet the second of our three distinguished mentors hosting a youth entrepreneur in the Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition.  Leroy Williams is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CyberTeKIQ LLC, a management consulting company that helps businesses understand the technology landscape. Entrepreneurship has defined Williams for as long as he can remember.  As …

In Young AmeriTowne, students discover philanthropy by thinking about how they can share their time, talent and treasure. Today, we’re highlighting a proud partner of Young Americans Center for Financial Education that has shared time, talent and treasure with young learners for nearly three decades: Empower . Empower Retirement first became involved with Young Americans Center near the very start of the Young AmeriTowne program in 1991. Over the next 28 years, Empower sent thousands of low-income students to Young AmeriTowne or International Towne and taught thousands more the basics of financial education through Money Matters classes. This year, Young Americans Center is thrilled to have Empower as a supporter at the 2019 Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition and gala fundraiser. The driving force behind Empower’s community impact is a focus on ACT: associates, community, together. According to the Empower website , “Our ACT Program is designed to amplify the commitment of each associate through matching their donations, funding volunteer time and supporting collaborative philanthropy.” EMPOWER VOLUNTEER “SUPER HEROES” HELPED PREPARE YOUNG AMERITOWNE FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR, INCLUDING YOUNG AMERICANS CENTER BOARD MEMBER STEPHANIE BENDRICK. This focus has enabled Empower to have a direct impact on youth through volunteer time in programs. In 2018 alone, 24 Empower volunteers donated 127 hours by serving as business consultants in Young AmeriTowne or International Towne, preparing the physical Towne spaces for the start of a new school year, and providing feedback as part of a YouthBiz StartUp pitch competition judging panel. Leading this volunteer effort is Stephanie Bendrick, Vice President, Transformation and Innovation at Empower and Member of the Young Americans Center Board of Directors. In particular, Ms. Bendrick’s leadership on the Board has helped guide technology upgrades throughout the organization and has helped determine the strategic direction of Young Americans Center as a whole. For Ms. Bendrick, “Serving on the Board is a way to provide the next generation with knowledge to budget, save and obtain a secure financial future.” The impact of Empower is extraordinary. Since 1991, 471,318 youth have participated in Young AmeriTowne where they gained a hands-on lesson in free enterprise that prepared them for life-long financial success. Thank you Empower for your continued commitment to today’s young learners!

Sponsor Spotlight: Empower shares time, talent, and treasure with young learners

Janet Redwine Get Involved, International Towne, Young AmeriTowne Leave a Comment

In Young AmeriTowne, students discover philanthropy by thinking about how they can share their time, talent and treasure. Today, we’re highlighting a proud partner of Young Americans Center for Financial Education that has shared time, talent and treasure with young learners for nearly three decades: Empower. Empower Retirement first became involved with Young Americans Center near the very start of the …

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Meet a Mentor: Ryan Beiser, Regional President and Head of Corporate Banking, PNC Bank

Janet Redwine Events, Get Involved, YouthBiz 1 Comment

Every year, the Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition pairs three Denver-area business leaders with three up-and-coming youth entrepreneurs.  The first mentor we are highlighting for this year’s 18th annual competition is Ryan Beiser, PNC regional president and head of Corporate Banking for Colorado. Beiser’s extensive background in business and finance and most importantly, his personal commitment to community engagement and …

Jack Fleming is the 18-year-old owner of a lawn care business called Yard Boyz. Due to his dedication and vision, the business has steadily grown over the last five years, and in 2018 Jack made $25,000 in profit! Jack’s goals for this summer include staying on top of his administrative work and expanding his business. He is a finalist in the 2019 Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition. Watch Jack pitch his business on Colorado & Company, and learn more about him and his business below. Question: Tell me a little bit about you – name, age, how long you’ve been an entrepreneur? Answer: My name is Jack Fleming and I am a recent high school graduate. I started Yard Boyz 5 years ago. Q: What motivated or inspired you to start a business? A: I was motivated to start Yard Boyz because I wanted to have money of my own. I enjoyed cutting lawns, and I thought it was a simple way to make a little extra money. Q: Please share an overview of your business. A: Yard Boyz is a general landscaping service that specializes in weekly lawn mowing. We also do small- to medium-sized landscaping projects in the Centennial area. Q: Do you have a website or place for people to contact you/buy products?If so, what is it? A: I currently do not have a website. Q: Tell us about some of the challenges you face being a young business owner. A: One of the top challenges about running my business is making sure that I keep all the little details straight with regard to scheduling, payroll, employee scheduling, billing, and equipment. Q: What’s the best part about having your own business? A: My favorite part about having my own business is learning what it truly takes to be an adult and have a job. Some of my friend’s experiences cannot compare to the things I have had to do and the responsibilities I have had to manage. Q: Would you encourage other young people to start a business? Why or why not? A: Of course. I personally believe that almost all students in high school should have businesses if they want one. It teaches them so many valuable skills. Q: What is your involvement with Young Americans Center for Financial Education? A: I applied to their YourthBiz business competition and have been named a finalist for the past two years. Also, when I was younger, I participated in AmeriTowne as an Accountant at the Utility Center. Q: I hear that congratulations are in order—you’re a finalist in this year’s Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition! Tell us about this award and how it could help your business improve. A: This award seeks to help small businesses improve from ages 6-21. I am grateful to be named a finalist, and I plan to use the money awarded to help replace some worn out equipment that I have been using.

Monthly Entrepreneur: Jack Fleming, owner of Yard Boyz

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Jack Fleming is the 18-year-old owner of a lawn care business called Yard Boyz.  Due to his dedication and vision, the business has steadily grown over the last five years, and in 2018 Jack made $25,000 in profit! Jack’s goals for this summer include staying on top of his administrative work and expanding his business. He is a finalist in the 2019 Spotlight …

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Meeting the Stars: Young Americans Center names top Colorado youth businesses

Janet Redwine Events, YouthBiz 2 Comments

Youth business owners, family members, and fans gathered at Young Americans Center for Financial Education on Tuesday for the Meet the Stars event, which recognized the 46 applicants to this year’s Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition.  The room was filled with both inspiration and anticipation! During the event, Anna Leer, Vice President of YouthBiz, and Rich Martinez, President and …

Sharp and Ready: YouthBiz StartUp at Porter Billups Leadership Academy

Sharp and Ready: YouthBiz StartUp at Porter Billups Leadership Academy

Janet Redwine YouthBiz Leave a Comment

For three consecutive weeks this the summer, fourth- through eleventh-graders gathered at Regis University for the Porter Billups Leadership Academy.  These students have a chance to do something many of their peers deem impossible: graduate from high school and attend college.  And for the first time since this program was established in 1996, YouthBiz was an important part of their …

YouthBiz Workshops focus on the skills young entrepreneurs need to develop their businesses. We offer classes throughout the school year, September through April, on topics such as drafting a business plan, advertising your business, and creating market-ready products to inspire your next business idea. Plus, many workshops are free!

Sponsor Spotlight: Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation empowers youth

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YouthBiz is expanding, bringing hands-on entrepreneurial programs to youth throughout the Denver metro area. Fueling this expansion is support from the Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation, which focuses on transforming lives in profoundly positive ways through grants focused on health, youth and family, and animal welfare. Before 2015, YouthBiz’s powerful, hands-on entrepreneurial education was available only to students in Denver’s …