Entrepreneurs Who Started from Scratch
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Entrepreneurs Who Started from Scratch
Financial Literacy Month is a great time to show kids (and remind ourselves!) that building smart money habits can start early. One of the most powerful lessons? You don’t have to wait until you’re a grown-up to start earning, saving, and dreaming big.
The entrepreneurs in this list turned simple ideas into thriving businesses. Whether they were selling lemonade, designing jewelry, or launching a magazine from their living room, these Rebels prove that with creativity and courage, anything is possible—even starting from scratch.
From snacks and books to fashion and tap dancing, these stories aren’t just about business. They’re about ownership, problem-solving, and taking that exciting first step toward independence.
Annabelle’s Book Club LA
Founded by 18-year-old Annabelle Chang, this YA-focused bookstore offers a curated selection of books and gifts aimed at sparking imagination and inspiring connection.
Anyway Magazine
Keeley McNamara and Jen Swetzoff have been friends since they were five. Together, they created the vibrant, unfiltered magazine they wish they had growing up—made for tweens, not about them. Packed with personality, creativity, and honest conversations, it’s a space where kids can feel seen, heard, and completely themselves.
Gunner & Lux
This jewelry company began as a bedtime bonding activity between a father and his young daughter. Now, it’s a full-fledged business sold in stores across the U.S., demonstrating that great ideas can stem from play.
Me & the Bees
At just four years old, Mikaila Ulmer transformed her great-grandmother’s lemonade recipe into a mission to save the bees. Now a teen CEO, her bottled lemonade is sold nationwide, with a portion of every sale supporting bee conservation.
Miles & Milan
When founder Shennel Fuller couldn’t find stylish, comfortable clothes that reflected her son’s identity, she created her own. Her line for babies and toddlers celebrates diversity and encourages self-expression from day one.
Modern Misfits
With a bold design aesthetic and a passion for storytelling, this brand empowers kids to embrace individuality and proudly showcase their creativity.
Partake Foods
After her daughter was diagnosed with food allergies, Denise Woodard took matters into her own hands. Today, Partake is a nationally available snack company that’s inclusive, allergy-friendly, and 100% delicious.
Savage Seeds
What began as a personal passion project evolved into a thriving apparel brand run by a mom and daughter team. Their shirts, totes, and stickers convey powerful messages about kindness, equality, and courage, exemplifying the impact of family-run businesses.
Sportsish
Founded by Emily Claster, Sportsish is a lifestyle sports media brand that makes sports feel relevant, inclusive, and fun—especially for women. From cultural commentary to curated content and playful merch, Sportsish brings a fresh, relatable voice to the world of sports and proves there’s a place for everyone in the game.
Syncopated Ladies
Sisters Chloé and Maud Arnold turned their love of tap into a movement. Through classes, tours, viral videos, and even books, they’ve built a dynamic business that empowers girls to move through the world with confidence and rhythm.
These Rebels remind us that success doesn’t come from waiting—it comes from doing. From taking that first step, asking questions, making mistakes, and trying again.
For parents raising the next generation of dreamers and doers, the stories in Awesome Entrepreneurs are packed with lessons and inspiration to share with your kids.
And once that spark is lit, Money Matters is here to help it grow—teaching kids how to manage what they earn, set goals, and build smart habits for life. Because financial literacy is power.
And Rebels? We love to be powerful.