1. The Beachgoer Bent on Making Sandals
Image credit: FishFlops
Sometimes all it takes is one moment in time to change your fortune forever. For Madison Robinson, it was one trade show.
The first time the young Houston-based inventor exhibited her sea-creature-themed flip-flops at a retail trade show, sales went gangbusters -- 37 different stores placed orders for the funky footwear.
Madison, who's always enjoyed kicking back at the beach, came up with the idea for the light-up sandals when she was eight years old after a trip to the shore. Inspired by fond memories of Galveston Island, her seaside birthplace, she drew the original designs for the sandals. Then her father, Dan, helped make them into a reality. Not exactly right away, though.
“After three years of me bugging him, asking him, ‘Daddy, make my FishFlops!’ he finally decided to help me make some prototypes,” Madison told Steve Harvey when she guest-starred on the entertainer’s talk show.
To date, millions of pairs of FishFlops have sold, first at Nordstrom and now on several ecommerce sites, such as Amazon and Madison’s own online store. The colorful line now includes sturdy rain boots, plush slippers and canvas boat shoes.
Additionally, her footwear is available at several U.S. Association of Zoos and Aquariums member locations in support of the organization’s Saving Animals From Extinction initiative.
Madison says she believes in “sharing the blessings” of her success with others less fortunate. To walk the walk, she’s donated more than 20,000 pairs of FishFlops to several charities, including Shoes for Orphan Souls and Texas Children’s Hospital.
Madison’s favorite part of being a kidpreneur:
"I enjoy encouraging and inspiring others to think about creating their own business. TV interviews are fun and exciting, but having my hair and makeup professionally done before the interview is the best.”
"I enjoy encouraging and inspiring others to think about creating their own business. TV interviews are fun and exciting, but having my hair and makeup professionally done before the interview is the best.”
Madison’s advice for aspiring kidpreneurs:
“You have to take the first step on your own, be patient, persistent and never give up. Write down their idea, share the information with family and friends and get their opinions. Make sure you balance your time and enjoy life while working.”
“You have to take the first step on your own, be patient, persistent and never give up. Write down their idea, share the information with family and friends and get their opinions. Make sure you balance your time and enjoy life while working.”
2. The Teen Adding Texture to Texting
Image credit: Lisa Henderson
Like most teens, Mercer Henderson uses a flurry of emojis when texting with friends -- but she uses them a tad differently than most people. She adds sounds, turning the expressive visual icons into what she calls “soundmojis.”
One day, the tech-savvy San Francisco teen was making her own soundmojis when the entrepreneurial lightbulb went off. “It was something I had fun doing already,” Mercer tells Entrepreneur. “So why not put the two together?” And the seed for her Audiots iOS app was planted.
The app, put forth by Mercer’s new company, 4 Girls Tech LLC, features 50-plus noisy emojis. Among them is a kissy-face emoji that makes smooching sounds, a broken heart emoji that audibly shatters and a poop emoji that, uh...we’ll just stop there, ‘k?
To take Audiots from concept to downloadable reality, Mercer Henderson got a decent leg-up from her mother, Lisa, a product marketing exec at Salesforce. Her uncle, a LucasArts sound engineer, also pitched in on sound-mixing. Not a bad startup support team, right?
The budding young tech-preneur recently penned strategic branding partnerships with GE, HINT water and the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). For her SPCA collaboration, she’s raising awareness for animal welfare by enabling Audiots users to send fun dog and cat emojis that say "funny things" and, of course, bark and meow. She also recently released Cardoji’s, a line of customizable digital greeting cards targeted to members of generation Z.
Henderson's also working on integrating Audiots with email and Facebook. All of this, of course, after her homework is done.
Mercer’s favorite part of being a kidpreneur:
“The most fun part for me is the emails I get from people telling me they like the app! One girl told me it is the only app she has ever downloaded! I try to email everyone back after I do my homework and stuff. Also, being on TV was fun.”
“The most fun part for me is the emails I get from people telling me they like the app! One girl told me it is the only app she has ever downloaded! I try to email everyone back after I do my homework and stuff. Also, being on TV was fun.”
Mercer’s advice for aspiring kidpreneurs:
“My advice is if there is something you like to do, think about if other people like it too. Then try to create a more fun or simple way to do
“My advice is if there is something you like to do, think about if other people like it too. Then try to create a more fun or simple way to do
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