Turning Play Into Pay
Photos by John Buns
Starting a business to capitalize on creative strengths can be a daunting undertaking at any age, but several bold young people are successfully selling art, accessories and apparel through a variety of area venues.
Rory Bisnett (age 11)
SLEEPY FOX DESIGN CO.
Rory Bisnett’s mother surprised her with a resin jewelry making kit in January and the 11-year-old soon discovered an affinity for crafting accessories.
After her mother bought her molds and earring studs, the Landon Middle School sixth grader gave necklaces and earrings to teachers and friends, and ultimately decided to open an online store in February.
The same month she placed second in a Junior Achievement pitch contest.
Bisnett named her business Sleepy Fox Design Co. after watching a TikTok video and already understands the importance of branding.
“I’ve always liked foxes and I once went to the Renaissance Festival as a fox with a hat and tail,” she said. “I bought a stuffed fox to sit at the stand when I’m selling somewhere, and I’ll wear my fox hat too.”
A fan of Claire’s, Hot Topic and Icing, Bisnett appreciates the allure of affordably priced custom costume jewelry to complement style and convey personal interests. She bought her first clip-on earrings at Claire’s—resin gummy bears—and later got her ears pierced there too.
Her inventory includes stud and dangling earrings, glitter key chains and colorful shaker necklaces that can be monogrammed with added charms. Bisnett’s early hurdles included bookkeeping, experimenting with resin set times and finding the raw materials she needed at the right places.
She sells items at Paper June and online, and recently participated in a market for youth entrepreneurs.
Before launching Sleepy Fox Design Co., Bisnett was no stranger to the side hustle. She experimented with a comic book business with friends and shoveled snow for a neighbor.
“I went to several houses to see if the owners would like me to shovel snow but only one person did,” she said. “She paid me double.”
Asked what qualities she believes are advantageous for entrepreneurship, Bisnett said, “I’ve always excelled at math and I’m also good at working with people. I like creating things, so having an art shop is a great fit for me.”
Bisnett saves a portion of her earnings and uses the rest to restock her shop and expand her line.
“It’s exciting to have my own business,” she said. “I still need to work on time management and I’m always concerned about quality, but I’m really happy with how this is going.”
Hayden Gideon (age 11)
THE PINK TULIPS
Raegan Gideon (age 14)
MY RESIN CO.
Raegan Gideon, 14, makes epoxy key chains and coasters featuring gold flakes, sprinkles, glitter and real flowers that she sells through Instagram and Etsy. She also has inventory available for sale at Sugar Creek Country Store and Florence Adams in St. Marys.
“The owners email me if they need more items and I take special orders for customers who want certain colors or letters,” she said. “It’s really gratifying to have people buy my work and say how much they loved it or how much someone they bought it for did.”
Raegan seeks inspiration from Pinterest, Etsy and Amazon and is expanding her offerings to include decorative trays.
The high school freshman created her company, My Resin Co., in late 2020 to occupy her time productively during the pandemic and save money for college. Her first splurge with her earnings was a $30 shirt.
“The first few weeks went smoothly, but then there were challenges like the resin not setting well,” she said. “I have my process down now.”
Active in volleyball, basketball, track, cheer, drill team and competitive softball, Raegan said juggling activities with her enterprise was also a challenge initially.
“I make a lot of lists to keep me organized,” she said.
Inspired by her older sister, Hayden, 11, is working on developing her own company too, The Pink Tulips. She plans to sell beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
“I really enjoy creating patterns with small glass and clay beads,” she said. “It’s art but it’s also work.”
Hayden, who plays volleyball and basketball, said she is eager to emulate Regan’s success when she begins selling items this fall.
For other youth considering starting a business, Raegan said, “Never give up, even though it’s tempting to quit. Running a business and creating inventory can be a lot to tackle with school and sports but keep at it. It’s worth it.”
Paxton Waddell (age 17)
PAXTON’S CREATIONS
Three years ago, Paxton Waddell, 17, began creating lettering and design work for fun under the instruction of an aunt. Waddell’s designs and slogans on T-shirts caught on through word-of- mouth and became the impetus for her business, Paxton’s Creations.
“I love anything that involves art and design,” she said, a passion evidenced by bedroom walls covered in pictures and paintings she’s created herself that now provide a colorful backdrop for her burgeoning business.
Two years ago, Waddell realized she wanted to take her hobby to the next level and began mapping out a plan.
“There was a steep learning curve and a lot of trial and error,” she said. “I had to adjust some things and work through difficult transitions, but I figured it out as I went along.”
Early challenges entailed finding the best suppliers and perfecting a technique to ensure press-on lettering would stay put and not peel off.
Integrating a business with schoolwork and extracurricular activities has necessitated a few adjustments in her schedule.
“I get to do what I love every day, but it’s time consuming,” she said.
Her supportive parents have also made accommodations by allowing Waddell to put a T-shirt press in the living room.
“It’s huge and it’s there all the time as a reminder to me that I should be working,” she said, laughing.
In addition to shirts, Waddell offers cups, decals and other promotional items. She provides spirit wear for some of the Cornerstone homeschool group’s sports teams.
“It’s been really cool to go out in Topeka and see people wearing my shirts,” she said.
Waddell pumped her first profits back into her business through the purchase of a new Cricut and an iPad to refine her designs.
Waddell, who supplements her homeschool curriculum with graphic design courses at Washburn Tech, intends to pursue a business degree at Washburn University after graduation.
“Taking courses at Washburn Tech has given me new perspectives because we share ideas and designs and build on them and that has helped me grow a lot through my art,” she said. “I don’t get feedback when it’s just me.”
She promotes her business through word-of-mouth, Facebook and Instagram, and eventually hopes to offer a website.
Long term, Waddell wants to grow her business into a full-time career.
“I know working for myself will always mean putting in more hours than a normal job, but I like the idea of being able to do whatever I want,” she said. “I want this business to become the only job I’ll ever
need to sustain me.”
KiAnna & Jazlyn Watson (ages 11)
TWICE AS NICE
Twins KiAnna and Jazlyn KiAnna Watson, 11, create artwork independently and collectively in pursuit of their own ideas or to bring a client’s vision to fruition.
Their parents encouraged the seventh graders at Eisenhower Middle School to launch an art business earlier this year not only to share their creativity but also to cultivate skills around dealing with people, meeting deadlines and making money for college.
They create hand-drawn designs and use Cricut and HTV transfers to add art to apparel. One of their most recent collaborations was a shirt design for a fundraiser for Lifehouse Child Advocacy Center.
“We’re still trying to figure out how to collaborate with each other and clients,” said Jazlyn. “At first, KiAnna and I both just wanted to draw our own ideas, but we’ve found that it’s good to figure out how to combine our thoughts with what clients want and then work toward making everything come together.”
Jazlyn prefers pencils and gel pens to capture realistic-looking depictions, while KiAnna uses pastels and colored pencils to draw cartoons and comics.
The pair seek inspiration on social media and study the work of other artists.
“I like looking at the graffiti around Topeka,” said KiAnna. “I recently saw a bee on a building wall that was really cool.”
The sisters collaborated on another shirt design with a split face, half skeleton and half human. Jazlyn created the face and KiAnna contributed work on the image’s hair and teeth.
Both find drawing relaxing and are stretching their comfort level through customer interactions.
“It’s fun to show people what we can do and answer their questions about our approaches,” said Jazlyn.
“At first, I was nervous talking to people when they stopped by our table to ask about our shirts, but now I’ve gotten used to it,” said KiAnna.
The twins sell their apparel on Facebook and at the SENT Market.
