Some very talented students from South Australian Catholic schools are already making their mark in the business world, designing their own innovative products and launching their own brands - while still in school.
The Advertiser spoke to some of these young people making a difference to their community.
Kidprenuer: Sophie, 10, St Joseph’s School, Hectorville
Business: A Drop of Happiness
Sophie designs, makes and sells clay earrings for her business, A Drop of Happiness.
She started when she was nine after seeing her brother participate in their school’s entrepreneurship program and develop his own business, Rawsome Foods.
“I saw my brother learning about businesses and having success of his own, which inspired me to look more closely at making earrings for my family,” Sophie said.
In her spare time, Sophie continues to hone her craft, learning new techniques, mixing colours and creating new stock to sell.
“Ask my family; I’m always creating at my desk, or on my computer looking for new ideas, trends and materials to use with my own earring creations,” she said.
Sophie said she was ready to learn how to develop her own website, which, she said, she would learn soon thanks to her school’s entrepreneurship program.
She also wants to stock her A Drop of Happiness earrings in homeware and gift shops.
Kidpreneurs: Benjamin, 9, and Sophie, 7, St Josephs Memorial School, Norwood/Kensington
Business: Paws in the Pantry
Benjamin and Sophie came across a book in their local library. In that book, “Rainbow Eggs”, was the story of a boy who started his own free-range egg business at the age of nine.
Inspired by the boy’s entrepreneurship and their own dog, Tilly, the siblings started Paws in the Pantry — a healthy dog treat business.
Using “very fussy” Tilly as their taste-tester, their homemade baked treats were a hit at the dog park.
“We started telling people at our local dog park, and we sold to friends as well,” Benjamin and Sophie said.
They also decided to use social media to spread the word and are currently working on a website.
“We want our business to be a big success,” they said.
“We want to sell at local markets such as Gillies Street Markets and the Adelaide Farmers Market. We want to have a shop and sell Australia wide.”
Paws in the Pantry might be a new business, but the pair already have their sights set on using 100 per cent recyclable packaging and all Australian ingredients.
Kidprenuers Zac, 11, and Ava, 10, St Marks College, Port Pirie
Business: Flinders Fruit
Flinders Fruit is a dried fruit business run by sibling duo Zac and Ava.
“Mum and Dad buy dried fruits and we thought they’d be easy enough to make,” said Ava.
After buying a dehydrator, the pair started experimenting with different fruits until they got it just right.
Selling their product at the Port Pirie Markets, they’ve proved extremely popular.
“We’ve sold lots of bags,” the pair said.
Despite their rapid success, Zac and Ava haven’t let it get to their heads.
They’re constantly listening to their customers and revisiting their strategy, with plans to introduce strawberries.
“It’s really fun (running Flinders Fruit) and we like earning money,” they said, adding that it has been “fun meeting new people at the markets.”
With plans to be at the next Port Pirie Markets, Zac and Ava want Flinders Fruits to become huge.
Kidpreneur: Aaliyah, 18, Nazareth Catholic College, Flinders Park
Business: Maisha Flow
Aaliyah was adopted from Kenya when she was a baby by a woman from Adelaide. In 2019, the pair went back to Kenya to the community where Aaliyah was born and built two schools in resource-poor communities.
After noticing girls did not regularly attend lessons, she discovered it was due to their lack of sanitary products.
Aaliyah started Maisha Flow when she was 16 years old with the intention of eradicating period poverty in Kenya.
Maisha Flow hosts lunches to raise funds for her cause, which Aaliyah calls “Little Lunch”.
She also sells colouring books where 100 per cent of sales are donated.
When designing the book, Aaliyah thought to include a variety of period facts throughout the pages to raise awareness for her cause.
Aaliyah’s dream for the business is to impact one million girls.
“Girls (with access to sanitary products) are empowered with uninterrupted education, do not have to perform sexual favours in exchange for sanitary pads and have more power over their bodies and choices,” she said.
Kidprenuer: Indiana, 10, Nazareth Catholic College, Findon
Business: IndyyPop
Ten-year-old Indiana has always had crazy ideas but none as great as her idea to start IndyyPop — a custom T-shirt and label business.
“I thought it would be fun to design T-shirts and labels because I’ve always been creative,” she said.
Indiana was nine when she launched IndyyPop and has loved every moment.
“I like coming up with my own ideas and I get to take control of what I want to do with my life,” she said.
Although she loves IndyyPop, Indiana said it can be challenging trying to juggle the demands of the business with school and sports but it hasn’t dampened her enthusiasm.
“I want to grow my brand and create multiple successful companies,” she said.
You can find IndyyPop on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
Kidpreneurs: Milena, Lucija, Lily, Rosie, 11, Rosary School, Prospect
Business: Lavender Leaves
After reading the classic series “The Babysitters Club”, Milena was inspired to start her own business club — later joined by Lucija, Lilly and Rosie.
That birthed Lavender Leaves, a multifaceted business that creates jewellery and sells plants, stickers, calming crystals and scrunchies.
The girls started small, selling aloe vera to their teachers at their school after school hours.
Steadily they have increased their capacity, selling handmade stickers to students and plants for Mother’s Day.
“We all contribute and put our time and effort into our club,” the girls said. “And it helps build our friendship.”
The girls are hoping that others are inspired to customise their own items for their club.
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To coincide with National Reconciliation Week, the South Australian Catholic secondary school sports association have celebrated a Reconciliation Round of sports fixtures, including netball and AFL football.
Some schools marked the round by wearing Indigenous design sports uniforms custom-created by students to tell their own personal stories.
