Success Story: Junior Achievers

Role: Global supplier sourcing and small business mentoring

Supplier locations: Hong Kong, Taiwan

Client: Kosmic Kids fashion accessories

A young 11-year-old girl decided she wanted to be in business like her mom. She was used to product shipments coming from Asia, and always thought the deliveries were like birthdays - lots of boxes filled with surprises. She wanted in on the fun.

The girl approached Carol Tanner and asked for guidance in setting up a business. Seeing this as a project filled with valuable teachings, Carol encouraged additional sixth-grade classmates to also be involved.

The 2-year project launched as a fashion accessories line branded as Kosmic Kids. Every business decision was made by the kids. Valuable business lessons were learned in real-life scenarios: Picking a brand name, packaging, where to find the product, negotiating with suppliers, moving product from one country to another, customs, setting the MSRP, finding retailers to carry the line, and finally - collecting receivables.

The unique project got the attention of local magazines, leading to strong brand recognition, a loyal customer following, and product placement in USOs on US military bases throughout Asia.

The young 11-year-old creator of Kosmic Kids is Amy, the daughter of Carol Tanner. Amy says the experience of Kosmic Kids at such an early age instilled confidence she might not have otherwise achieved. "I'm often surprised when I see others in business hesitate to go after something, while I'm viewing the situation as an easy thing to overcome. My confidence level is stronger than many of my colleagues."

The experience of the Kosmic Kids project forever changed the students, instilling an entrepreneurial spirit and natural understanding of business ownership and global trade.