Kealie McClain and I met over Twitter and I have been so impressed with her as a Teenpreneur building her own soap making business. I especially love her message about wanting everything to be perfect and it just isn’t always like that in business. It’s important to take action and start your business even if it isn’t everything you want it to be in the beginning. She also has a passion to end bullying and donates a portion of her profits to do so. Kealie is a great example of a teen who got started and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes! (If you want to help a teen entrepreneur out please take a couple of seconds to answer her survey at the end!)
I was very excited when Eva asked me if I would like to share my story on The Teenpreneur (even if I was too awkward to show it), I’m Kealie and my company is KeKe Soaps.
When I was 13, I read about a lot of kids my age and younger that had started their own businesses and were very successful. I am a very creative and artsy person myself, seeing this made me want to start one. I’m also impatient and I wanted to jump right into everything.
I constantly bugged my mom about all the youtube videos I had watched about making soaps and other beauty products, so when she finally gave in, I started out simple with pre-made soap kits. I was a little frustrated because I thought everything had to be perfect, but soon learned that everything doesn’t work out that way.
Once I got more serious and less frustrated, my mom helped me figure out everything I needed to start my business. She worked with me on understanding materials, processes, costs, budgeting, paperwork, and then eventually my website. I chose to name my company and website after me, my nickname KeKe! And one thing that is really important to me is that every purchase on KeKe Soaps benefits PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.
I am now going into my second year and am on track to have a spring launch (with a more teen focus) with a new line of soaps and bath products. There are few bath items that I am still learning about, like bath jellies, and hope to include them in my line over the next few months. I am also wanting to add a natural additive line to include soaps with cucumber, avocado, and other healthy fruits and veggies!
Though it has taken a while, I am hoping more people will come visit my website to learn more about me and what I do. (And of course make a purchase of our new line!) One other thing I would like to mention is a survey that I am doing. I plan to launch a Books & Bubbles monthly box that would include a teen/young adult novel with KeKe bath products. This box would encourage teens to read more, but would also help underprivileged elementary aged children. With the purchase of one box, one book would be purchased for a child. The survey helps me to understand interest and it would mean a lot if you could check out the survey and fill it out for me RIGHT HERE.
Thank you, Eva, for letting me share my story on The Teenpreneur. It is exciting to share my story and even more exciting to read other teens stories, too!
KeKe
