Entrepreneur at 8
As a girl, making and trading bracelets is often a sign of close friendship. But for Brookwood Forest Elementary student Ella Lee, the craft is also part of her business model.
At 8, Ella is the creator and owner of Diamonds for Friends friendship bracelets. The idea began when a friend started her own website to sell paintings. Ella wanted to contribute to the merchandise, and with the help of her mother Kim Lee, came up with a design to add to the site. Now, Ella’s bracelets have made their way as products into three Mountain Brook stores.
“Just this little idea turned into something really fun,” Kim said. “She loves it.”
Ella and her mother decided on a design using embroidery floss and a string of eight rhinestones. The floss is wrapped around each rhinestone and held in place with knots on each end. Ella can make the bracelets in a variety of colors, but some of her most popular include sports team colors.
She decided on bracelets after thinking about how she could make a product that people could give as a gift. She enjoyed giving her friends gifts and thought making something to give to others would be a good way to give back.
“[Giving gifts] makes them feel good, and it makes me feel good, too,” Ella said.
Ella started selling bracelets in the summer. With school out, she was able to create many bracelets to provide to the websites and stores. Now that school is back in session, she has to balance time, extracurricular activities and bracelet making, but Kim believes her daughter is learning valuable lessons from the experience.
“It’s a lot of responsibility,” Kim said. “You have to work really hard. She had a really hard time understanding when we first went to Learning Express, but now she’s learned how other people can sell your stuff for you.”
Kim also said Ella had a hard time understanding that she had to spend her own money to buy more material for bracelets, but now she knows that she also has to make more.
Kim encourages Ella to save the money from her business so that she will learn smart money habits from an early age. Each time Ella receives an order, percentages are taken out for savings and for tithing at church.
Ella has sold almost 100 bracelets since beginning Diamonds for Friends. She hopes to sell the bracelets at more stores in Mountain Brook soon.
While she is enjoying running her own business, Ella’s favorite part of making the bracelets is brightening people’s days.
“I like it when my friends are happy,” Ella said.
Ella’s bracelets are available for $6 each. Find Diamonds for Friends bracelets at The Pants Store, Mountain Brook Sporting Goods and Learning Express.