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Even my three year old my son knows he want to own an ice cream shop when he grows up. I encourage him and listen to his ideas about running his own business, hiring a staff and ordering ice cream. Is your child interested in running a business? If so, here are 10 entrepreneurs your child should know because they exemplify determination and creativity.

Accidental Inventors

1. In the 1930’s, Noah McVicker and Joseph McVicker invented a clay-like substance to clean wallpaper. Twenty years later Play-Doh was tested in kindergartens and preschools. Play-Doh is a household name now comes in variety of colors. Even though the McVickers didn’t intend to create a toy, their creativity sparked a huge business that’s lasted for decades.

2. Another accidental inventor is Frank Epperson who invented the Popsicle. He left a stirring stick and some soda water outside overnight when the temperature dipped to below freezing.  The next morning Epperson woke up to find his frozen soda that’s now a summertime favorite around the world. Teach your kids that when they make a mistake or misstep, explore it and see where it leads.

3. The Slinky was also created by accident when a U.S. Navy Engineer noticed that a spring that dropped appeared to walk across the floor. Richard James’ wife came up with the name Slinky.

Never Too Young

4. By the age of 14, Farrah Gray was a self-made millionaire from selling body lotion and painted rocks door to door in Chicago. At 29, he’s an author with a publishing company and an honorary doctorate degree. (http://farrahgray.com/)

5. At the age of 9, Leanna Archer created a hair care company. By the time Leanna turned 15, she was the youngest person to open the NASDAQ and ring the opening bell. Her handmade hair products have sales of more than $100,000. (http://www.leannashair.com/)

6. Tyler Dickman was 15 when he started his company, Cooltronics. It provides online lesson on protecting your home computer from viruses. His net worth is almost $3 million dollars. (http://cooltronics.com/home.html)

7.  Richard Bottner turned his homework into a business idea.

While he was attending Babson College, Bottner wrote a 10-page research paper on what students expected from internships. He realized he could expand the survey, then share it with the human resources industry. His company, InternBridge, expects to generate more than $100,000 by providing research and support to companies who’d like to work with interns.  (http://www.internbridge.com/)

Richest kid entrepreneurs

8. 17 year old Nick D’Aloisio sold his mobile app Summly to Yahoo for $30 million dollars. Not bad for a kid who’s still in high school. (http://summly.com/)

9.  Fraser Doherty is worth approximately two million dollars. The Scottish entrepreneur left high school to run his million-dollar jam making company, CEO Jam. (http://www.fraserdoherty.com/)

10. By the time Cameron Johnson sold the greeting card company he started when he was 11 years old, his net worth was more than one million dollars. “Cheers and Tears” started when his parents asked him to design their holiday cards. Johnson is now a serial entrepreneur who has appeared on Oprah. (http://www.cameronjohnson.com/his_companies.htm)

Comment below: Are your children interested in becoming their own boss or running a business? Do you think knowing about the entrepreneurs on this list with encourage them?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joyce Brewer is an Emmy award-winning TV journalist who’s the creator/host of MommyTalkShow.com. The work at home wife and mom is also the author of Use What You Know: A Business Idea Guide for Moms. Joyce loves Starbucks café mochas, creating YouTube videos and catching a nap whenever she can.

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