There’s nothing Booked Parties loves more than supporting the creative, energetic spirit of entrepreneurs. Recently, we are finding inspiration by setting our sights a bit lower…literally. A new crop of entrepreneurs are on the rise, but you won’t find them running their businesses between the hours of 9am to 3pm when school is in session. Gone are the days of paper boys and lemonade stands. Today’s young business owners are savvy beyond belief, successfully identifying niche business models and leveraging the power of social media in a manner that’s so natural to them, it’s staggering to us grown-ups. The children are clearly ready to lead the future.

Spotlight On: Project Bubbles 

When Olivia Berk’s cousin was diagnosed with Leukemia, she was inspired to act. The Chappaqua resident, age 11, swiftly began brainstorming fundraising ideas.  Channeling Olivia’s interest in handmade soaps, Project Bubbles was born with the mission of “cleaning up cancer one bar at a time.” All profits are donated to four partner charities including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure Foundation, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night campaign.  

We sat down with this young philanthropist to learn more.

How did you learn to make soap?

I started by watching people make soap on Instagram. I thought it was so cool, so I started making it with my friends. With the help of my family, I work very hard on perfecting Project Bubbles’ soaps and giving customers a lot of customizable choices. Our soaps stand apart because they are made with love.

How do you promote Project Bubbles? 

Right now, we are selling our soap online. We promote using bumper stickers, stickers, our website and our voices! I hope to start selling in town soon as well.

Project Bubbles is run like a family business. What are the pros and cons? 

The pro is that I get a lot of help and support, but the con is that I am a very independent person and I like doing things my own way at times.

How did you select your four partner charities? 

They are four charities that mean a lot to me because they help my cousin with his recovery. We recently got our first order for party favor soaps! So far, we’ve raised close to $300 and all profits are donated to these charities.

Are there any challenges you experienced along the way that you didn’t anticipate?  

It’s been pretty stable, but we did run into a problem when we underestimated the amount of glycerin we needed. We bought more and now we have a better understanding of the amount of supplies it takes to make our product!

What advice can you give other kids looking to become “mini movers & shakers”? 

Just be persistent and don’t give up! I also recommend reading a book for kids called, “How to Start Your Very First Business” by Warren Buffet. It was really helpful to me. Remember that times may get rough, but if you really try, you can do anything.

For updates on Project Bubbles please follow them on Instagram.

Photographs provided by Project Bubbles. 

Shauna Levy is a writer, communications professional and a stay-at-home mom.  Her interests include flaunting her discount shopping finds, cooking food her children reject and restoring her 125-year old home.  She is currently raising three boys, ages 9, 6 and 5 alongside her husband in Chappaqua, NY.