I was chatting with my barber when I first learned about the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC). I had been describing my lawn care business when he told me I should consider competing in YEC, a competition for students interested in entrepreneurship.

In March 2020, when school was closed, I wanted to find something to fill my time and a way to make money. My dad told me I could visit with a few neighbors to see if they would be interested in letting me take care of their lawns. I acquired five clients on the first day!

I started working with leather in second grade through my involvement with 4-H. At first, I didn’t share my products with anyone, but when I was in middle school, I started to sell earrings and custom belts. Eventually, this turned into a full-blown business: LB.Leather.

When I was younger, I thought I’d grow up to be a veterinarian because I love being around animals. Unfortunately, I don’t deal well with blood, so that didn’t work out! Luckily, I found my way into a career I love.

After I realized becoming a professional baseball player just wasn’t in the cards, I considered being a teacher because I love helping others. But my career path took a few turns before I found myself educating people — and it turned out not to be in a classroom.