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.

My mom got sick when I was very young. During that time, we played “doctor” and pretended she was my patient. So, I’ve been interested in the medical field since the beginning. I lost my mom when I was eight years old, and after her passing, my dream of getting into health care intensified, but I didn’t have a clue where to start.

As a child, I was never sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. I came from a very poor, poverty-stricken family in a large city. I knew what I didn’t want to become.