BRYAN, TX — The pandemic has inspired people across the nation to take a chance on starting their own business. Some of these entrepreneurs are becoming younger every day.
Jakayla Stepney turned 14 years old this week and has the drive to be her own boss like no other.
Stepney recently launched 'Jes Gloss and Thangs' a business selling all-natural beauty products.
“I wanted to make natural lip gloss and make natural products for people and without the harmful products, so I looked up and I did a lot of research and my mom she helped me,” said Jakayla Stepney, founder of Jess Gloss and Thangs.
With the help of her mom and long hours of research, she was able to gather all the tools she needed to begin shipping her products to customers.
“Every day... every day, I’m always here finding a way to promote myself and make something for natural things, I have body butters and more,”
Stepney has a tiny work corner in her home. She also promotes her businesses on social media platforms to attract attention to her products.
”That’s where most of my orders come from, I've reached 800 followers on TikTok in like 2 months and then I reached 500 to 600 on Instagram,” shared Stepney.
In the last decade, social media marketing has evolved tremendously and is now giving younger generations more opportunities to explore business ventures.
”It gives an avenue of opportunities for a lot of young people to use that as the primary vehicle for launching their business marketing their products and making sure that theirs this grows very strongly,” said Venkatesh Shankar, Texas A&M Professor of Marketing and Retail Studies.
Venkatesh Shankar is currently studying these trends and also recognizes the growth in female entrepreneurs.
Stepney was inspired by her mom to begin a bakery business which has now turned into two separate business ventures.
”She researches and studies day and night. Every day I'm taking her to the post office to ship packages, but I know she’s going to do good because she is very motivated,” said Lakeisha Stewart, Jakayla's mom.
Although Stepney leads the tribe, she says she couldn’t do it all without the help and support of her family.
Jakayla Stepney hopes to one day own her own beauty shop and bakery store with her family.
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