Simple, natural, and entrepreneurial! Lani Lazzari started making homemade facial scrubs when she was just 11 years old.
The idea started to spark in Lani’s head when she grew tired of seeing her dermatologist for her eczema. Then when her mom was passed over a promotion at her work, Lani decided to make homemade facial scrub Christmas presents, and that’s when her idea really grew!
Because many of the commercial skin care products that Lani tried were harsh on her skin, Lani started researching a way that she could make an all-natural skin care product that would be safe for sensitive skin.
When Lani finished her research, her mom helped her with buying the ingredients and other supplies needed to make the scrubs. After the ingredients were bought, Lani started work in her kitchen. She made her first batch of facial scrubs in a couple of hours, the scents were vanilla and almond.
Then two months later, Valentine’s Day approached her, and Lani decided to start taking orders for her scrubs. “She [Lani] said she thought she could make chocolate and rose,” Gina Lazzari (Lani’s mother) said. “My husband was working at a company and we literally sent out an email the day before Valentine’s Day saying it if you forgot, it is not too late, we can have this delivered to you tomorrow.”
From that email, Lani received two dozen orders. It was at this point that Lani had to decide if she wanted to continue this as a hobby or make it into a business. Lani decided to make it into a business and Simple Sugar’s was born.
Eight years later, at just 19 years old, her innovation has turned into a multimillion dollar business that has received not only glowing reviews and national prominence, but would culminate in her biggest break on ABC TV’s Shark Tank, spurring a Pittsburgh-raised billionaire to buy a stake in Simple Sugars. Read more of Lani’s story over at PointStarGlobe.com.
If you’re inspired by Lani’s story and want to start a micro business of your own, you should check out my book, Starting A Micro Business. This book offers ideas, a business plan, pitfalls to avoid and resources to get a teenager started making money running their own micro business. Check it out today in paperback, eBook, or Kindle.
Carol Topp, CPA
