When I tell people I'm an entrepreneur, a lot of times they are surprised. Probably because kids don’t usually own a business.

My journey started small. I pitched an idea to Mr. Jay, who owns Del Rey Hardware, to put a gumball machine in his shop. We worked out a revenue-sharing deal, and he's been a mentor ever since. (Thanks, Mr. Jay!) That gumball machine partnership taught me to track sales, establish operations and learn about amortization.

Shortly after installing the gumball machine, I held my first snow cone stand in our driveway. The menu had tons of flavors, which turned out not to be the great idea I thought it was. People took forever choosing, and honestly, some flavors weren't that good. I used what I learned from that to start my own LLC and run a professional snow cone business. Earlier this year, the business was put to the test, at George Washington Middle School's end-of-year Picnic Palooza. Even with many volunteers helping, things moved fast and we were sloppy, so I knew I needed to create systems for efficiency while maintaining quality. Thank goodness–because soon I’ll be vending in the food court at Art on the Avenue (come say hi)!

I love Halloween, so my business also includes a Halloween Haunt. It’s a life-size walk-through experience with special effects, props, actors, sounds, lights and themed sections. This will be my third year. I donate proceeds to Save the Children because they help kids in war zones and other conflicts resulting from decisions made by grownups. Make sure you stop by over Halloween weekend!

Snow cones and Haunts might seem really different, but they have something in common. They are both entertaining and fun! My big dream is to create an arcade and entertainment center for families. It will be innovative, with a restaurant, bar, and staff to help watch kids so parents can relax, and a single payment system for eating, drinking, and playing.

Before that, I will keep running the gumball machine, shaving snow, and scaring people.