Long before the 8:25 a.m. school bell rings, 10-year-old Eva Gaisie is already at work. Waking up as early as five o’clock, the Mississauga fifth-grader is busy mixing, baking and carefully packaging her signature OG Diva cookies for morning pop-up sales.
Across the GTA, many kids are turning the things they love into small ventures. They make balloon animals, pour resin in garage workshops and sell cookies after school. “Kidtrepeneur” markets like the Wright Spot’s Kid Maker Market, Kid2Kid Kid’s Marketplace and the Children’s Business Fair appear regularly across the city, giving children the chance to showcase and sell the products they love. With help from parents and community members, these young makers set up shop at school and neighbourhood events, learning the value of business skills and resilience along the way.
Neala Cruz Hines, 14, Whimsy’s Balloons
Whimsy’s Balloons began in Neala Cruz Hines’ Mississauga bedroom, where she first learned to twist balloon animals from YouTube.
From a small starter kit her mother picked up at Dollarama, Neala began creating animals and flowers for family and friends. At one point, her room was filled with balloons she’d prepared for her middle school graduation day.
Seeing how much her creations delighted people, Cruz Hines decided to take her business beyond her home.
“My mom gave me the push I needed to actually start a business in balloon making,” Cruz Hines says. “She helped me by reach out to different people for opportunities and purchased items that make my job easier.”
Her first opportunity came at a child’s birthday party. From there, word-of-mouth and online videos led to bookings at other parties, festivals, school fairs and corporate events. She has started to be recognized around the city.
One challenge Cruz Hines finds is the level of extraversion needed to work with young kids. “I need a lot of social energy to be able to share and grow my business and I’m not very confident in that area,” she says, adding that her mother will sometimes step in to entertain kids when she needs to focus on twisting balloons.
“Once you’re confident in your business, reach out to family, friends or others,” Cruz Hines advises other aspiring entrepreneurs. “Connections will help you immensely in the future.”
She hopes to perform at more community events, festivals and card expos. “I want to be able to make more types of balloons, make enough money to make some of my dreams come true, and be able to treat my family once in a while,” the Grade 9 student says.
She says she’s saving up for her own puppy, K-pop concert tickets and a vacation with her cousins.
Rivers Schwartz, 12, Rivers Resin
In a Toronto garage two summers ago, Rivers Schwartz discovered resin and woodworking, a hobby that has since grown into Rivers Resin. Today the 12-year-old sells cutting boards, tables, plant stands, bookmarks, candle holders, ornaments, coasters and other resin creations. Taught by his stepdad, Schwartz took to the craft quickly.
He decided to start selling his work and, with his parents’ help on social media, he now takes online commissions and sells at markets like the Danforth East Community Association Arts Fair, where he won this year’s Emerging Artist Award, and the Wright Spot’s Kid Maker Market.
“People don’t always take kids as seriously as they should,” the 12-year-old says. Still, he’s proving doubters wrong, balancing a heavy middle school workload with his passion for woodworking and resin.
“School work is a lot in middle school and my parents tell me school comes first,” Schwartz says. “I work on my woodworking and resin crafts when I have spare time, and it’s a nice break from schoolwork.”
“Find something to sell that sets you apart from things that are already out there,” he advises other young entrepreneurs. “Trial and error is a good thing–if something doesn’t sell well, think of something better and try again!”
Schwartz hopes to save enough money to attend McGill University and become a human rights lawyer, inspired by his brother Isaiah, who lives with an intellectual disability as a result of Galactosemia.
Eva Gaisie, 10 years old, Diva’s Cookies
Mississauga’s Eva Gaisie has been running Diva’s Cookies since she was seven, baking before sunrise to keep up with demand.
“I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and I really like cookies,” the fifth-grade student says. “So I put two together, and here I am. Since I was born, my family has called me a diva.”
Gaisie is inspired by her mother, who runs a kids cooking business, and her 15-year-old brother, who runs a clothing brand with a friend. A fan of Andrea’s Cookies, Crumbl Cookies and Night Owl Cookies, she began baking at home with the help of Pinterest and her mom. Her first creation was a chocolate chip and M&M hybrid.
When the principal at her brother’s school, Ms. Sealy, heard about her cookies, she invited Gaisie to sell them after school.
“It was crazy,” Gaisie says of that first bake sale. “I really enjoyed it.”
Gaisie now sells at pop-up markets and school events across Peel Region, and she takes orders through Instagram DM.
“When my cookies don’t sell out, it’s disappointing,” she tells The Star. “But I have to realize not everyone likes desserts and then keep on trying.”
Balancing business with school takes effort. She sometimes wakes up as early as five o’clock to package cookies before the 8:25 a.m. bell. “If I have a pop-up in the morning, my mom will take me out of school, then I’ll go back after lunch,” she says.
One day, she’d like to open a storefront, though only part-time. “I want to be a doctor or a cop,” the 10-year-old says. “But Diva’s could still be my side career.”
Her top sellers are the OG Diva (chocolate chips), the Golden Diva (chocolate chips and Golden Oreos) and Diva’s Spring Sprinkle Mix (sugar crystals and sprinkles).
