Firstborns are a force to be reckoned with.
Take 5th grader Makenna Cosby, for example. When she was just 10 years old, she started her own soap making business.
Her love of bath products began with smearing bubbles on her face and playing with rubber ducks. Fast forward a few years and a few bath bombs later, Makenna received a Christmas gift that was the beginning of a new passion: a soap-making kit.
After discovering how much fun it was to create, but concerned about the harsh chemicals in most soaps, Makenna determined to create healthier products. She researched and experimented with several products, learned all about creating a business, and launched Makenna's Handmade Soaps in 2022.
At her recent booth at the Profound Foods Farmers Market, she started off shy, but quickly found her groove.
“Watching her have those first few awkward conversations when people were first arriving was the best,” says Makenna’s dad. “But by the end of it, she was walking up to everybody, engaging with the booths around us, networking; it was really cool to see.”
Preparing for the fair, she made about 260 soaps with the “help” of one employee that she hired (and promptly fired): her 7-year-old little sister. “She only worked for about five minutes!”
Makenna’s favorite scent is honey and shea butter. You can purchase from her wide variety of options at www.makennashandmadesoaps.com.
In addition to running her own business, she maintains straight A's at GATE Academy at Vaughan Elementary, and plays on a travel softball team.
She’s interested in studying law, a career that her parents say she’s perfectly suited for. Why? “My parents say I’m really good at arguing,” she laughs.
This young entrepreneur is an inspiration and a reminder to us all that age is just a number when it comes to pursuing your dreams.
What’s Next?
As her business expands, for every bar of soap she sells, she’ll be donating one bar to organizations that support the homeless.
What She’s Watching
“I really like watching comedies.”
Who She’s Following
“Nothing, I’m only in the 5th grade!”
(Good job, Mom and Dad!)
