YoungBiz Gives Awards to
Top 10 Teen Business Websites

Welcome to YoungBiz’s Fall 2007 Top Ten List of what we think are some of the best teen business websites offering products and services in the US! Check out these teen businesses and don’t forget – you’re invited to register your own business website on our Biz Page Listings. Email Managing Editor Amy Neilson at ybeditor@YoungBiz.com for more information.

• Tania and Patrick Foster (www.dallasislove.org)
  Can two people change the world? Tania and Patrick Foster were certain they could – and they have proved that they were right. These siblings started Dallas is Love in 2005, non-profit enterprise dedicated to ensuring that our American soldiers are not forgotten. Check out this site and learn how you can make a difference!
• The Perry Sisters (www.drivesafesigns.com)
  Sisters Tiffanie, Victoria, Chestina, and Twana Perry were greatly saddened by the high number of teenage traffic fatalities in their home state of South Carolina and, in 2004, decided to do something about it. Check out this award-winning business and the creative signs these siblings designed to keep drivers safer on the road.
• Dallas Crilley (www.kidpreneurclub.com)
  Want to learn the secrets of some of the most successful teen entrepreneurs? You can find out here by subscribing to Dallas’s e-zine (it’s free), or picking up a copy of his book, Kidpreneur: Genius Ways for Kids to Pay Their Way Through College. (You can view a sample chapter on his site.)
• Jillian Gartner (www.wowtakeabow.com and www.americanpoodlesatwork.org)
  WowTakeABow not only does a great job of explaining the business of dog boarding and grooming, but also offers a good deal of information on how to take better care of your furry friend, from bathing and brushing to nail and ear care. Be sure to also check out Jillian’s other site, which features her latest biz – a non-profit assistance dog program.
• Alyssa and Lauren Burgos (www.bklynblingz.com/1.html)
  These 14-year-old twin sisters decided that today’s jewelry needs to reflect the wide range of attire that’s become commonplace. The twins’ company, Bklyn (pronounced "Brooklyn") Blingz, designs fashion jewelry flexible enough to accessorize any outfit from a t-shirt and jeans to business attire or formal clothes. Plus, if you’ve ever dreamed of being a model, check out this site for your chance!
• Aaron Sacks (www.yodcards.com)
  Looking for a gift or a party favor that’s unique? Check out You’re on Deck, an online business where you can design the back of your very own deck of cards with photos or graphics to fit the occasion.
• Paulo Amaral (www.jumpforall.net/)
  Take a look at this site and find out how Paulo grew his business from manufacturing, selling, and renting jumpers, bouncers, and moon bouncers, to including food machines that make everything from popcorn and snow cones to cotton candy. You can also learn how to open your own Jump For All biz!
• Devon and Jessie Green (www.devonshealtheworld.com)
  Do you think you could make a difference with something as small as an aluminum can? Devon and Jessie Green thought so – and they were right! Visit this site and learn how these sisters have raised thousands of dollars.
• Elise and Evan Macmillan (www.thechocolatefarm.com)
  Looking for the perfect gift? Who could resist a piece of heavenly chocolate with their name on it? Visit this e-commerce site to order specialty chocolate online, learn how to make your own – even get a 360-degree view of a truffle!
• Ben Lewis (www.drinkgive.com)
  Do you ever wish you were a little more health-conscious or that you could give more to charitable causes? This business offers you a way to do both. For each bottle of water you purchase, 10 cents goes to the charitable cause of your choice: impoverished children, breast cancer, or the environment.

Tania and Patrick Foster: Dallas is Love
by Amy Rauch Neilson

It’s often said that any effort is worthwhile if it helps even one person. For Tania and Patrick Foster, multiply that one person by 10. “I once heard that, when you help one person, you touch ten lives,” Tania said. “Through Dallas is Love, my brother and I have come to find that this is true.”

In 2005, brother and sister teamed up to co-found Dallas is Love (www.dallasislove.org), a non-profit organization that converts monetary donations into Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) gift certificates that are sent to U.S. military troops stationed worldwide. In 2006, Dallas is Love expanded to reach out to all four branches of the U.S. military.

Through their efforts, Tania, 19, and Patrick, 16, have truly had a taste of the rewards of giving. “I never imagined being in contact with so many wonderful people – the soldiers and all of the other people who support Dallas is Love,” Tania said. “It’s a good feeling to know that there are so many appreciative people who cherish the smallest things in this world and it is not only touching to those we help, but for us as well.”

Read more...

LOGIN NOW!

Not Registered Yet?

The YoungBiz Teen Club is a private, password- protected area on the YoungBiz website where you can meet other students and learn more about money manage- ment, business, and entrepreneurship. If you like what you've read in the Biz Startz and Money Smartz sections of our website, you'll love YoungBiz Teen Club. For a small membership fee, you’ll be able to read even more stories of young entrepreneurs, young investors, young inventors, and famous entrepreneurs. Plus, you'll have access to our Student Bulletin Boards, blogs, and tools to build your own website.