In entrepreneurial circles, it’s almost cliché to talk about turning lemons into lemonade. But a young person out of North Carolina took a lemon and made it into a frothy lemon confection big enough to share with a new community of fans interested in science, technology, engineering and math.

Nine-year-old Ava the STEM Princess was bullied and teased because she was behind other kids in reading skills. Rather than accept a label of someone who didn’t measure up, she set out to improve her skills on her own terms. She improved her reading by starting a YouTube channel where she demonstrates science experiments for kids her age.

Ava was interested in science experiments, so she researched on YouTube, then wrote her own scripts to replicate the experiments, then performed the script for her own YouTube videos. In the process of honing her reading skills, she inspired other school-age children to understand different ways that science can be fun and interesting.

“Instead of learning boringly, it gives me fun things to do,” Ava said. Apparently rule number one of young entrepreneurship is to not do things “boringly.”

Ava doesn’t share her last name because, according to her mom, “the internet is an interesting place.” But that hasn’t stopped her from having a robust social media presence on YouTube and other channels, where she demonstrates how to make hand sanitizer at home, blow up a tabletop volcano (with a face and ears) and using a magnifying glass and the power of the sun to set fire to sticks.

Now Ava the STEM Princess is head of Team Genius Squad, both a non-profit to advance STEM skills, but also a for-profit arm that sells lab kits, jewelry and apparel.

“I want kids to know that they will always fulfill their dreams and want to see a lot of kids having their own nonprofit,” she said.

I asked Ava’s mom if she had a background in education to help Ava with this venture. She said, “No, I just have a background in being confused and finding my way. I learned that I am analytical and found that I was good at math.” She went on to have her own successful STEM career.

Here are things you can do to build your own STEM empire:

Play to your strengths. Ava’s mom said that creating Team Genius led Ava to understand that she is a visual learner, which may require a different approach to traditional techniques. Armed with this knowledge, she’ll be able to adapt her learning in the future. Knowing your own strengths will help you understand the other skills you’ll need to bring in to advance your idea.

Have clear roles and responsibilities for your team. With Ava’s star team, it’s definitely a family affair. Her dad, a postal worker by day, is the Safety Guy, supervising everything that involves fire or chemicals. Ava explains that he always has an extra fire extinguisher at the ready. Her sister is the director behind the camera, and mom and grandma do the video editing. Her dog Shelby, a mini labradoodle, is Chief Photobomber. Everyone is clear about how they contribute to the success of the operation.

Know your audience. Ava built a community focused on peer to peer learning where kids get a sense of confidence learning from someone their own age. And she maintains a relationship with her audience by listening to what they want. When I asked what’s next, Ava’s immediate reply was “more merch.” It seems her community is asking for more things like bracelets to be sold for the for-profit company.

Build a board of directors. Because her nonprofit Team Genius is a registered 501c3, she’s required to have a board of directors. Hers is composed of accounting and financial advisers, as well as other STEM professionals who can help guide her. Depending on the nature of your own entrepreneurial venture, your advisors might be official or informal. Remember that you should never go it alone and that people will step up to help you.

Ava has sage advice for any aspiring entrepreneur: “Always turn a negative into a positive and keep following your dreams. And if someone bullies you that’s OK because you’re still going to be what you want to be in the future.”

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/janinemaclachlan/2022/04/12/young-entrepreneur-inspires-kids-to-explore-science/?sh=3ad6d6621f29