Submitted photo

From left to right: Tom Boyd, Boyd Metal Works; Methius Barney, Newe Inspirations; and Mason Radinovich, One Rad Cookie Company.

Local teens from Harney County’s Mentor Match Youth Entrepreneur Program traveled to Baker City March 6 to participate in the “First Ever Rural Teen Entrepreneur Summit.” The Summit brought together three teens from Harney County, and five teens from Wallowa County. Both groups are part of the Mentor Match Youth Entrepreneur Program, sponsored locally by High Desert Partnership under Executive Director Brenda Smith.

The Summit was hosted by Launch Pad Baker, a nonprofit incubator space, and its director, Bryan Tweit. The day-long event celebrated rural teen entrepreneurs and allowed them to present their businesses, and get feedback from the other teen entrepreneurs as well as adults with expertise in marketing, innovation, pricing strategy, and scaling a business.

“I enjoyed learning ways to respond to failure,” said Enterprise junior Katrina Haines, whose business, KH Custom Stickers, launched last fall.  “I also got good ideas for how to make my product better.”

Foster Hobbs, founder of Lostine River Forge, brought examples of the decorative hooks and door pulls he makes out of a blacksmith shop he created in an old shed on his family’s property outside Lostine.  “I liked hearing about the other businesses and talking with young entrepreneurs,” said Foster, a senior at Enterprise.  “Bryan gave great inspiration, and I learned that the most important thing isn’t talent, it’s perseverance.”

Mason Radinovich, a junior at Burns High School, launched One Rad Cookie Company, using a sugar cookie recipe he got from a relative in Ohio. Radinovich’s biggest challenge turned out to be too much success. “I launched just before Christmas with a Facebook page,” said Radinovich. “I figured I’d get a few orders from my mom’s friends, and maybe some neighbors.” Radinovich soon had orders for 48 dozen hand-decorated sugar cookies. “I was getting up early before school, coming home right after school and baking. Luckily both my grandmothers came over to help me wrap and box the cookies.”

Radinovich decided to control orders for Valentine’s and limited orders to 30 dozen. “I realized I could have done more, so somewhere between 36-40 is my ideal capacity,” said Radinovich.

Methius Barney, a member of the Burns Paiute Tribe, called his business “Newe Inspirations.”  Barney sold the beaded art work and jewelry his mother made. He said his biggest obstacle was having product to sell. When asked if he ever nagged his mother to make more pieces and work faster, he became serious. “No, I would never do that,” Methius said. “The elders say you have to be in the right frame of mind, because you don’t want to put your negative energy into the piece, so I wait for my mother.” Methius was encouraged to include that story on his tags and other printed materials. “That’s powerful,” said Tweit.  “That gives us a much better sense of what really goes into each piece, and that it’s much more than just beautiful bead work.”

Aubrina Melville, an Enterprise junior, founded Laundry Lambs, chemical-free dryer balls made from wool, for an all-natural alternative to dryer sheets. Melville was advised to raise her prices.  “People who care about all-natural and chemical-free options will pay more,” said social media specialist Vanessa Spriet of Baker.

“It helped me learn more about how to market my business,” said Aubrina.

Forget-Me-Not Designs, founded by Joseph Charter School junior Zoey Leith, had the most successful launch in the Mentor Match program’s nine year history, making over $400 at two local holiday bazaars last December.  “I learned a lot today about improving sales and marketing,” said Zoey.

Tom Boyd from Burns, owner of Boyd Metal Works, echoed that statement. “My favorite part of the Teen Summit was getting feedback and learning how to grow my business,” said Boyd.  “Experienced people and their help and advice are your most valuable tools in starting a business.”

Wesley Johnson received valuable tips on how to discipline himself to stay inside the rental shop at Ferguson Ski Ridge waiting for customers for his Ski & Snowboard Wax business, when he really wanted to be out on the slopes with friends.  “Get there early and have clear hours of operation in the morning and the later afternoon, so you can ski in between,” advised Bryan.

With the First Ever Rural Teen Entrepreneur Summit a success, plans are to continue next year.  “It was great to have so many come out to support this,” said Smith.   “Listening to these young entrepreneurs’ stories was the best part.”