August 20, 2020
In celebration of World Entrepreneurs’ Day, today’s episode of DesignMakePlay celebrates a couple of young entrepreneurs who are creating their own opportunities and making a difference in their communities.
Before founding LanguageLL and helping students across North and South America improve their English, Kelly Pedroza was a psychology student studying internationally at Douglas College here in BC. Originally from Venezuela, Pedroza soon discovered her passion for childcare work. Children are our future, and they learn very quickly. What they learn has an enormous impact on society as a whole, and is a major part of what inspires Pedroza. Like any endeavor worth pursuing, getting started was not easy. Pedroza had to knock on many doors and network with a variety of individuals until 2017 when she finally found her opportunity in a summer camp. Soon after, many opportunities in the Child Care Field began to materialize, and by January 2018 she was an out-of-school teacher for a Montessori Daycare, boasting a roster of childcare-related certificates. Now in her third year of her degree, Pedroza studies remotely in back home while running her company.
Another startup that deserves recognition is Boys with Buckets, a car washing company owned and operated by 19 year old McGill student Kai Rozitis and his 16 year old brother. The Rozitis brothers founded this venture in response to complications from Covid-19. The two young men needed work, and decided waiting for a solution was not an option. Now two months into their venture, they are always busy, and have learned a lot in regards to scaling a business and navigating the ever-changing landscape that is entrepreneurship.
A few takeaways from these inspiring stories is that you are never too young to be an entrepreneur, and that fear of failure is not something that should stop you from achieving more. Pedroza is 24, and the Rozitis brothers have yet to eclipse 20. Despite their age, these young go-getters have started something meaningful that they can build on, and most importantly, are learning as they go.
Rozitis stated on our show that he felt a lot of trepidation when founding Boys with Buckets, but once the first moves were made, everything began to fall into place. Yes there are always obstacles to navigate, but if you put the work in, good things happen. Pedroza also added that to be an entrepreneur, you have to accept that failure is inevitable, and merely a stepping stone to success. If you let fear of failure stop you, you will always be stuck. Pedroza works 24/7 and wakes up everyday eager to fulfill her dreams of being an educator. As Roman philosopher and stoic Seneca once said, “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. Stay prepared and keep hustling. Opportunities will find you. Do not wait, take action!
You can find Pedroza and the Rozitis brothers via Instagram @languagell and @boyswithbuckets respectively, or at https://www.boyswithbuckets.com/. Give them a follow, and be inspired! What are some ideas you feel people could benefit from but have yet to take action on. Let us know on Instagram @ZenMakerLabs!