Janneliz and how she became a SEEDS of Change
More and more, customers are seeking products and services that are not just good for them - but good for the environment and the people around them. Consumers with a conscience are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to make purchases that matter - paying more and doing more for products that are good for everyone.
Ten-year-old Janneliz Marie Hernández has captured the very idea of this in Harvest Your Way, the business which she is co-creator. Harvest Your Way is a small business that aims to create ecologically sustainable-urban gardens in limited spaces. Using pieces of wood and string, they craft beautiful hanging planters so that anyone - regardless of their location - can enjoy the beauty of nature in their own space.
Janneliz is one of the most recent graduates from the SEEDS program from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. SEEDS is a STEAM-based entrepreneurship education program for youth in Puerto Rico. SEEDS allows students to tackle real-world business problems and engage in a mentorship program with leaders in business from on and off the island.
When asked about her product, Janneliz shared some of their vision:
“We created this for people who do not have a garden to plant, such as those who live in condominiums and houses without a patio. You can also place them in your office as decoration.”
Since starting their business, their profits have totaled nearly $1,000! Even with the amount invested in their materials to make the products, the net profit for their business was $485.
According to Janneliz and her family, who have been supporting her in the journey, they expect that they will continue generating profit because they still have a lot of material to work with in the coming months, and are applying all that they learned in the SEEDS program. The majority of their cost is the wood it takes to make the product, and Janneliz is learning how to navigate expanding her product and increasing her product margin.
Despite the complications and hurdles of opening up her own business, Janneliz has big dreams for the future of her business: “I like to have conversations with people, I like to learn, and I use the money from our sales to continue the production of the home gardens and make the company more successful.”
To find out more about Harvest Your Way visit the SEEDS business page here to watch Harvest Your Way’s business pitch and ways you can support Janneliz and other students. You can also follow Harvest Your Way on Instagram here.
You can support Janneliz to continue her learning about how to grow her small business.
