This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tom Landry. It has been edited for length and clarity.
It was during the pandemic that my daughter Maddie’s creativity really started to blossom. She loved doodling in particular, giving each of the characters she created back stories.
When she was 7, she asked me if she could create stickers featuring her characters, for herself and to give to her friends.
My wife and I could have just done this for her, but we decided to involve Maddie in the process. We all researched sticker companies to find the ones that could help us get the job done. Once we decided on a company to use, we filled out the interest forms and learned to scan the characters together to send to the company.
At the beginning, it was purely about having fun. None of us were thinking about this as a business opportunity.
Her friends loved her designs
When Maddie took the stickers into school, her friends loved them, asked her how she had done it, and gravitated toward the characters on the stickers and their corresponding stories.
When she was 8, Maddie said she wanted to have a lemonade stand and sell some of her stickers at the same time. People bought them, which launched Maddie’s business selling her sticker creations.
From the lemonade stand, she donated a portion of her profits to a local charity, setting a precedent for her future business growth.
Giving back to the community has always been a priority in our family, something Maddie has grown up with, so it was no surprise that she wanted to do the same with her own business.
We often say, “Do well, but do good.” Maddie clearly took this on board. She had internalized behaviors she’s seen at home for years.
We started a business with her
The initial interest sparked by her stickers led Maddie to work with her mom and me to learn how to set up a business.
How do you set up a website? How do people order online? Where can you sell your products? What do you do with the profit?
We answered all of these questions, and more, together.
Even though I’m an entrepreneur, it was fun to just play again and be creative with my daughter. It’s been incredibly energizing for me.
I think that as adults who are often busy, our innate artist can disappear, and that attitude of “anything is possible” dissipates. It’s kind of sad.
I’ve been working for 35 years, and it’s easy — almost subconscious — to assume that because something has been done a certain way for a long time, that’s the way it must continue to be done. Watching Maddie approach her work with curiosity, optimism, and a willingness to try things without overthinking them pushed me to look at my own business through a much fresher lens.
Even more importantly, I’ve had the chance to nurture Maddie’s creativity, empower her to take control of what she wants, and help her learn about her agency. These are such great life skills.
She has donated 10% of her earnings to local charities
Her business, Maddie Moo Designs. has continued to grow. She has sold stickers online, in local souvenir shops, and at events. She’s learned so much about business along the way.
Since starting, Maddie has generated more than $5,000 in sales and has already donated over $500 of her earnings to Maine charities.
We’ve encouraged her to think about how she’ll use the money she’s made, suggesting four “buckets” — the fun bucket, the giving back bucket, the investing in the business bucket, and the savings bucket.
One of Maddie’s favorite purchases with the money she has made is a black North Face coat that is fluffy and warm on the inside. She’s also bought squishies and books.
Maddie didn’t need pressure from me or perfectionism to succeed; she just needed exposure, possibly, and look where that has taken her. Kids are capable of so much more than we assume.
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