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How an 11-Year-Old Entrepreneur Crashed the Oscars
With the help of her mom, Megan Kent launched her T-shirt line, Love Gone Apparel, just three months ago. This week, she'll be mingling with Hollywood celebrities at a pre-Oscar event.
Posted 2/ 24 11 at 11:30 PM | News, Advertising & Marketing, Sales, Starting a Business, Home-based Business, Consumer Products & Services, Retail, Inventions & Innovations, Show Business
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In the final days leading up to the Oscars, Megan Kent will be mingling with celebrities at a pre-awards event, trying to drum up some publicity for her Vero Beach, Fla., clothing line, Love Gone Apparel. It's a smart move for any entrepreneur who is trying to get their company on the map with the help of Hollywood A-listers. But one thing sets Kent apart -- she's just 11 years old."The people who get nominated for the Oscars are going to be at the place I'm going to be," Kent says of the Alive! Expo Green Pavilion event. "I'm going to be giving out free T-shirts." Then she pauses, perhaps revealing a little more of her tween side than her entrepreneurial one, and adds, "I'm hoping I meet Selena Gomez. Maybe."
Love Gone Apparel, which launched its line of rock-inspired T-shirts three months ago, already has one unofficial celebrity endorsement -- Tori Spelling -- and has had quite a bit of national press, mostly from age-appropriate publications like Seventeen and Girls' Life.
One of Kent's biggest business assets has been her mother, Tricia Kent, who owns her own PR firm, Public Relation Divas.
"Megan comes up with a business idea at least once a month," says Tricia, citing eco-friendly baby products as one example. "This idea, Love Gone Apparel, came about when we were sitting around the dining room table, and she said, 'You know what a good name for a clothing business would be? Love Gone Apparel.' And I thought about it, and kept thinking about it, and decided, I don't want to be 50 years old someday and wondering what would have happened if I had helped her pursue her dream of starting a business."
Tricia helped Megan set up a website and find a manufacturer to produce the T-shirts that Megan designs. Tricia and her husband, Stephen, who works in construction, were going through an amicable but still painful divorce, which actually gave Megan the inspiration for the company's name. "When my parents got divorced, their love was gone for each other," she explains.
Megan says the most challenging task now is advertising and getting the word out about the T-shirts, which, so far, have been selling in the dozens.
Networking during Hollywood's biggest event should help boost sales. The opportunity was arranged through a friend of Tricia's. "There are going to be a lot of celebrities and A-listers there," Tricia says. "She'd love Justin Bieber to be there, but I'm trying to get her to be realistic."
As for other entrepreneurs, particularly kids who hope to have their own business, Megan offers already has some advice to impart. "Just go for your dreams," she says. "And if you want to be an entrepreneur, a singer, an actress, an actor, or be in music or study fashion or do drama, go for your dreams -- and eventually you'll get there."
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Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Good job Megan!!!
all of you! quit being haters!! you only wish that you did this much at the age of 11. so great for her!!!! and how wonderful to have parents that help her with her dream. all of you are just jealous and everyone can tell and just laughs at your comments because if you wernt then your comments would be less distructive and more constructive.this is an 11 year old you are talking to..or did your parents talk the time to teach any of you some manners but i guess none of yours did and the probably downed your dreams so you have to do the same to her... misery loves company and no one wants anyone to be happy when they arnt ...so quit being HATERS.....
Sorry Megan.....But Mummie is dream'n. There is nothing special about this......"T shirt". I just don't think that the GP's (general public) is gonna catch on to this just because your Mum has advertising experience! I don't even get the name? Love Gone Apparel? Really? Nope there is just no fascination to this idea at all. It's all already been done.....Good luck on your next idea!
HEY, TEA ~
DON'T DISCOURAGE HER. SHE & HER MOM WILL CATCH ON REAL QUICK IF THIS GOES NO FURTHER. MOM'S GOT THE IDEAS AND CONTACTS; HOWEVER, IF MEGAN DOESN'T COME UP WITH SOME REALLY, REALLY GREAT IDEAS, SHE'LL BE GONE SOON ENOUGH.
40.00 for a T shirt with your logo on it? Baby no one knows who you are so why would they spend that on a shirt?? Sorry if this comes off rude but you will NOT make it in this business with shirts such as your own. I will continue to shop for my daughters clothes at Justice, JC Penney, Childrens...perhaps you should look at their designs and get some better ideas. I wish you the best!
Great!!! Here is another lame marketing stunt and nothing special about all this. So the 11 year old thought about starting a T-shirt business but lots of people have this very same idea. Let us be realistic she's not the one running the operation. She's barely done with 5th or 6th grade so could barely manage running her own life, nonetheless run a business. Good strategy to market t-shirts to a gullible American audience, who will gobble up anything these days. To the author of this article, I know titles suppose to be catchy but let us try to make it more credible next time, “Shall we”.
Bravo AOL! Finally a story that is not only newsworthy, but also inspirational. Thanks for featuring this article. It was a great read!
ANOTHER Mommy living through her child OR should I say USING her child ! Sigh!
My God, Leave the Girl alone.. She came up with an idea and made it happen. She probably has done more then any of you and she is 11 years old. Whoever comments bad on this story is a moron... Be happy for her....
While I think this t-shirt company is a good idea, the average person (or small group) would not be successful at this. What is making Megans company successful, are her connections. Anyone can have an idea. I hate to take away from this 11 year-olds pride and excitement, but if there is anything realistic about this situation, it's that she's damn lucky to have the support and an "in."
Negative Comments = Jealousy .....Dream Big Little Girl, you will achieve great things in life.!!
These shirts are worth about ten dollars on a good day and the girls ideas have been done years ago...she should go back to girl scout cookie seller!
Good for you Megan...It doesn't matter if you T-shirt line makes it or not. The fact is you had a dream and you are going for it. We all have to start some where in life and at 11 you are way ahead of most kids your age. Good luck with you company!!!!
Here is an 11 year old girl with motivation, dreams, ideas, and now she has made it a goal in life to produce these T-Shirts, she will make it, if not with the T-Shirts it will be another idea, Megan, don't let anyone take away your thoughts and dreams, keep going girl, and you have great support from your mom. One day we will be reading bigger stories about how successful you have become. I lived in that area for a few years back in 2007, I'm now in Arizina and I miss Florida and I wish I were there personally to cheer you on, however I will do it here in Tucson Az. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Dale
The designs on those shirts look a lot like the designs on some Crazy Shirts that are made for females. Being that they have Crazy Shirt shops in Florida, she probably saw some of their designs and came up with something extremely similar that has the feel of water flowing in a fountain or in wave designs with floral mixed in and almost the same type face. She is not an original designer if she copied her designs based on Crazy Shirts designs.
LOOKS LIKE SHE DECIDED TO COPY DESIGNS SIMILAR TO WHAT CRAZY SHIRTS MAKES FOR FEMALES.......SHE IS NOT AN ORIGINAL.
Funny, this is supposed to be a feel good story...but I don't feel good about it. Seems like a bunch of hot air. Another tshirt company? And its in demand? Really? Los Angeles is filled with thousands of tshirt silk screeners. I have to ask what is so special here? I guess its who you know - that should be the headline here.
My God! Now the kids are cashing in on their parents divorce!
OK here is a question to those who are sooo supportive of Megan. What exactly has she done to become an entrepreneur??? If someone can give me an answer that can silence me and put me in my place then you have a point. Otherwise let us not be sooo gullible and try to be all supportive of a marketing stunt (the 11 years old Megan in this case). Not a unique idea, not unique designs, and nothing out of the ordinary or special. And to those who support this marketing stunt, are you willing to buy a shirt from her line??
I am not against an 11 years old girl coming up with an idea, but lets not make her an entrepreneur. Seriously the article made it like the girl done a lot. If we must name an entrepreneur then the mother who was inspired by her daughter's idea would be the entrepreneur. Sadly she used her daughter as a gateway. Using the "emotional" side of people to get the product sold. I could start an ice cream company tomorrow and say my 9 years old cousin came up with the idea, and thought of the flavors, and I could invite top Hollywood and FoodNetwork echelons to attend.
Surely a bunch of idiots would fall for this trick and would flood my ice cream shop, and my 9 years old cousin would become an entrepreneur (except he did nothing). Emotional marketing people, that's what this is called.
Megan do you have a face book? or email?