Duo Transforms Roscoe Village Girls into Business Women

The style and creative pros behind two Roscoe Village businesses are paying it forward this holiday season by empowering local tweens to become young entrepreneurs, all ending with actual products for sale on Roscoe Street.

Wishcraft Workshop’s Candice Cummins and CRUSH’s Amanda Shell have created YES!, the Young Entrepreneurs Society centered around teaching young girls how to run a business. And according to Shell, the success of the project is beyond what they could have imagined.

“Candice and I are super good friends, and this is something that we love to do together,” Shell said. “We just really believe in empowering young girls, and watching them do this – we’re so excited about it.”

Shell and Cummins kicked off the project in early November where almost 20 area girls from between 8-and 10-years-old came to a workshop about what they needed to know to start a small business. From there, the young girls learned about everything from making products to marketing.

Then, they pitched their products.

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“One girl made these hats that her grandmother taught her how to make, and now the grandmother has Alzheimer’s,” Shell said. “I mean, they took it so seriously. All of the girls did. And we taught them how to do elevator pitches and everything: ‘These cell phone covers will make you stand out better,’” Shell said with a laugh while imitating a pitch.

After the presentations, Cummins and Shell picked just five girls to be featured at their new pop-up shop on Roscoe Street. Located at Wishcraft Workshop at 2312 W. Roscoe St., the shop will feature all the girls’ products for sale just in time for the holidays.

"And we taught them how to do elevator pitches and everything: ‘These cell phone covers will make you stand out better.’"

In an attempt to bring new meaning to the phrase “shop local,” the team of tween and adult businesswomen are kicking off the unique pop-up shop with a launch party on Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The event is open to the public.

It’s the first night the girls will begin to reap the rewards from their hard work.

“The pop-up shop will be open for three months,” said Shell. “And whatever the girls make is theirs. One third they can keep, one third goes into savings, and one third they can donate to a charity of their choice.”

And although this may be the first time Cummins and Shell have schooled area girls on the makings of a business, it won't be the last. Girls interested in participating in the next round are encouraged to watch for news from CRUSH and Wishcraft Workshop. The next free educational workshop will be scheduled for early 2013.