Lemonade Stand
Ella Grace Helton
Business name: Ella Bella Beads
Age: 5
Ella is an inspiring 4-year-old with an older soul. She loves creating and sharing. “I have HUNDREDS of ideas,” she often says!
Business origin:
Ella loved to make plastic bead jewelry for her dolls, stuffed animals and friends. One day, EverythingBrevard.com CEO Tracy Stroderd asked Ella if she could make a bracelet that says “Type 1” for diabetes, a fashionable alternative to the medical alert bracelets on the market. Mom, Lee Nessel, thought plastic beads would be cute, but surely Tracy deserved something more sophisticated. So, the idea to use agate, gemstone, wood and lava beads was born.
How it works:
Ella and mom do a lot of the work together. Ella helps design and especially enjoys stringing up the bracelets — she’s more careful with the sharp threading needle than mom! Mom ties the knots, they both do packaging, mom manages social media and maintains the spreadsheet with orders, payments and expenses. Every order comes with a handwritten thank you note from Ella.
“I like when me and mommy do it together. It’s fun,” Ella said.
Giving back:
“We’re also helping kids,” Ella said, which makes her feel “happy.” $1 from each bracelet sold is going to charity, starting with The Children’s Hunger Project, which provides weekend food to kids whose teachers know they arrive hungry on Monday.
“There are so many lessons wrapped up in Ella Bella Beads,” Lee said. “Ella gets to learn what it means to create a quality product, give back, connect with people, manage a business — and we get to do it all together.” The duo plans to bring EBB to some small local vendor events.
More about Ella:
She is a blossoming brand of her own as an active professional actress and model. Perhaps you’ve seen her national Disney commercial or any of her five Gerber Life commercials. The beading is a means for the family to fundraise for a trip to New York City, where Ella will be performing this summer.
Bracelets are custom made for men, women and kids, plus EBB makes mommy-and-me and daddy-and-me sets.
Learn more:
Instagram: @ellabellabeads
Facebook: /IWantMyEllaBellaBeads
Ella on Instagram: @adventuresofellagrace
Suggest a kid for future Lemonade Stands! Email lee@everythingbrevard.com
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