Family of ‘kidpreneurs’ destined for greatness

Under the watchful eye of mum Hannah, two ‘kidpreneurs’ from Redfield have set up their own businesses. Clea, aged 15, and Macy, aged just six, create their own products which they sell from their online shops.

We meet near their home, at the local park, to talk about their extraordinary family life, and how running their own businesses have helped bring some normalcy back to all of their lives.

At 14, Clea developed a website, selling affordable t-shirts and hoodies that she bought from as far afield as the USA. “I wanted to make a clothing line,” she explains as we take a seat on a bench. “I used to order a lot of cropped hoodies from America, but they weren’t very good with sending the stuff over, so I thought of a new idea, one that was more reliable.”

With a bit of help from mum, she bought a vinyl printer and a heat press machine to start making her own designs.

Starting off with just five hoodies and using the camera on her phone to take pictures, Clea’s first load of orders equated to an enormous £600. “I get to see people in town wearing my clothing, which is really cool. It feels nice to know I’m doing something.”

Clea has recently started planning talks at local secondary schools to tell young people aged 11-13 her story, with a view to inspire them to start their own businesses.

Clea (left) and a friend model her clothing range

Shortly after Clea’s business took off, younger sister Macy caught on to the idea. “She got annoyed at me because I told her I was making more money than her!” Clea laughs.

At the age of just five, Macy started making her own soaps, and selling them in her Etsy shop. She has now branched out, making lip-gloss and other beauty products in her spare time.

Mum Hannah is rightfully proud of her two entrepreneurial daughters’ achievements, and also of their resilient spirit in the face of family difficulties.

Two years ago, Hannah was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a condition which causes extreme pain all over the body, triggering difficulty sleeping and increased sensitivity to pain. “I’d never even heard of it before I was diagnosed with it,” she says sadly.

“Before I got ill, I worked really hard and got my degree. I used to play a lot of hockey and football and having to stop those was…” she drifts off. “Sometimes I dream that I still play, and when I wake up in the morning, faced with the pain, it can be really, really depressing.”

She watches her two girls fondly as they play in the park: Hannah’s condition impacts their lives every day. “It’s so hard to have the kids see me go through this,” she says. “When I’m on painkillers, they can make me forget a lot of things and that can be difficult. We haven’t got much support.”

At the age of just 34, Hannah was forced to retire from her job as a Special Educational Needs teaching assistant, working with children with autism, due to her ill health.

“There are periods when things are better,” she says. “Maybe one day, they will find a cure and I’ll be alright. I don’t know what the future holds, it’s just really important to stay positive I think, otherwise it can really get you down. Helping the girls run their businesses is a great thing for me.”

As we said goodbye and the girls helped their mum down the hill on her crutches, their optimism, as well as their entrepreneurism, was truly inspirational. Despite all of the difficulties, Hannah, Clea and Macy are fighters and won’t give up on anything easily.

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