Seeing a child get excited about exploring their world is a wonderful thing to nurture. Juju, at the age of 6, is doing just that. Her world is girly-girl because that's what makes her happy, feel creative, and develop in an inspired way. Since the age of 1, when asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" the answer was always "a fashion designer". Hanging among the fabulous ready-to-wear at Girly Things, Juju became more interested in becoming a designer. Her ability to express herself through fashion has grown into an interest in entrepreneurship, girl empowerment, and girl leadership.

In this process, development of life skills are built and strengthened, project by project. Juju gets to explore, at a very young age, how to have vision, see ideas come into fruition, and most of all for a 6 year old, have fun with it! Her abilities with communication, collaborating, and compromise are taking shape. This is all leading her to recognize “failures” as temporary moments to reevaluate, work with others, and re-do something better than before. She sees every little step as fun, exciting ways to embrace a vision, then watch it come to life. Plus, there's lots of dressing up time! Juju loves to inspire other girls to have fun this way, too.

Getting her to follow something she loves, that she would easily keep doing, has been a path building experience. A matter of noticing what really gets her present. Kids staying present takes some guidance and practice. Her excitement turns into focus, and those moments of focus become her drawings, and her designs. When she lights up, then wants to make a plan, she starts believing in herself. Her confidence comes to life. The possibilities and outcomes begin to emerge, and she gets even more excited. Taking the time to guide her through starting with a drawing, to picking out a color, imaging an embellishment, is building the entrepreneur's spirit in her. With Girly Things, her love of drawing and design becomes something new you can actually wear. Something she can share with others, enjoy with other girls. She gets to have fun, and help others, too!

Juju herself picks all of the colors and embellishments of her skirts. Like any efficient entrepreneur, she then outsources other tasks ...like sewing (don't all fashion designers?). Her styles are sparkly, colorful, lively, and playful. The whole experience also builds an awareness of how important, useful and fun skills in reading, math, and the arts are. While she's still learning, she's putting what she learns to good use. There's a productive outcome, and we all get excited about it, everyone involved. The very brand itself, Girly Things, has given her a sense of focus, possibility, and social outreach. Girls are now often aware, at a very young age, that the world needs more changing. They are aware through events like the Young Entrepreneurs Showcase that they can make a difference.

This Spring, Juju's will be presenting her line of sparkly, girly skirts...and we can't wait to see what she creates.