Spotlight on Young Entrepreneurs of the Triad

By TMoM Team Member Katie Moosbrugger

Triad kids are amazing! Today we are thrilled to feature five incredible young entrepreneurs from around the Piedmont. These students took the initiative to start their own business. Thanks to their hard work, creativity and tenacity, their efforts are paying off. It’s our pleasure to introduce you to these entrepreneurs and hope you will take the time to browse their websites and/or social media pages to learn more about their products and services. Chances are good you may have seen them – or their businesses – around town. Each one of them features a specialty that we are sure you could use in your life.

Artz-n-Beauty

Thirteen-year-old Zoey started her small business two years ago when the world shut down for quarantine. Her business is called Artz-n-Beauty and she specializes in making organic, toxin-free bath/body items and seasonal crafts. Artz-n-Beauty started with making pour paintings and holiday crafts and has since evolved into the “artzy” world of health and beauty. Zoey takes pride in only making clean, toxin-free products to “feed” your skin what it is craving. You will never find artificial ingredients or chemicals in her products, and her hope is to inspire others to choose clean, raw, and natural products.

She is excited to share that, with her parents support, she recently opened an Etsy shop and would love if you “favorited” her shop! Products are made for people of all ages (babies-adults.) Check her products out at www.artznbeauty.com or find Artz-n-Beauty on Facebook here.

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Cooper Dunning Photography

Eighth grader Cooper Dunning is the face behind Cooper’s Christmas Balls and more recently, Cooper Dunning Photography. He has always had an entrepreneurial drive, whether it was selling lemonade or even dog bow-ties. You might have seen the lighted Christmas balls in the Sunset Hills during Christmas time. If so, you know it’s a sight to see. Cooper saw this as a business opportunity and has been selling since 2019.

This past year was his largest year to date, selling 748 balls and donating $2000 to the Green For Greens Fund. After every season, Cooper grew tired of not managing a business day to day, which eventually led to him turning his photography hobby into the business that it is today. He primarily photograph families, couples, and seniors, but is always open to shooting new things! If you are interested in booking, you can view his photo gallery and contact him directly at CooperDunningPhotography.com. You can also follow him on Instagram and Facebook. 

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Savannah’s Sweets and Treats

Savannah’s Sweets and Treats officially opened for customers in January 2021. But Savannah Welder had dreams of opening her own bakery for years prior. She gained inspiration from Food Network shows and loved to experiment in the kitchen as young as six years old. Eventually, she discovered her love of baking and her talent bloomed from there. If you ask Savannah why her business brings her joy, she will tell you that it is the perfect combination of the things she loves the most: baking and art.  She has a vision for color palettes and designs that have transferred from her artistic creations on paper to her baked goods. Savannah even made her first wedding cake (lemon pound cake with cream cheese frosting) which was proclaimed to be the best the guests had ever tasted!

Savannah’s Sweets and Treats offers cookies, cakes, cupcakes, muffins and brownies. She offers homemade frostings and several custom cake flavors. Some of her best sellers are carrot pineapple cake with cream cheese frosting, red velvet cake with chocolate chip cream cheese frosting, and frosted sugar cookies. She sells directly from her home and occasional pop-ups around town. Check out Savannah’s Sweets and Treats’ menu, and follow her on Facebook for more information!

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Washing Away Hunger One Car at a Time

Our final entrepreneurs are Ella and Mary Poyner. When the pandemic hit and quarantine took hold, most everyone unexpectedly had a lot of extra time on their hands. Many trends circulated through social media featuring new activities and hobbies that you could do in the comfort of your own home. Along with the rest of the country, Ella Rose and Mary Poyner York were wanting to find a fun way to spend their extra free time. They were searching to find an activity that would be contributive to others while adhering to governmental Covid protocols.

During the spring lockdown of 2020, Ella and Mary Poyner decided to create a quarantine car washing business called Winston-Salem Car Wash. Initially, their services focused on washing the exterior of vehicles. They donated a portion of proceeds to Second Harvest Food Bank, which helped people in the community who were struggling during Covid. To promote the business, they placed flyers on neighborhood mailboxes and posted advertisements on Instagram and Next Door App. At the end of the summer, they ended up donating $100 to Second Harvest. In summer of 2021, they started their business back up. They upgraded their services to include both exterior and interior cleaning. As a result, their service demand skyrocketed, averaging about 10-12 cars a week. In total, they have donated over $250 to help people in need within our community.

As we come to the close of their senior year of high school, Ella and Mary Poyner are wanting to donate to the food bank again before they head to college. They are restarting their business and their hope is to reach a new donation goal. If you would like to support their small business, you can contact Mary Poyner York at (336) 972-8290. You can also follow them on Instagram @winstonsalemcarwash to see what they’re up to!

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Do you know any local entrepreneurs who would like to be featured in a future profile on TMoM? If so, please let us know. You can email me directly here. We love meeting local entrepreneurs!

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