He boots up his computer and opens Photoshop and starts working on a social media ad for a business. He knows it has been six months and his business is finally starting to pick up. He works his hardest to make a great ad that will help guide others to the business. 

     Senior Kevin Willis and juniors Jillian Musson and Valerie Adams all have businesses that have launched recently.    

      Senior Kevin Willis runs a social media marketing business which helps companies promote and grow their influence on social media. He started 7 months ago and he is the sole owner of the business.

     “My favorite part is the freedom,” Willis said. “One thing I don’t like about the regular typical job is that I would have a boss. I like the availability of working on my own time frame and not on others.”

     In the coming months Junior Jillian Musson will be launching her makeup eye shadow pallet on her website. The pallet will have a total of 1000 units when it is first released and it will be launched  by the company Musson runs as a sole proprietor.

     “My favorite part about being a student entrepreneur is that I get to design everything,” Musson said. “I get to be in charge of everything I do. I adjust the price, what it looks like, and I decide the colors. I can make it whatever way that I want to.” 

      Junior Valerie Adams also has a business where she sells the custom art that she makes. She primarily uses a pour technique that she applies to canvases and vases.

     “I love running my own business,” Adams said. “I get to set my own hours and if I don’t want to work on something, I don’t have to.”

     Students in the advanced audio visual class also use their skills from the classroom to make money. Lauren Knox, Morgan Craft and Miles Hill will both be shooting wedding videos during the summer for clients.

     “I am so proud of how the AV kiddos have taken their knowledge and skills and been able to turn it into something they can be proud of and get paid for,” teacher Neda Morrow said.

    Willis’s marketing business is called KWMedia, Adams runs Val’s Pours, and Musson’s cosmetology business is called Jilliebean Cosmetics.

    “I would say the biggest thing is not giving up,” Willis said. “You just have to endure through the hardships and believe things will get better.”