We want to share #SomethingGood and something sweet that a 13-year-old is whipping up in Allen.
Olivia Hogan has quite the knack for entrepreneurship.
She is the founder of Olivia’s Originals Bakery, a business she started on her own during the pandemic last year at the ripe old age of 12.
And she is truly a one-woman show.
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Hogan bakes all of her own cookies, brownies and bars from scratch and then delivers them by bike within 24 hours to customers to ensure freshness. Delivery is contactless, which is perfect for her neighbors to get their sweet fix during the pandemic.
“I have a backpack that I load all of the stuff into, sometimes I have to make a couple of trips. And I just go around three different neighborhoods and drop off at doorsteps,” she said.
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She also manages her own inventory, tracks her sales and has learned how to do her own bookkeeping to monitor her income.
“I’m tremendously proud of Olivia. She makes me proud all the time, job or no job. I love her ability to just go after something that she wants,” said Lauren Hogan, Olivia’s mom.
Olivia has been baking since she was a young girl with her mother and grandmother. She had her first “job” at 7 years old, running a bakery stand with a friend for two summers. She since worked other jobs including babysitting, teaching swimming lessons and teaching others to play guitar.
But the idea for launching her own business sparked after reading a financial book last year. She was inspired to figure out ways to avoid debt as she grows up through her teens.
“It kind of made me think about the financial state I want to be in when I’m an adult and I wanted to work towards that,” she said.
She hopes her mission can inspire other teens to get a head start on their own futures.
“I think it’s a really good idea to look towards the future. See what your vision is for yourself. You only have one chance at this. And you really want to get the most out of it,” she said. “Think about what you’re interested in and what you’re interested in becoming. And find something that you love to do."
So far, she has earned about $2,000. Not bad for a 13-year-old!
Hogan bakes one weekend a month to make sure she has plenty of time for school, friends and playing one of four instruments like piano, guitar, saxophone and violin. Her sweet treats bring her some of her greatest joy.
“Seeing the smiles and the great reviews. It’s a real confidence booster," she said. "It’s a lot to know that what I’m doing isn't really making a huge change in the world but it’s making a change in my life. And the everyday lives of other people.”
