Tag-Archive for » Mark Victor Hansen «

June 18th, 2010 | Author: Pencil Bugs Creator

I’ve met lots of biz kids of all ages since I started my business. But these four are just a few of the older ones I was lucky to meet because we were all featured in Mark Victor Hansen’s book, “The Richest Kids in America.” Not every person featured in the book was rich by any means, me included, but each person had their special talents and reasons for starting their business.

Chelsea Eubank – @faithfulfish Founder of Faithful Fish, a clothing line with cool designs with a religious theme. Chelsea has quite a story to tell. Make sure to check out her website and if you’re not already following her on Twitter, do it now.

Olivia Bennett – @oliviabennett A talented artist who started painting at five years old as a form of therapy after having cancer. Her artwork is amazing.

Martina Butler – @emogirltalk She runs her own web podcast and was the first teenager to get national sponsorship.

Allyson Ames – @wonderlandbakery Allyson could be a “look-a-like” for Alice in Wonderland but in reality, she started her own bakery business and does amazing custom cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc. I’ve tried them and they are as good as they look.

Of course, if you’re not already following Mark on Twitter, make sure you do. @markvhansen

If you’re interested in buying a copy of the book, I have it on sale now through July 4 for just $8.99 with FREE shipping and autographed by me. Check my Pencil Bugs website to order.

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June 11th, 2010 | Author: Pencil Bugs Creator

Well, school’s out for the summer officially today.  I have a lot of fun things planned so if you want to follow my adventures, subscribe to my blog.

Last week, I started my new Twitter Follow Friday format of writing about people on my blog.  I got a lot of positive feedback on this new format so enjoy the second list for today.

The following people deserve a huge thanks for writing an endorsement for my upcoming book, “Bitten by the Business Bug: Common Sense Tips for Business and Life from a Teen Entrepreneur.”

@raisingCEOkids – Sarah Cook – www.raisingCEOkids.com (Founder of Raising CEO Kids and mom of three biz kids herself)

@barefoot_exec – Carrie Wilkerson – www.blogbarefoot.com (Founder of Barefoot Executive and mom who “says it like it is”)

@inventorsdigest – Mike Drummond – www.inventorsdigest.com (Editor-in-chief of the magazine)

@MarkVHansen – Mark Victor Hansen – www.markvictorhansen.com (Co-author of the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series)

And if you’re looking for any type of graphics work, make sure you check out

@chazGfxdesigner – Chaz DeSimone – www.chazdesimone.com Chaz took our original book cover design and put his professional touch on it. Sometimes the smallest changes make all the difference.

If you want to receive an email when my book is officially released and ready for sale, please fill out the email form on my website or just check back on my site around the first part of July.

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May 21st, 2009 | Author: Pencil Bugs Creator

If you’re not hungry now, you will be after you read this post and check out this website.   I met Allyson Ames a few months ago because she is also in Mark Victor Hansen’s new book, “The Richest Kids in America.”   She has a great story but an even more amazing business along with the perfect website.   Her business is called Wonderland Bakery and yes, it’s a real bakery in Newport Beach, California.  But it’s more than just an ordinary bakery.  Her store looks like you just walked into the “Happiest Place on Earth.”   And even more ironic is that Allyson looks like she could be Alice in Wonderland.

She has baked goodies for some really famous people and sends cookies, cakes, and cupcakes plus a whole lot more all over the country.  Whoopi Goldberg picked Allyson’s gingerbread cookie as her favorite when they had a contest on “The View.”   Allyson even made custom cookies for President Obama’s Inauguration Party.  That’s pretty awesome!   You can read all about that and lots of other cool stuff on her website.

102_0521Even though we met a few months ago, I didn’t have a chance to try her goodies.  She surprised me this week when she sent me three different kinds of cookies.    These weren’t your ordinary cookies either.  One box had deluxe chocolate chip cookies and raspberry chocolate cream cookies.   The other box had custom cookies made with my Pencil Bugs logo on them.  They were so colorful and perfect, I almost didn’t want to eat them but I did.  Before I shared them with my mom and dad, I just had to take a picture of them.   They were like little presents that you could give to someone. 

The good thing was, even with the frosting, they weren’t real sweet which we all liked.  The cookie was a sugar cookie but better than anything you could imagine.  Sometimes when you get things in a bakery, they look pretty but they don’t taste that good.  Allyson’s cookies looked perfect AND they tasted perfect too!

If you’re looking for something different for a party or maybe a gift for someone just for fun, Wonderland Bakery is the place to go.   And if you can’t get there, she’ll ship them to you. 

Did I sound like a commercial?   I guess I did but her goodies are worth bragging about.   Check out her website or if you’re close enough to her store, go in person.  You’ll see what I was talking about.

You can follow Allyson on Twitter.

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April 30th, 2009 | Author: Pencil Bugs Creator

If you are trying to become a published author but you don’t want to self-publish, you know you either need an agent or can try to do it on your own directly with a publisher which is really hard.

You can do what most people do and submit your proposal to dozens of agents hoping that one will be interested and give you a contract.  That can take weeks, months, or even years.  My mom has been writing children’s stories since I was born.  Although the children’s market is a lot different than books for adults, it’s still really difficult to get published through a traditional publisher.  I know.  I’ve seen her send out dozens of manuscripts to agents and also publishers for her children’s stories.  Even though she has gotten lots of rejection letters as most people do, she still keeps writing and trying.

What if  you are writing a business book for adults?   How do you get published?  How do you find an agent?  There must be an easier way than submitting proposal after proposal and waiting month after month for some kind of response.   Guess what?  There is an easier way.

Attend a Mark Victor Hansen MEGA Book event.  And you’re in luck.  There just happens to be one coming up on June 5-7 in Orlando right in the middle of DisneyWorld at the Swan and Dolphin Resort.  Not only will you be inspired by Mark but you will also hear other speakers with lots of helpful business information.  But the best thing is that there will be agents and other people from the publishing industry that you can meet in person.  

That’s how I found my agent for my business book.  Actually, he found me at the last MEGA Book in LA in February.   I am convinced that face-to-face meetings are much better than just sending something in the mail.  So why not increase your chances?

richestkidsfrontcvrwebmedThis MEGA Book event will be extra exciting because it is the official release of Mark Victor Hansen’s upcoming book “The Richest Kids in America.”   Mark interviewed thirteen kids at different stages of their businesses for his book.  I feel very fortunate that he included my story.  So along with several of the other kids in his book, I will be speaking onstage that weekend.

If I’ve convinced you that this is an event you don’t want to miss, please register through my website.   I get credit if you do and the kids from his book are in a contest to see who can refer the most people to MEGA.  It will be loads of fun!  If you’re a biz kid, you get a great deal too.  It’s only $299 for kids 18 & Under.

See you at the party! :)

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April 20th, 2009 | Author: Pencil Bugs Creator

100_0100How many times does a seventh grader get to judge a high school business competition?  Probably not too often.  On April 17, I was invited to judge and speak at a Junior Achievement business competition in LA.  It was really interesting.  There were about 17 groups from different schools in the LA area.  Each group created a business and had to present their plan.  I judged the table displays for the teams.  I was paired with two adult judges and we didn’t always agree but I made some pretty good points.

 

The overall winners were:

  • JA Company of the Year (Venture Capital League) went to Falcon Royal Tees from CALS Early College High School.
  • JA Company of the Year (Board of Directors League) went to Higher Grounds Cafe from Chaminade College Preparatory School.

 

Through the Inland Empire’s Junior Achievement rep, we were able to also invite Mark Victor Hansen, author of “The Richest Kids in America” to be on the business panel.  He has so much energy, the kids were amazed.

 

I am looking forward to working with Junior Achievement in the future.

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