Making Waves

Feeling his $3 weekly allowance didn’t go far enough at the Dollar Store, Patrick Williams of Fort Myers told his dad he needed more money. His father, Ralph Williams, remembered rolling beeswax candles as a kid and selling them at a restaurant for bubblegum money. He suggested that seven-year-old Patrick try it.

In early 2007, Patrick and his younger brother, Joe, started selling handmade beeswax candles to friends and family. Then, with help from Dad, they struck a deal with the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers to carry the candles, and soon added organic soap, T-shirts and jewelry to their product line. Inspired by his kids’ drive and success, Ralph founded FranChild, a "franchise-like" business that allows children and teens to become entrepreneurs.

For $25 a year, kids receive access to the same below-wholesale, bee-themed products that the Williams boys sell, and membership in FranChild’s online community, The Hive. For an additional $2 a month, clients can add their own Web page created by Ralph. He says that children and their parents will be able to edit their own pages by later this year.

FranChild’s clients print business cards, labels and other marketing tools using software from Printable Technologies in Fort Myers, where Ralph is the director of strategic accounts. Clients package their own products and set their own prices.

FranChild buzz is growing. A mention in a Wall Street Journal blog in March, before its official launch, brought in dozens of customers, from as far away as Australia, and an invitation for Ralph to speak on Fox News. Patrick, now 8, and Joe, 6, are making $200 a month each, some of which goes straight to church and savings.

"When my kids are old enough to drive, instead of going to their first McDonald’s job they’ll be driving to their [clients]," Williams says.