Spreading Good Vibes

Local sixth-graders launch a business to bring cheer to others during the pandemic—and hope their work will continue long into the future

Prescott Woman Magazine sat down with entrepreneurs Ella Franz and Bebel Medina to discuss their business—and their mission: to spread good vibes.

PWM: How old are you?

Ella: We are both twelve.

 

PWM: What grade are you in?

Bebel: We are both in sixth grade.

 

PWM: What’s the name of your business?

Ella and Bebel: Good Vibes in a Bag

 

PWM: How did you come up with the business?

Bebel:  We came up with the idea to do care packages.

Ella: We decided to do care packages because we wanted to spread good vibes during the hard time of COVID.

Bebel: We started putting together packages with scrunchies, candles, and stickers.

Ella: I sew the scrunchies and my sister designs the stickers for us. We pay her to help us with that.

Bebel: I make scented soy candles and we have a whole bunch of different-themed packages.

Ella: So depending on what you like, you will find different colors, stickers, and scents to order.

 

PWM: Why did you want to start this business?

Ella:  Like we said, we wanted to start spreading good vibes during quarantine to people who were feeling negative or sad about the pandemic. We also love to craft and wanted to cure our boredom.

Bebel: We started coming up with this idea over Facetime. We met in preschool and have always liked to do crafts together, so it was fun to come up with this business.

 

PWM: You started this business during the pandemic. What are your overall thoughts about this past year?  (For example, how did you feel about the pandemic? How do you think others felt?)

Bebel: It’s been rough and boring, but our business has helped us not be so bored. And it’s a lot of fun!

Ella: I thought the pandemic was at a bad time for us because we just started middle school.

Bebel: I felt sad because I couldn’t hang out with Ella and it was even harder because she doesn’t go to my school.

Ella: But because of the business, we got do something together, but from our own homes.

Bebel: It made us feel like we were together more.

 

PWM: Why did you feel the Prescott area might need your business during this time? And do you sell outside the area?

Ella:  Most of our business comes from local customers but because our business is on Etsy, we have sold our products to places like California, Michigan, Connecticut, Oregon, New Hampshire, and Tennessee.

Bebel:  We both love animals so much, so we are donating a portion of our proceeds to the Heritage Park Zoo during April and May, so we hope to help locally with our business.

 

PWM: Do you plan on keeping this going past the pandemic?

Bebel: Yes!

Ella: We are having fun and want our business to grow larger.

 

PWM: What are your goals for the future? What do you want to be?

Bebel: Our goals for when we grow up are to continue this business and buy a place downtown to sell our products.

Ella: And add different things to our shop.

 

PWM: What advice do you have for other young entrepreneurs like yourselves?

Ella: If you have an idea, try to make it happen and just don’t give up!

Bebel: If you want something done, you have to get it done.

 

PWM: If you could choose one word for this past year, what would it be?

Ella: Overwhelming!

Bebel: Crazy!