Meet the Kid CEOs: How HY-KAC and MelaninNGiggles Started

Written by Kaycee & Skylyn (with a little help from Mama 💕)

 Hi! We’re Kaycee and Skylyn, 

two sisters, two CEOs, and two girls who believe kids can do big things! Our brands might be different, but they were both started with the same thing in mind: making the world a little better, a little cleaner, and a lot more fun.  

💚 Meet Kaycee – CEO of HY-KAC

Age: 10 Brand: HY-KAC (Helping Youth Keep Areas Clean) What I Sell: Reusable totes, shirts, and silicone straws Why I Started: One day I looked around and saw so much trash in parks and on sidewalks. I didn’t like it, and I thought: “What if kids were in charge of helping clean up?” So I made HY-KAC to help kids keep their areas clean — while also looking cute and saving the planet.

 My favorite product: The resuable silicon straw with the cute case keychain! Big goal: To get my bundles, and teaching programs into schools and libraries!  

💕 Meet Skylyn – CEO of MelaninNGiggles

Age: 8 Brand: MelaninNGiggles What I Sell: Family bonding journals, stickers and coloring books Why I Started: I love drawing and journaling, and I wanted to make something for girls like me. I asked my mom, “Why don’t we ever see journals that show girls with brown skin and curly hair?” And she said, “You should make one.” So I did! 

My favorite product: The Mommy & Me Journal (Toddler Edition) Big goal: To be the youngest black girl CEO in the creative arts industry

 

What We’ve Learned So Far

Kaycee says:  

  • People love supporting us, but they also ask a lot of questions, so I’ve had to learn how to talk about my brand with confidence. 
  • Packing orders takes time — I didn’t expect that! You have to fold shirts, double-check everything, and make sure the bundles look nice. 
  • Sometimes I get tired or distracted, but I remind myself this is my business, and that helps me focus again. 
  • It’s fun to say, “I’m a CEO.” But it feels even better when people say, “You’re really making a difference.” 

Skylyn says:  

  • I’ve learned how to use Canva and make my own journal pages (Mom helps, but I pick all the colors). 
  • Sometimes I get shy about posting, but I remember someone might see my journal and feel seen. That makes me brave. 
  • When something goes wrong — like the printer jams or I mess up a sticker — I just take a breath and try again. 
  • Being a kid doesn’t mean I have to wait to do big things. It means I get to do big things my way. 

💌 Want to Start Your Own Kid Biz?

Here’s what we want other kids (and parents!) to know: 

🧠 Start with a problem or idea. Ask yourself: What do I care about? What do I wish existed? That’s where your business lives. For us, it was “saving the turtles” and “making fun stuff for Black girls.” 

🛍️ Pick something you actually enjoy. If you don’t like your own products, it’s gonna be hard to sell them! We love using our totes and coloring books, and we test everything first. 

👩🏾‍💻 Learn one thing at a time. You don’t need to know everything on Day 1. Maybe you learn how to design this week, then practice packaging next week. Go slow but keep going. 

📣 Tell people what you’re doing — and don’t be scared to ask for help. Your family, teachers, and friends might be your first customers or supporters. And your mom (or your “mommy manager”) can help you get started. 

💰 Understand your worth. Even if you’re a kid, your time and creativity matter. Don’t give your work away for free just because you're young. 🎉 

Celebrate the little wins. Our first sale? We danced in the kitchen. First brand deal? We filmed it together. Every step matters — even the small ones.