- $600 and a dream — Zariah Champlin launched Z RiseDesignsCo. last year just $600, and her products are now available at 7 locations across Omaha.
- the 17-year-old manages her business while dual-enrolled at MCC, serving on the Mayor's Youth Council and studying art at the Jocelyn.
- As the oldest of seven children, Zariah hopes her success will one day help pay for her siblings' college education.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
At just 17, Zariah Champlin is already building her future — turning her creativity into a business while finishing high school and preparing for college.
"I really wanted to make my art into something that would sustain me. As a student, I don't want to work a day job all my life."
With that mindset and $600, ZRiseDesignsCo. was born.
Zariah's creativity can be found in earrings, stickers and one of her best-selling products: "Blind Dates with a Book."
"There is a prize book is package. You don't know what book's gonna be inside."
And while the surprise of not knowing which book you'll get is part of the fun, for Zariah, the real reward is knowing she's created something of her own.
Zariah recently celebrated one year in business — a milestone that has her looking toward an even bigger future.
"I'm hoping with this next year and over the summer, before I go to college, I can use it to hopefully pay for anything that isn't covered by scholarships," Champlin said.
She's doing it all while staying busy as a high school senior, dual-enrolled at MCC and serving on the Mayor's Youth Council.
"I'm either going to my art class, 'cause I'm with Kent Bellows at the Joslyn as well, or poetry class, and then usually I work my business in the evenings," Champlin said.
Her business is now reaching customers across Omaha. Her latest partnership with the North Omaha Visitor Center has made Champlin the youngest vendor at the center.
But her dream is bigger than simply building a business for herself. As the oldest of seven children, she hopes what she's building today can one day help her family reach their dreams, too.
"One day, I would hope to be able to do this. Like, hopefully, if I could use it to help pay for my siblings college or help them out with scholarships, that would be awesome," Champlin said.
Zariah's products are available at 7 locations, and she's hoping to get to 10 by the end of the year — showing that success doesn't have to wait until after graduation.
Locations in Nebraska
- The Wandering Page
- The Reading Room
- Ital Vital Living
- The Reflect Collective (Gretna)
- North Omaha Visitors Center
Outside of NE:
- Liz B Collective (Pennsylvania)
- Abigail’s Gift Boutique (Texas)
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