Teen Kylie Thorp is the founder of Free Roaming Jewelry; which she was able to start thanks to Whatever it Takes (WIT), a non-profit that helps teens launch businesses or social movements while in high school.
She’s from New York City and often spends her summers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “This provides a great balance with city life,” says Thorpe. “When I’m not enjoying the outdoors or working on my business, I play soccer and I am the co-captain of the team.”
“Through WIT, I have learned so many different lessons through the ‘11 Tips for Doing WIT.’ I can apply them to my own life; tips like ‘Own It’ to ‘Stepping into Your Greatness,’ says Thorp, who also thanks family friend Eva Ostrum for her support along the way. “These WIT tips have taught me so much, not only in running my business, but also in my personal life.”
Thorp always enjoyed art, which is why I wanted to create jewelry. “More specifically, the idea for Free Roaming Jewelry came from my combined love for Jackson, Wyoming and the wildlife there. That said, the idea came to be while participating in an entrepreneurship class. Then it was just all about hard work and putting myself out there on instagram to share my products.”
Something special
“I think it’s pretty unique that it’s a teen-run business,” says Thorp about her collection. “I give 15 percent of the profits I make toward sponsoring a fence project in Jackson, through the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation.”
A fence project, she explains, is the removal or modification of a fence to protect animals who are trying to “free roam.”
“There’s a lot of abandoned, obsolete fencing made of barbed wire that can hurt animals, stand as a barrier to food and water, and affect migration. It’s important to me that there is a give-back component to all of our products.”
Career advice
When asked about her career advice for other entrepreneurial teens, Thorp says, “I would share with them how trying something new and launching a business really helped my self-confidence. I would encourage them to seek out programs, communities, and activities that might be a little outside their comfort zone.”
Being part of WIT, for example, helped Thorp step outside her comfort zone “and then launching my jewelry company really pushed me into new levels of growth and self-confidence. So, it can’t hurt to try something new.”
The worst thing that happens is that you don’t enjoy what you have started, and that’s totally OK, she stresses. “It’s good to figure out what you enjoy and are passionate about, and also what you don’t like, especially while you are young.”
The future
“For the future, I see Free Roaming Jewelry doing more pop-up shops, especially in Wyoming and maybe even in New York City,” says Thorp, who just sent off her college applications. “I also see FRJ as more than just a jewelry business; I’m hoping to expand my business to include other accessories like hats and tote bags.”
And personally, Thorp’s working hard to put myself in a position to play collegiate soccer next year.
“A lot of my friends in school and on my soccer team inspire me. They are all so unique and have different passions of their own. I try to use them as an example in my own life to try new things and experiment, just like I did in starting my own business.”
Learn more about Whatever it Takes (WIT) at: doingwit.org
Kylie’s jewelry collection can be found on Instagram: freeroamingjewelry. She also has an etsy.com shop.