Last week, I had the privilege of speaking to our Year 5 students about entrepreneurship.
They’re 10 years old. Some younger. They’ll be selling handmade items next week to raise funds for refugees.
When the team invited me to speak, I didn’t say yes because I had time. I said yes because I saw an opportunity. Not to teach them how to sell, but to plant a different seed.
“Ten.” “Eight.” “Somewhere in between.” One student wished they could go back to being three.
That made me smile, but it also reminded me of something deeper. Many children already believe they’re too young to start anything meaningful.
So I told them: you are not too young!
Three Kids Who Proved It
Mikaila Ulmer got stung by a bee at 4. She turned her curiosity into honey lemonade, added a mission to save the bees, and pitched on Shark Tank at 10. By 15, she had sold over $10 million worth of drinks.
Mosiah Bridges couldn’t find a bowtie he liked at 9. He learned to sew, built his own brand, and by 11 pitched to investors. He later secured an NBA licensing deal.
Ryan Hickman visited a recycling center at age 3. He started collecting bottles and cans in his neighborhood, and by 11 had recycled over a million items.
What Do These Stories Have in Common?
They didn’t start with money. They started with curiosity. A small idea. A simple need.
Then they added value.
That’s what I taught the students: every business begins with value. Not just a product. Value that makes life better, easier, or more meaningful.
We talked about four types of value:
- Convenience: Save someone time
- Creativity: Make something fun or beautiful
- Scarcity: Offer what’s hard to find
- Connection: Be someone others trust or care about
A Moment I Won’t Forget
At first, one girl kept shaking her head. She didn’t want to answer. Didn’t want to come forward.
But 20 minutes later, her hand slowly went up. She stood. Walked to the front. Answered one question. Simple. Brave.
That was enough.
Sometimes leadership doesn’t start with knowing what to do. It starts with being willing to try.
And when one child finds the courage to try, that one becomes the spark for ten more. And ten more after that. Until the impact multiplies beyond what we can count.
That’s why we show up. Even if it's just for one.
What I Took Away
We don’t just need more lessons. We need more platforms where students can share ideas, try something new, and hear real feedback.
We’re exploring what this might look like at Stellar. A space where children can pitch their ideas, not just as a one-off event, but as part of how we develop courage and ownership.
Because if we want future-ready learners, we need to treat them like they matter now.
To Every Parent, Educator, and Leader
Please hear this:
They are not too young. But we might be too slow to trust.
Let them try. Let them stumble. Let them step forward.
Sometimes all they need is someone to believe they’re ready, even before they believe it themselves.
Daniel Loh (daniel@stellar.edu.my) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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