Cards for Hospitalized Kids was founded by 17-year-old Jen Rubino who shares her story about her own hospital stay and inspiration to start the organization on the website:

Jen Rubino, Founder of Cards for Hospitalized Kids, Shares Her Story

Above: Cards for Hospitalized Kids founder Jen Rubino was interviewed by B96′s Rebecca Ortiz on December 8, 2011.

My motivation for creating Cards for Hospitalized Kids goes back to my own experience as a patient, which began when I was diagnosed with a chronic illness at age 11. Since my health problems began six years ago, I’ve undergone 15 surgeries and have had countless treatments and hospital visits.

My experience as a patient has shown me how difficult it is to be a hospitalized kid. Kids who are hospitalized often feel isolated and forgotten about. They also miss out on many of the little things in life that most children take for granted.

My experience as a patient has also shown me that cards can bring hope and joy into the lives of hospitalized kids, which is why I founded Cards for Hospitalized Kids.

As the founder of Cards for Hospitalized Kids, I am able to use my own experience as a patient in a way that allows me to help children across America who are facing what I’ve faced.

Lifting others up through Cards for Hospitalized Kids has allowed me to lift myself up as well and, chronic illness or not, I know it will be the same for everyone who gets involved with Cards for Hospitalized Kids.

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You’re never too young to start your own business, but when 12-year-old Hayleigh Scott was 5-years-old she had to wait until she was a little older just to describe to her family the invention she wanted to create. She turned a circumstance in her life – having hearing impairment, into a way to spread awareness, support a greater cause, and lend a little color, sparkle and style to ears around the globe. Read all about Hayleigh’s story and shining ingenuity below:

DreamerENT: What inspired you to start your business Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms and how did it go from an idea to a business?

Hayleigh: My business started as an idea when I was 5 years old. I am severe to profoundly hearing impaired and wear hearing aids to help me hear. When I was 4 years old, I went to a school for the deaf. Like me, some of the kids were hiding their hearing aids. When I saw that, I decided that I didn’t want to hide my hearing aids anymore. We were visiting my grandparents in Texas when I first shared my idea with my parents. I was drawing at the kitchen table with my twin sister, Vienna when my mom walked in and asked us what we were drawing. I told her I was drawing charms and tube twists for hearing aids. My pictures were a little hard to understand so it took me a few years and a lot of tries to get my mom to understand what I had drawn.

She told me that she thought my ideas might be patentable. So, my mom and dad helped me prepare to make my first presentation to a patent attorney. I was only 8 and went into a board room and had to share my ideas with adults in the attorney’s office. I applied for a provisional patent and later a full patent for my products. Then, I went on to open my on-line business www.HayleighsCherishedCharms.com. I also have email (cherishedcharms@gmail.com), a facebook page, twitter account, and an ETSY shop as well. I have been very blessed to have distributers of my charms in both nationally and internationally. I am currently working on partnering with a major hearing aid mold company to produce part of my product line. It is very exciting.

DreamerENT: How did you learn about where to get your materials, and how to set up the business? Did you have any challenges along the way?

Hayleigh: My family has always been interested in crafts so we had a little bit of an advantage because we knew about craft stores and had some connections already that could help us. I did not know how to shop to get discounts so that my products could be affordable to anyone who wants them. So, I had to learn how to approach businesses and share my business so that I could receive discounts on products so that I could share that discount with my customers.

One challenge that I had was that no one in my family had ever had a website before. I had to do a lot of research to learn how to set-up a website and needed a lot of help. Now, I can update my own website, create paypal buttons, and link other websites to my own. It was a great learning experience.

DreamerENT: Who have been some of your customers and what have been the responses from people who you’ve been able to serve? Are there any stories from customers that stand out to you?

Hayleigh: I have a broad customer base. I have sold charms and tube twists to adult men, women, boys and girls. I have two favorite stories that come to mind. One is about a woman that read about my charms in a magazine and was so excited that she jumped on her daughter when her daughter was waking up to tell her that her ears could be beautiful now and that her dreams of having earrings were coming true. This little girl was one of many that was born with a condition that caused her earlobes to be malformed. I had no idea that starting my business would reach a group of children that had a condition that I had never heard of. Her family is so grateful and I have enjoyed making this little girl and her mother matching mother/daughter earrings and charms.

I also received an email from a man that was very upset that his daughter was deaf. He was grieving the loss of her hearing and stumbled upon my website. What made the story even more interesting is that the dad is deaf himself. He said that he just needed to be reminded that anything was possible and her future was bright. He said that he was so grateful to have a role model for his little girl.

DreamerENT: Tell us about the ways you are giving back with your business and how you hope to grow Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms in the future?

Hayleigh: My parents have always talked to us and shown us ways to be grateful and generous. I donate 10% of every sale to schools for the deaf and toward research for the deaf and hard of hearing. I also donate to local charities, fund raisers for the deaf and hard of hearing, and to chapters of hearing loss groups.

My dream for Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms is that it be a household name among the deaf and hard of hearing communities and I would like to expand my product base. I have products for cochlear implants, BTE hearing aids, and RITE aids. I would like to have products available for the Baha. This is something that I am working on now.

I have had the opportunity to speak to hearing care professionals, teachers of the deaf and parents at conferences. I would like to do more of this in the future and be a motivational speaker in addition to being a business woman.

DreamerENT: What are some of your other hobbies and passions and how do you balance school with your business and having fun?

Hayleigh: I enjoy horseback riding and babysitting. I have a little brother that is 19 months old and he is a lot of fun to take care of!
There have been periods of time where balancing work and school have been challenging. I try to limit my business work to 1-2 hours a day. I answer every email personally and I write a handwritten note for every order. This personal touch takes time but I know that it is really appreciated. On the weekends, I work on creating new products (I make all of the charms myself) and updating the website. My sisters (my 12 year old twin sister, Vienna and 9 year old sister Sarah) join me working on the weekends because they create necklaces and bracelets that can be made into sister sets or sold individually.

DreamerENT: What keeps you motivated to keep up with your business when it may get challenging. Do you have any role models or people who inspire and/or help you as well?

There are several things that keep me motivated. One of them is the nice emails that I get from people. I love hearing stories about how people feel better about their hearing loss or how they are inspired by my story. I also love to receive pictures of smiling customers with their new charms and tube twists. My mom and dad also really encourage me and help me with my business when I have a lot to do (like making trips to the post office, helping me package everything, ordering additional supplies, etc.

DreamerENT: Do you have any advice or motivation for other young people who want to start a business or do something creative to help others?

Hayleigh: I think the most important thing is to do something that you enjoy doing, that you are passionate about. It is hard work running a business and balancing your life. You need to do something that you enjoy…..and remember Have Fun!

DreamerENT:Thank you Hayleigh and keep up the wonderful work!

You find out more about Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms and support this shining young entrepreneur at www.hayleighscherishedcharms.com.

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Still looking for the perfect gift for someone special? Why not support young entrepreneurs while giving back to a great cause, and getting an awesome gift, all at the same time?

For all of you jewelry lovers, check out Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms founded by twelve-year-old Hayleigh. When she was little and attended a school for hard of hearing and deaf children she noticed that a lot of kids tried to hide their hearing aids behind their hair. Hayleigh decided to design unique and creative charms for her hearing aids to help herself and other children be more confident. She even has a provisional patent on her creations and will have a full patent soon!

Hayleigh and her sisters and also make regular earrings because sometimes a mom or sister who doesn’t have hearing aids or cochlear implants wants to match their child / sister / brother who is wearing the charms. There are also charms for boys and for adults.

10% of the proceeds will go to furthering hearing research and education of the hard of hearing and deaf community. What an awesome way to give back!

Above are the earrings I purchased, the light blue Swarovski Elements charms. You can get your own and support this innovative young entrepreneur at www.hayleighscherishedcharms.com.

Stay tuned for our interview with Hayleigh coming up soon!

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She encourages young people to pursue their own passions and dreams, and not just following what is popular or chase after fame. She says “I have a song called ‘Fifteen Minutes of Fame.’ Lots of people only sing because they want to be famous.” This is awesome advice – take the time to pursue your unique talents and you will be true to you. Find out more about Katelynne at her site: www.katelynnecox.com

Listen to ‘Fifteen Minutes of Fame’ below:

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Jamie Grace’s album One Song At a Time is out now, with a Christmas EP on the way (check out her site at http://jamiegrace.com or her Youtube Channel at www.youtube.com/jgracepro for more of her inspiring music), and Jasmine is getting ready to release a new single (keep up with her www.jasminesagginario.com and www.youtube.com/user/jasminemusicvip.)

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Bullying is such an important topic, and it breaks my heart to see recent reports of young people who have been hurt and affected by it – words can have a bigger impact than we know. I was also affected by bullying when I was younger and I feel for those who can relate, and appreciate Megan and Liz for their inspiring efforts! Stay tuned for more information about Dreamer ENT’s Show Some Love Anti-Bullying Campaign. – Julene, Editor of DreamerENT.com

Youtube singing sensations Megan and Liz are twin sisters who took their passion for music and decided to share it with the world. The girls began posting Youtube covers a few years ago and began catching the attention of others; they were even surprised on the Oprah Winfrey Show and able to meet one of their inspirations Taylor Swift.

Recently Megan and Liz wrote a song called “Are You Happy Now?” to address the topic of bullying and how words and negative actions affect people so deeply. They got fans to submit photos for the music video and the compilation is really inspiring, watch the official video above and the fan submission video below.

You can visit StepUptoBullying.org to find out how you can take a stand against bullying too. Have you ever dealt with bullying or have seen it in your own school?

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What is an elevator pitch?
An “elevator pitch” is a carefully crafted message designed to explain a business to a potential investor. The catch — it must be given in the time that it takes to ride up an elevator.

Elevator Pitch Challenge
The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship gives high school and middle school students the opportunity to take a sixty second idea, and turn it into an actual business. Each nominee here is either the owner or co-owner of his or her business.

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The 2011 Challenge is presented by NFTE and MasterCard Worldwide and featured 30 remarkable young people with innovative ideas, intense online campaigning, and more than 80,000 votes. We’ll be featuring more of the participants later on Dreamer ENT, stay tuned!

Jonathan’s business idea, Love Puppy Love, provides fun-loving, unique, dog-themed T-shirts for the world to enjoy, while raising awareness about the plight of dogs in desperate need of love and support. NFTE, in coordination with our sponsors E*TRADE, MasterCard, and Southwest Airlines, will provide Jonathan with $2,500 to make Love Puppy Love a reality. The two runners up, Khaled K. and Nguon T., will each receive $500 towards their businesses.

Congratulations to Jonathan and all of the young entrepreneurs for creating unique business concepts and taking the initiative to participate in the Elevator Pitch Challenge!

Watch Jonathan’s winning pitch now:

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