9 CEOs Who Started Companies as Kids
Devon Rifkin, The Great American Hanger
At the age of 10, Devon Rifkin realized the value of simple things. He grew up in Miami, and made money buying Blow-Pop lollipops from his local drugstore and then selling them to his classmates at Southwood Elementary School. His business was so well-liked that he made his parents contact the company so that he could sell the lollipops by the box. Later on, he found success with hangers. In 1999, he started The Great American Hanger, which made cloth hangers for big companies like Bloomingdale's and Nike. The company sold $25,000 worth of hangers in three months in 1999 and $500,000 worth the next year. Today it is one of the world's largest sellers of high-quality hangers.
