Teen Entrepreneur: $25 Shirts Drive Local Food Bank Donations

Jordan Friend has sold approximately 30 character designs through his online store, generating a donation of one pound of beans to the FreeStore Food Bank with every purchase. The Sycamore High School student launched the venture, Cool Beanz, three years ago.

Friend started the company driven by a personal interest in entrepreneurship. He recalled having an entrepreneurial mindset from a young age, which prompted him to sketch characters and place them on apparel. The current inventory includes camera beans, football beans, and music beans. Each shirt is priced at $25.

The initial phase of the business faced legal hurdles due to Friend’s age. As a minor in Ohio, he was unable to hold an LLC or maintain a Shopify account. Consequently, his first online shop was shut down. Friend attributed the closure to errors in his initial legal setup. He described the process of figuring out the logistics as difficult because few others had started a similar business at his age.

“Being a minor, in Ohio, at that age, I couldn’t own an LLC,” Friend said. “And they kind of shut that down.” He noted that the experience taught him about sourcing manufacturers and launching websites.

The business has gained recognition within his school community. The Sycamore school store carries a special edition bean design. Friend observed classmates wearing the shirts in the hallways. He described the school’s decision to stock a special Aves bean as a meaningful moment of recognition.

“That was really, really special to me,” Friend said. “For the school to really recognize and put a special Aves bean into the store where people would buy it.” He emphasized that the charitable component is central to the brand. “For every single purchase, we donate a pound of beans to FreeStore Food Bank,” he said. “And it’s really great giving back to the community.”

Friend plans to continue operating Cool Beanz while attending college. He intends to manage the company as a passion project alongside his studies.