Create or Complain: Valley middle schoolers start T-shirt business

PHOENIX - Business is booming for brothers Tanner and Tate.

"We got five orders today," they said. "We want people to remember that they're creators and in any situation, you have two options to create or complain."

The 13-and-11year-old middle schoolers started their online apparel company the same way any company starts, with an idea.

The boys used My First Sale, a Phoenix-based company, to develop their idea and bring it to the market.

"So things like investing savings and grit perseverance and delayed gratification -- all those things are part of our online curriculum, so we are building that community we're encouraging kids every week and every month on Zoom calls coaching calls," said Scott Donnell.

Owner of My First Sale and a self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur, Donnell says the goal is to teach business and life skills not taught in school and to provide a marketplace for the product and a community of support.

"I think they've helped us a lot because I don't think we would have really gotten our business really going without my first sale because we wouldn't have anywhere to sell it," the kids said.

In their case, the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree -- their dad, who has been involved since step one, encourages his sons to create.

"My late late late grandfather started three towns Thatcher, Arizona... bought a ship... so he was this guy that was just a creator he went out and created possibility and that philosophy and his story are what inspired me to create my own business and realizing I am a creator," he said.

To purchase T-shirts, visit this link.