8-Year-Old Boy Starts Business To Help His Family, Who Had Been Living in a Shed
Many 8-year-olds have big dreams, and Aaron Moreno of Los Angeles is no different. He wants to design shoes for Nike and eventually become a judge.
Unlike many 8-year-olds, Aaron had an immediate, much more attainable goal that launched him into entrepreneurship: He wanted some Flamin’ Hot Cheetos topped with melted cheese.
Earlier this year, that wasn’t something that was within reach. Aaron, his sisters and his mother were living in a shed, without the internet, a bathroom, air conditioning or even a table.
Mom Berenice Pacheco, 30, told NBC’s “Today” that after she lost her job they “didn’t have any other options.”
“As a mother it broke my heart,” she continued. “I felt like I was failing my kids.”
Normally, her kids would have found some joy in the nearby playground — but that was off-limits, thanks to COVID restrictions, leaving them cramped in the shed and making do with what they could, and no money to buy extras like the snack that Aaron so desperately craved.
“He wanted it so badly,” Pacheco said. “But I needed to pay the phone bill and do the laundry.”
She mentioned that if he wanted to buy such things, he’d need to start earning money somehow. She gave him all the cash she had on her ($12) for seed money, and Aaron got to work with that precious startup money in March.
“He came up with the idea to start selling plants,” Pacheco explained. “I told him to invest the money.”
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So he did. His first purchase was eight succulents, which he was able to sell and make a $4 profit. He put the money back into his products and slowly expanded his lineup.
It wasn’t long before word got out about the industrious young man who’d set up shop selling plants. Kind customers tipped him, and soon he had a following.
Aaron made it onto Instagram, where he gained an even more devoted fan club, and a family friend set up a GoFundMe for him and his family, where the $1,000 goal currently stands at over $68,000.
The support has meant everything to the family, as they’ve been able to move into an apartment and even get a car thanks to the generosity of strangers who wanted to commend the young businessman.
“We finally have our own kitchen,” Pacheco said of their home. “Aaron and his sister have a place to do homework. It’s not big but it feels huge to us.”
On the GoFundMe page, she gave a more detailed account of their situation and just how much the move meant to them.
“Great news,” an update from Nov. 4 read. “We were finally able to say bye to my shed, the place that taught us to be patient and be grateful in the little things so God can bless us with bigger things.
“God tested us hard. The shed taught us to make the best of what we have even if it takes 4 people staying in one twin bed. Where we kissed and hugged it out to go to sleep even if we were mad at each other, we had no option. The shed taught us that a home can be many things but a family remains one through thick and thin.
“The shed taught us to clap it out when things would fall all over the place after just picking stuff up because things were always piled. When we couldnt find stuff because everything seemed lost in storage boxes, and we barely fit in the shed, instead of complaining we would hug harder, pray harder and love harder.”
“We had a small tool shed and made it to be a living room, room, kitchen a closet playroom, a closet,” the update said. “Remember how I wanted my own business? Well we are converting our new garage into my own Aarons Garden, so soon you can shop here at this new house. Can’t wait to show you!!!”
“Aaronsgarden” on Instagram has over 32,000 followers now, and things are looking up for the family, their living arrangements and Aaron’s business — which will now be operating out of their garage.
With the determination, business sense, supportive family and enthusiastic customers Aaron has, he certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
