For many kids, a first-time job begins with babysitting, working in retail or even serving fast food. But a little girl in Simsbury is looking beyond all of that - she's determined to work for herself, and she's not even a teenager yet.
You can find Molly Tucker nestled on the sofa on any given day, enjoying a good book. But make no mistake about it, she isn't your average 12-year-old girl.
Molly creates cement bears out of a mold, and she calls them Molly Bears.
This pre-teen entrepreneur decided to start making these 10-inch-tall, 15-pound cement bears while staying safe at home during the height of the pandemic.
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"My dad helped me come up with it over COVID when I wanted a way to make money," Molly said.
Her dad, Greg Tucker, said he's proud of his middle child. He said it's no surprise she's found a way to turn an idea into a budding business.
"One day, she was trying to make stickers to try and sell," Greg said. "She would always try to make a lemonade stand, but we're on a busy road."
"She was always trying to do something, so I wasn't surprised this one kind of caught. Like any entrepreneur, you fail 10, 20, 100 times before you get it. Anyway, she got it," her father said.
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It's a 30-minute process of scooping, hydrating and mixing concrete, before gently pouring it into a rubber mold.
It takes about a day to dry, then it's back to the garage for Molly's favorite part.
"Decorating them and kind of like finding new ways to add more detail," Molly said.
Over the last year, Molly has made and sold about 100 of these concrete creations. Each one costs $35.
She keeps her business model simple, making just a few at a time, with lots of love. She relies on her surroundings for inspiration.
"I chose bears because it's the common thing here in Simsbury," Molly said.
From the very first bear, her following has seen how they've evolved.
"They mostly act shocked when I tell them I'm only 12 and they're surprised that, like, I do it mostly all by myself," Molly said.
Molly sells her bears on her Facebook page. She said she's not ruling out the possibility of expanding her business to making different animals and sizes in the future, but right now, she's simply focusing on the joy they bring every time someone takes a Molly Bear home.
