From the first floor to the eleventh story, North Atlanta’s student body is characterized by their various skills. This diversity includes student-athletes, achieving scholars, and talented individuals who are able to pursue their passions in many ways. One of these ways has been to start their own companies. Some students have taken their interests and abilities and built them into personal brands. As they advertise their businesses throughout the school, their impact as entrepreneurs can be seen within NAHS and beyond.
Around this time of year, one of the most popular activities is drafting picks for fantasy sports such as football and basketball. Fantasy football is when people compete with online teams they can build using real professional athletes. Junior Marlon Somersall, owner of MSPicks, is one of many students at North Atlanta who enjoy creating their own fantasy leagues. In 2022, he lost his league and instead of sulking in his defeat, he learned how to use statistics to give him the best results the next year. By seeking knowledge from courses he has taken at North Atlanta, he created MSPicks: an application that allows people to project how many points their fantasy team will win. MSPicks has received much attention, with thousands of people tuning in to see their predictions for their league each week. “My company’s success would not have reached this scope without the help of my teachers,” said Somersall. “It’s satisfying to use my skills to get involved in something I’m passionate about.”
Somersall isn’t the only student who created a company from scratch. Sophomore Chloe Ashford, owner of ChloeRaeCrochet, started a clothing company using her hobby of crocheting. During quarantine, she learned how to crochet and started making clothes. After much dedication, she fabricated her own line of apparel including tops, skirts, sets, and headbands to establish ChloeRaeCrochet. The launch of her business started with advertisements on social media for a runway show to showcase her original pieces. Ashford dedicated several hours to hand-crocheting each piece to ensure complete authenticity behind her works. “I will admit, crocheting is time-consuming and not for the weak,” said Ashford. “But I don’t regret any second of it because it was so fulfilling to see people enjoy wearing the clothes I created.”
While starting a business is a great way to incorporate personal interests, it is also convenient for making a profit. Senior Trey Harris started his own pressure washing company, JT Pressure Washing, to generate income. To start, he bought his first pressure washer on Amazon, gas from Home Depot, and other cleaning supplies. He began advertising his company by knocking on doors with his business cards and a proposal. After six months, JT Pressure Washing has grown exponentially. Harris washes townhomes and small houses and has now expanded into the Buckhead area. “It’s refreshing to see how much my business has grown since I started it,” said Harris. “Hiring more employees is the next step to continue building up JT Pressure Washing.”
As young innovators of North Atlanta, students have tapped into their ambition and started their own businesses, impacting people both near and far. From fantasy football to fashion to pressure washing, these dedicated students have worked hard to turn their dreams into reality.
