Oakland 7th Grader Running Successful Bakery Business
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- A seventh grader in Oakland is already on her way to accomplishing a goal many adults never achieve by owning her own business.
Princess Paulmerie's business selling homemade cookies and cupcakes is no ordinary bake sale. Her company Sweet Tooth also does catering.
Princess pitched her business plan at Westlake Middle School when she was just 11.
"It was kinda scary. I'm kinda shy, I really don't like talking in front of a lot of people," Princess said.
But, the mentors at Operation Hope were impressed with her drive, and the Oakland non-profit awarded her $300 for her start-up.
"She's young, and she's from an inner city community, and so she's very resilient. She wants to make it out," Operation Hope's Gregory Collins said.
Princess is one of 12 students who won a spot in the business project.
According the Collins, the chances of a black child in Oakland achieving success in their own business is zero to five percent, and they want to help improve their chances.
Princess is branching out, interning with professional chef Cynthia Toliver to learn how to make other dishes, and her mother couldn't be more proud.
"I look at her, and I go, where'd you come from? She does everything," Nikyea Berry, Princess' mom said.
The manager at Gussie's Chicken and Waffles in San Francisco was so dazzled, she offered to sell Princess' desserts at the restaurant.
"Her flavor profiles were so mature for a 12-year old, and to just come up with these ideas to implement them at that age, we were just totally amazed," Pia Harris, manager of Gussie's said.
But, as well as her business may be going, Princess has other plans for life.
"I want to be at Stanford working to become a pediatrician," she said.
