Connecting kids and their parents and loved ones is the essence of Xplora. However, sometimes a ‘connected line’ is just not enough.
At a pitching event for young female founders at the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley, California, we came across No Cap Candles, and we were inspired.
This team’s ‘rizz’ is beyond, and if you ask if they solve a need I can say in my own opinion “For sure - one can never get enough scented candles”. Most importantly though, they inspire female entrepreneurship, and in the spirit of Xplora, they are a great tool for parents who have a connection with their kids but just don’t understand what they say! If you do not understand this, you should keep reading: “Bruh, Pookie’s rizz was so demure, but when she dropped the tea, I was like ‘that’s fire’.
By offering sustainably made scented candles that decode the mysterious language of the youth, they nudge curiosity, create bonding moments and build good business. Meeting Maya, Rosie, Aria and Crystal is an experience that should be shared, so here you go: The team behind No Cap Candles.
Aria, Crystal, Maya and Rosie are all 13 years old and middle school students. Next to being dedicated students and entrepreneurs Aria plays guitar, Crystal likes being around her friends, Maya likes chickens, and Rosie plays soccer.
Their aim, after having decided to launch a candle line, was to make something funny but good looking. Bringing happiness with their product and seeing where the business could go became the most exciting part of the journey, while the most challenging ended up being the prototyping and iterations before they found a product that they could gain traction with.
Here is the selection they ended up with:
For an extended line, they would consider ‘Ohio, meaning crazy or bizarre’ and ‘The Alpha, meaning a leader’.
When asked to share what they learned, they agree that managing multiple things at once and being productive is a shared learning experience.
They do not hesitate to advise other young entrepreneurs to chase their dreams without procrastinating and always being flexible. While the encouragement to parents who want to be more “fire” is to buy their candles as you can learn the slang and have more rizz!
Buying a No Cap Candle supports female entrepreneurship in its infantry and women's vital role in driving economic growth and innovation in the U.S.
As of 2024, there are over 14 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., representing approximately 39.1% of all businesses nationwide. Between 2019 and 2023, the number of women-owned businesses increased by 94.3%, nearly double the growth rate of male-owned businesses during the same period. Particularly over Covid, female entrepreneurship excelled.( https://newsroom.wf.com/English/news-releases/news-release-details/2024/New-Report-Finds-Growth-of-Women-Business-Owners-Outpaces-the-Market)
While representing 39% of the female population, women of color account for an impressive 89% of net new women-owned firms. The state with the highest percentage of women-owned employer firms is Hawaii, with 24.7% (https://ecommercetips.org/women-in-business)
Despite their significant contributions, female entrepreneurs often face challenges, including limited access to capital. Studies indicate that women-led startups receive significantly less funding than those led by men, even though there are statistics suggesting they tend to generate higher returns on investment. (Reuters)
Inspired? There are many ways to make an impact. One of them is buying from or investing in a female or underrepresented founder. If you choose to follow the encouragement from Maya, Rosie, Crystal and Aria we’d like to add a little piece of advice:
Use (slang) with Caution! Few things are more embarrassing than a parent trying to sound like a ‘bruh’’
