These teenagers have goals - period. Ayaan and Mickey Naqvi (14 and 15 years old at the time of this podcast) are the most impressive teens I have ever encountered. They have appeared on Shark Tank not once but twice, and, despite not getting a deal both times, their passion, drive, and positive attitudes are off-the-charts amazing!

Anyone with children or pets recognizes the problem of ornaments being knocked off (or just falling off) the Christmas tree. Ornament Anchor, a simple invention to keep your Christmas tree ornaments securely in place, was born when Ayaan set out to solve the problem when he was only in the 4th grade. He created Ornament Anchor as a school project and quickly learned it was a high-demand product.

With the help of their parents, the Naqvi brothers started shopping their concept at Christmas markets, then delved into e-commerce. The popularity of Ornament Anchor eventually landed them on CNN, Good Morning America, and QVC, and business is booming for these young entrepreneurs. (The Sharks definitely missed out on this one!)

In the short amount of time I spent with Ayaan and Mickey on this episode of my Lessons From The Tank podcast, I was blown away and entirely inspired by their intelligence and wisdom beyond their years. Here are just a few of the many topics they crushed in less than 30 minutes:

Failure is just a lesson and often even a good thing because it causes you to pivot, think differently, and move on to the next success.
Real success always includes generosity. Giving back and making a difference is a huge motivator.
You will learn so much more about your demographic and your product if you're willing to take the grass-roots approach. But entrepreneurs often want to skip this part.
If someone is willing to outwork you, they deserve to take your place. Never assume you'll stay on top. Work for it every day.

Don't miss this episode of the Lessons From The Tank podcast! I promise these two incredible young men will inspire you!

Learn more and purchase at ornamentanchor.com. Also available on Amazon and over 600 Lowe's locations.

Tim Taft - Don't Discourage Small Business

Lessons From The TankBy Joe AltieriMay 13, 2022