The name of their business may be Cute as a Button, but the impetus for the operation is to encourage its young entrepreneurs - Lily Petree, Emma Hamilton, Abbey Katelyn Pettus and Mary Claire Nimon - to be "mad, bad and dangerous."
All freshmen at Girls Preparatory School, the girls launched the business as part of the school's "MBD" curriculum, focused on helping local females take entrepreneurial risks and take their ideas from dream to reality.
"The biggest lesson we have learned through MBD is how to talk to anyone, anywhere and at any time," Petree said.
In addition to mentorship, specialized education and pitch events, MBD includes an annual marketplace for the budding businesswomen to gain real-world experience while turning a financial profit as well.
Typically held in March, the event is being moved to December this year to offer the community a chance to purchase unique local presents while gifting confidence to the young sellers.
The "MBD: Girl Edition. Mighty, Brilliant, and Determined" Holiday Marketplace is Saturday, Dec. 8 from noon to 5 p.m. in GPS' main gym. Shoppers will find Petree, Hamilton, Pettus and Nimon with their Cute as a Button organic lip balms and hand-sewn lip balm carrying cases, headbands and wraparound bookmarks.
"The MBD Marketplace is a good atmosphere for girls to try out new ideas and create a business because everyone there is younger girls and teenagers," said Pettus. "This takes off the pressure of trying to compete against experienced adults."
Thanks to their MBD lessons last year, the girls expect their booth to draw a crowd, despite being one of dozens.
"They taught us how to make our booth more inviting to customers, how to act more professional," Hamilton said.
One example is the samples they offer.
"They allow us to draw in customers that otherwise would not be interested, and often once people try our lip balm, they decide to buy some for themselves," Nimon said.
It's a method they've also tested at other markets in the area, including the popular Ketner's Mill Country Arts & Crafts Fair, they said.
Though Pettus said they "love seeing the smiles on people's faces when they try our lip balm or find the perfect holder for [their lip balm]," they hope to continue building on their success with the addition of online sales, offering those outside of the immediate area and those already familiar with their products the chance to become mad, bad and dangerous or cute as a button.
To learn more about Cute as a Button or purchase products, visit cuteasabuttonhomem.wixsite.com/lipbalm.
GPS is at 205 Island Ave.
Email Jennifer Bardoner at jbardoner@timesfreepress.com.