12-Year-Old Entrepreneur Skates Into Success

 

Carson Kropfl is an inventor, business owner and environmental activist¹.

He enjoys the excitement of surfing. In addition to riding the waves, he likes riding his skateboard. Kropfl is a very hard-working 12-year-old.

You heard right. The San Clemente, California, boy just completed seventh grade. And, school had a lot to do with the creation² of his company.

His story is proof that necessity is truly the mother of invention. Carson had enjoyed skating for years. He liked to use his skateboard to go to places, including school. But over time, he grew increasingly frustrated⁴ that he had no place to store his board once he arrived.

As a student, he could not change the size of his locker⁵. But he realized he might be able to change the shape of his skateboard. And, from that small desire, a business was born.

“I have a skateboard company called Lockerboard and what I do is, I take recycled skateboard decks and reshape them to fit inside of backpacks and lockers⁶.”

Carson first just made a shorter skateboard in the shape of a square for himself.

“But then my parents told me I had to clean and do chores to pay for my surf contest and surf lessons. But I hate to clean, so I asked them if I could try selling my Lockerboards instead.”

Carson’s parents not only said yes, they agreed to help him make it happen. They searched around for the best tools for creating skateboards. But he says one tool made his mother a little nervous.

“Then we used a table saw but my Mom didn’t like that because I was making skateboards by myself. And my Mom was like, ‘I’m not sure if this is safe,’ and my Dad was like, ‘its perfectly⁷ fine!’ And, then a board shot back and hit him straight in the stomach...”

Carson made his first sales in the room where students ate at his school. He put a few skateboards on a table and his schoolmates started buying them up.

Within months, Carson had an agreement with a manufacturer. The young man says he has now sold about 700 skateboards in under two years of operation.

His skateboards come in a number of shapes and designs. Each one costs around $100. But not all the profit goes to Carson. Some money goes to a non profit group that supports the health and well-being⁸ of a place close to his heart.

“I donate one dollar for every Lockerboard sold to Ocean Unite because they’re focused on ocean conservation.”

Carson’s hometown of San Clemente sits along a beautiful coastal⁹ area of the Pacific Ocean. And Carson, the surfer, wants the ocean to stay that way.

The young business owner says he is not exactly sure what he will do when he grows up. But he sure will stay busy.

“I kinda want to be doing what I’m doing now -- being an entrepreneur¹⁰. If it’s not Lockerboard, I’m pretty positive I’m going to be creating something. And, I’m going to be an activist traveling the world, supporting ocean conservation and how we could help our earth. And, traveling the world, skating and surfing, because I am an athlete.”

I’m Dorothy Gundy.

Words in This Story

skateboard – n. a device on wheels that a person stands on to move along the ground or to perform tricks

frustrate³ – v. to cause someone to feel angry because of not being able to do something

locker – n. a personal storage area

backpack – n. a piece of equipment designed for carrying something, usually on the back

chore – n. a job or project

contest – n. competition

lesson – n. a class or part of training; something learned through experience

focus – v. to direct attention or increase attention on something

conservation – n. protection of something

entrepreneur – n. someone who organizes and supervises a business

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 creation   

n.创造，创造的作品，产物，宇宙，天地万物

参考例句：

• Language is the most important mental creation of man.语言是人类头脑最重要的产物。
• The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戏场的建立将有益于当地的儿童。

3 frustrate   

v.使失望；使沮丧；使厌烦

参考例句：

• But this didn't frustrate Einstein.He was content to go as far as he could.但这并没有使爱因斯坦灰心，他对能够更深入地研究而感到满意。
• They made their preparations to frustrate the conspiracy.他们作好准备挫败这个阴谋。

4 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 locker   

n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人

参考例句：

• At the swimming pool I put my clothes in a locker.在游泳池我把衣服锁在小柜里。
• He moved into the locker room and began to slip out of his scrub suit.他走进更衣室把手术服脱下来。

6 lockers   

n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I care about more lockers for the teachers. 我关心教师要有更多的储物柜。 来自辞典例句
• Passengers are requested to stow their hand-baggage in the lockers above the seats. 旅客须将随身携带的行李放入座位上方的贮藏柜里。 来自辞典例句

7 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

8 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

9 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

10 entrepreneur   

n.企业家，主办人

参考例句：

• The entrepreneur has become a news figure.这位企业家变成了新闻人物。
• The entrepreneur takes business risks in the hope of making a profit.企业家为追求利润而冒险。