SHS Students Double as Entrepreneurs

High school is stressful enough–from figuring out when a project is due all the way to deciding what college you’re attending.  Imagine being a business owner on top of everything else.  Scituate High School is proud to have two young entrepreneurs in its midst.  Seniors Jess Merritt and Devin Brown have each become the CEO of their own company.

Merritt is really sweetening up her senior year with her tasty new hobby, fudge making.  Merritt started her local business of fudge making in late September.  “I worked at a fudge stand over the summer,” stated Merritt, “and it was really fun. I like it a lot, so I learned how to make it.”  The inspiration came from a job she had working for the Egypt Country Store, or more commonly referred to by locals as “The Posty.” 

A few months into the school year, “Local Fudge Girl,” as Merritt refers to her business, has orders flowing in from customers to buy her famous s’mores and mint fudge.  Merritt enthusiastically mentioned, “I had someone order like nine pieces, which is a lot, so I’m glad people are hearing about it and ordering it.”  Mint chocolate chip is Merritt’s specialty, and she said she likes the way the mint and the chocolate swirl together in the end.

When asked if owning her own business was interfering with her extra-curricular activities, studies, or social life, Merritt simply said, “Not really. I mean I find myself going down the the grocery store a lot because I  have to get a lot of supplies.”   

 Though this may seem like a fun hobby now, Merritt has big plans for the future.  “I like the idea of having my own business like this someday. I want to have my own farm with animals,” she said.  “I like the idea of making organic goods because you can make the fudge all organically,” she added. 

Senior Devin Brown similarly has taken on extra responsibility during his high school career, becoming an entrepreneur in the landscaping business.  Brown began his business in 7th grade, and it has flourished into a well known local company, DB Landscaping.  “I landscape for various people and clients in the town,” said Brown, “I started when I was in 7th grade and kinda just did it with my grandparents house, my house, and some family friends houses.”  

According to Brown, DB Landscaping has employed many students at SHS.  Brown remarked, “Yeah, a couple of my friends have worked for me. Jake Bridgeman, Jack Moskowitz, Kelly Leary, and Skylar Rojik helped me do weeding, and Jay Montgomery did a tremendous job, too.”  Brown said owning his business does not interfere with his social life unless it’s snow removal in the winter, since the duration of that time is spent at night.  

Brown said the hardest part of being a business owner is “probably just having a lot of other things to take on the people don’t really understand, like talking to clients, advertising, paying bills and workers, and just a lot of extra stuff.”