Welcome to Episode 2 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast! It's time to meet our Goal-Setting Gal! Senior High School student Alina Morse invented candy that cleans your teeth after a trip to the bank with her dad when she was 7. Discover how Alina started Zolli Candy, learn about the candy-making process, and how this teenpreneur went from having an idea to creating a plan to being the (now!) 17-year-old Founder and CEO of the Fastest Growing Candy Company in America.
Zollipops® are "the Clean Teeth Pops™" that help protect your teeth from cavities and are a favorite with dentists & loved by kids! And did I mention they're a delicious vegan, all-natural, sugar-free candy?! Alina was one smart cookie when she brainstormed her candy company idea!
Now sold at 25,000 retailers, she is the youngest vendor to the #1's: Walmart (#1 Retail), Kroger (#1 Grocer), CVS (#1 Drug), & Amazon (#1 Ecommerce) and was the youngest person to ever appear on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine in 2018. Zolli Candy is even sold internationally, including China, Korea, France, the UK, Germany, the Philippines, and more!
In my interview, Alina shares what it was like to pitch her very first retailer - Whole Foods Market - at 9-years-old, tips for reaching your BIG cookie sales goals (and any goals in life!), the power of your smile and teamwork, how to get free Zolli Candy for your entire school (SAY WHAT?!), and much, much more!!
Alina is a perfect example of how to #FollowYourHeartsDream™! Alina truly proves that with "passion, drive, and an amazing team of people" you can do anything.
Alina has even created a nonprofit foundation in coalition with Zolli Candy, called the Million Smiles Initiative, which has committed to giving away 4 million smiles (aka lollipops!) to help fight America's most chronic childhood disease - tooth decay.
There's no doubt about it, smiles have amazing powers and the magic in a child's smile is truly undeniable. But with childhood tooth decay ranking as America's single most chronic childhood disease, children's smiles are an endangered species! When Zolli Candy's CEO Alina Morse heard this news she knew she had to use her Zolli-powers for good and began her mission to save the smiles with the Million Smiles Initiative! The Million Smiles Initiative is educating, inspiring, and helping kids across the U.S. smile!
Teachers, Principals, and Educators can sign up to receive free Zolli Candy for their entire school - Learn more!
Follow @alinastarrmorse and @zollicandy on Instagram and Facebook, and shop Zolli Candy HERE!
P.S. Get to know Alina as we play..."Before the Cookie Crumbles!" - WATCH ON YOUTUBE
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Host: @KristinaLachaga
Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com
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