Teenager Makes Business Dream a Reality – Using School Chromebook
Written By: Marc Writer
When 16-year-old entrepreneur Malik Elliott decided to launch his clothing brand, it was all about dreams and determination.
The name “Lost Hearts” came to him in a dream, inspiring Malik to turn his online clothing store vision into reality.
But he faced some challenges: Malik was just 16, had only $800 in savings, and didn’t own a computer.
As a student at Saint Charles High School in St. Charles, Illinois, Malik said, “It was tough trying to get things off the ground because I didn’t have a computer like many other teens.”
Luckily, his school provided Chromebooks, so he started working on his clothing brand with that. However, he ran into issues since many necessary websites, like Shopify and GoDaddy, were blocked.
Thinking creatively, Malik found software to work around his tech limitations and used his phone to complete tasks that his Chromebook couldn’t handle.
Within three weeks, he launched the Lost Hearts website and set up social media channels. He invested his $800 in a heat press machine and basic hoodies, while his friend Jack purchased a Cricut cutter.
Together, they transformed Jack’s basement into a mini clothing factory, spending up to eight hours a day crafting branded hoodies while balancing high school.
“We’d work before and after school,” Malik said. “After football practice, we’d head to the basement and keep going until about 9:30 PM. It took us nearly two weeks to finish our first batch of 25 hoodies, all done by hand since we didn’t have a screen printer.”
That first batch sold out instantly, with friends at school eager to buy. Larger batches followed, including a significant order of 350 T-shirts.
But it wasn’t just the stylish designs that attracted buyers; Malik’s vision for Lost Hearts resonated with his peers. He made it clear he wanted to host events benefiting young people and create community centers to keep kids off the streets.
Malik shared, “I moved to Memphis, and we just don’t have the community centers I had back in Illinois. It’s a shame because it leads many young people down the wrong path.”
Having loved playing outside with friends as a child, he recognized that today’s kids spend too much time on their phones or lack productive activities in their communities.
“I wanted to build something that would recreate those joyful experiences I had growing up.”
In addition to selling out their clothing, Malik and the Lost Hearts team have organized community sports events in Memphis for young people. He also spent his last earnings into a $3,000 business mentorship program, which he found valuable in shifting his mindset about what was possible for him and his brand.
Now, four years later, Lost Hearts has sold over 20,000 units and employs four people. With the business thriving, they recently opened a new retail location in Cool Springs.
Malik said, “I’ve always felt like an entrepreneur. Even before starting this business, I was making money reselling fireworks I’d get for holidays."
“I never imagined how much Lost Hearts would grow, especially this past year, or that we’d have our own store so soon.”
“None of this would have been possible without my team members and the support of GOD.”