If his name is any indicator, 12-year-old Colin Sparks is sure to generate interest in his innovations and business practices.
The bright-eyed, ultra-innovative grade-seven student already has an impressive portfolio of inventions. He’s made a coin-separating device that sorts coins by size, and he’s built a tower that can withstand a 2.4-magnitude earthquake, like the recent one near Victoria. He’s also entered the business world with his own product, Mini Sparks, waterproof fire starters made from round, cotton makeup-remover pads dipped in wax.
“I learned about them at an outdoor survival camp in 2015 and then created an improved version,” says Sparks.
In 2017, Sparks sold the fire starters through Lizzy Lee & Me Salon and then, after preparing promotional packaging for the product, at the Christmastime Modern Market Victoria at Uptown, where he almost sold out.
Most recently, Sparks’ teacher gave him a special assignment to build a rocket that will travel up to 6,000 feet in the air in just a few seconds. When launched, it’s expected to break the speed of sound. The secret, says Sparks, is a special motor.
So what else is on the horizon for this preteen entrepreneur?
“I can’t say,” says Sparks. “I’ve got to protect my ideas.”
Spoken like a true entrepreneur.
This article is from the February/March 2018 issue
