"We were a little skeptical, but we did tell her if you can show us that you have some ideas for a recipe, maybe put together a little plan, I mean that's appropriate for a 9-year-old, then we would consider it," said Jasmine's mom, Schmian Evans.
Jasmine got to work and, with the help of her parents, launched Doggy Dog Treats by Jazzy. She started making the treats at home and selling them on Etsy, but demand quickly grew for her all-natural dog treats. She now works out of a commercial kitchen and has her products in three businesses across the Bay Area.
The now-14-year-old said her dream was to give dogs healthy treats made with simple ingredients. All her products are human-grade with no artificial flavors or preservatives, "We have Buddy's Pumpkin Bites, which have the two main ingredients are pumpkin and apple sauce, Peanut Butter Banana Bones is our newest one, and our last one is Jazzy's Peanut Butter Biscuits."
While Jasmine is a successful entrepreneur, she's also still a freshman in high school, so her parents want to make sure she has a good work-life balance, "They're very supportive. I would not be able to do this without them. They definitely help so much when I'm in school to pick up the slack when I can't do things," said Jasmine.
Jasmine's mom, LaRae Gainey, is the company's general manager and also does a lot of the baking. Her other mom, Schmian Evans, is the financial administrator and shipping clerk. Jasmine said, "They both are a really big helps when it comes to all aspects of getting orders out."
The support also comes from the community, and her family said as long as Jasmine continues to thrive and take the business seriously, they will stand behind her and serve the Bay Area.
"It has been beyond our expectations and we're super proud," said Evans.
You can find more information here.