News : 12 years old Entrepreneur looks into the future, and he's got plans

Cole Birker's original chair, considered for state fair, received an award of excellence in judging.

Sometimes the Benton County Fair is just a time to show off your talent. Other times it's a stepping stone to becoming an entrepreneur. For 12-year-old Cole Birker, he hopes to make a little profit from his creation. Cole has goals and he's figured out that if he can create income, he can reach those goals much faster.

Birker received a ton of positive feedback on a chair that he build and entered into the fair. Cole came up with a plan to build more of the chairs and sell them to residents who would like a good sturdy piece of furniture. These chairs are built completely by the 12-year-old.

Currently, he has one chair ready for finishing and a second he is working on. He has plans to create side tables and a sofa as well, which some have already voiced interest in. 

Part of Cole's project involves figuring out the cost of his chair. That REAL cost. The cost of materials, and deciding just how much he should be paid by the hour, he settled on a modest $10 has helped to set the price of the chair."The finished chairs are "built out of reclaimed wood from our barn which was destroyed in the 2020 derecho," his mom Jenni said.. The chairs can be finished like the one pictured (and there are a few color options) or they can be water sealed clear for a more rustic look, if you buy one, you get to choose.

Because of the reclaimed wood status, the wood in these chairs is imperfect but 100% solid and sanded smooth. The rustic chairs are also limited to the lumber that the family has on hand. Each chair is solid and weighs in at about 50 lbs each. If the rustic look isn't what you're going for, Cole can build you a chair out of new wood.

Some of the things that Cole would like to do include things the typical kid would want to do."He has been saving for a gaming system since early spring by working for us on the farm, so his first sale will allow him to purchase that," Jenni said. At the Birker house, they talk a lot to their kids about their long-term goals as well as teach their children to "spend, save and give." So also on Cole's list is to start investing to earn some interest, put some in a college fund, save for a car, and take foreign language classes. The biggest goal he has is to travel to Japan someday.

If you'd like to have a good sturdy chair and want to support a young entrepreneur, contact his mom here!