For the past several years, three Bellingham entrepreneurs have been meeting early on Friday mornings in the forests of Sudden Valley, taking walks and talking shop.

Discussions among the three men — Isaac Burrous, co-owner of Kent’s Garden & Nursery; Brandon Nelson, local real estate agent with Compass Real Estate; and Trevor Swezey, founder of Highline Construction — have included creating a way to give back to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Those discussions led to the creation of the Youthpreneurs of Northwest Washington program, which awards business grants to three recipients between the ages of 16 and 21 who reside in Whatcom or Skagit counties.

The first-ever trio of winners was announced this summer, with an awards ceremony held in August at Kent’s Garden & Nursery. 

Malachi Larsen, a 19-year-old Burlington-Edison High School graduate, was named 2025 Youthpreneur of the Year and awarded $5,000 toward his business, Pacific Kickz. Larsen was joined by honorable mention winners Ella Jones, 16, and Gunnar Williamson, 17, who each received $2,000 toward their entrepreneurial exploits.

“We wanted to find people that have grit and determination, and that’s present with all three of these students,” said Swezey at the awards ceremony. “What they’re doing now may not be what they do in 20 years, but the reality is that they’re all learning valuable skills now that they can take into the future. We’re excited and proud to support them and give them a leg up.”

Larsen’s business, Pacific Kickz, is a local and online-based company that buys, sells and trades collectible sneakers. He founded the business as a sophomore; it has since exceeded six figures in sales revenue, with an average return on investment of 20% to 30%.

“It’s almost like ‘Pawn Stars,’ but for sneakers,” Larsen explained. 

Being recognized for his hard work, he added, means the world to him, especially since Pacific Kickz’ founding came during a challenging personal time in which Larsen entered the foster care system. 

Larsen’s passion for sneakers, capacity to handle risk and impressive success made him stand out, Swezey said. 

“In terms of running a legitimate business that can turn into something that you can support a family off of, achieving that goal while you’re still in high school shows that you are well on the path to something that is a sustainable business down the road,” he told Larsen.

Larsen said he plans to use the award money to cover inventory and marketing expenses, with the rest going toward his college education at Skagit Valley College. He plans to pursue an associate degree in business. 

Ella Jones, now a junior at Burlington-Edison High School, was awarded despite not being old enough to actually apply for the program.

Nevertheless, Jones — who turned 16 in September — said the risk of rejection was worth taking, just as it was when she founded Ella’s Photo Booth — an open-air photo booth for events — her freshman year. 

“To be an entrepreneur, you have to take risks and be willing to try things,” she said.

After taking a loan from her parents, Jones began buying photo equipment, including a tripod, tablet, props and numerous photo backdrops. In the past two years, her photo booth has appeared at high school dances and auctions, as well as birthday parties and the John L. Scott holiday party.

Burrous, the co-owner of Kent’s Garden & Nursery, said they were impressed by Jones’ initiative. The spirit of entrepreneurship, he added, is often imbued with the knowledge of what rules to break and what rules to take.

Jones said she plans to use her award to purchase a printer so photos can be printed on-site in strips, as traditional photo booths do.

Gunnar Williamson, now a Burlington-Edison senior, received his reward for founding Custom Freeze Drying LLC — a company that prepares, packages and sells freeze-dried fruits, candies and meals.

Williamson’s father approached Gunnar with the idea of selling freeze-dried foods after the family acquired a freeze dryer several years ago. It started with sales to friends and classmates, and now, Williamson’s initial investments toward his business have been totally paid for through his hard work. 

The freeze-drying process removes all water from the foods, Williamson said, enhancing flavor while still retaining nearly all nutrients.

“It melts on your tongue,” he said of eating freeze-dried food. “It throws a crunch in everything.”

Williamson will put his money toward proper permitting of his business, with the rest going toward equipment that will enable him to be a vendor at fairs and farmers markets.

For the three men inspired to create the program, giving away $9,000 to these young business owners was very rewarding.

“It just fills my heart to be part of their journey,” Swezey said. “Because I know that it can be hard, intense and scary to run your own business. They’re at a different stage in life, and it’s a different scale than my own situation, but that passion they have can continue and lead to bigger things. And the bigger things, they have teeth.”

For Nelson, who advocates for having a vision, staying focused and remaining determined, the pluck of these youthful entrepreneurs reminds him of his favorite description of what one is.

“My favorite definition of the entrepreneur,” he said, “is someone who likes to jump off a cliff and build an airplane on the way down.”

Featured image, left to right: Brandon Nelson, Gunnar Williamson, Ella Jones, Isaac Burrous, Malachi Larsen and Trevor Swezey. Courtesy image.