Meet ollie the entrepreneur

Ollie Gilbert has just turned 7, but he has already launched his own small business.

The Blackfriars Year 1 student, together with his sister Clare, 9, has created T’POP, making and selling tie-dye T-shirts, painted pots (complete with succulents), bookmarks, wheat bags and recycled jars filled to the brim with lollies.

The siblings originally started experimenting with tie-dye as a way to beat the boredom.

“I had covid and Clare had covid and Mum had covid, all at the same time, so we had to stay home,” Ollie says of their initial foray into tie-dye.

His favourite T-shirt design is a “big sun in the middle with yellow”, but says he and Clare use all the colours of the rainbow in their creations.

_{Year 1 student Ollie Gilbert and his sister Clare, 9, will have their stall, T’POP, as part of the City of Prospect’s Clothes Swap and Youth Market this week. Picture: City of Prospect}

From T-shirts, they decided to expand their range and create T’POP. Their stall will make its debut at the City of Propsect’s Clothes Swap and Youth Market on Friday (11 November) evening.

Ollie is very excited for Friday and is pretty sure T’POP will be a big hit.

“I think it will sell out really quick! The bookmarks are going to be 90c or $1, we haven’t decided yet,” he says.

So, does Ollie think he might like to be a small business owner in the future? “I think I might be a barber,” he says.

_{Blackfriars Year 1 student Ollie Gilbert, with his sister Clare, has started his own business selling tie-dye T-shirts, lolly jars and painted pots. Pictures: City of Prospect}

The City of Prospect’s Clothes Swap and Youth Market will be held at Payinthi (128 Prospect Rd, Prospect) this Friday, 11 November, 6pm – 8pm. For more information on the event, click here.