It all began when Laila Bahman couldn’t sleep.
The 11-year-old Covington School student and her younger sister were battling nightmares, so Laila came up with the idea for Bad Dream Sprays, aromatherapy spritzers for nighttime use. Her products are available for purchase at The Girls @ Los Altos, 239 State St.
“I chose scents that were soothing and could calm a child’s mind,” Laila said, noting that lavender is the most popular. “For now, I’m using a water base with essential oils, but I’ve been trying to make my own scents.”
As Laila continues to refine her product, she has already drawn recognition for her ingenuity. Milwaukee-based tween lifestyle company Fashion Angels named her one of five finalists in the inaugural “Future She-E-O” $10,000 scholarship contest.
“The creativity and business intellect of these girls were inspiring to our entire team, panel of judges and those in the audience,” said Chris Dresselhuys, the company’s vice president of marketing and licensing. “All of us at Fashion Angels commend Laila and wish her success on her business.”
She’s already on her way. A couple of weeks ago, Laila began showcasing her products at The Girls @ Los Altos through the clothing and toy store’s Girl Entrepreneurs program. The community-service effort provides youth with free store space in addition to opportunities to interact with customers and attend business-related workshops.
Next, Laila plans to use her awards from the Fashion Angels contest – an iPad mini and “It’s My Biz” activity kit – to create her own website, due to debut this summer.
Those interested in Bad Dreams Spray can purchase a bottle for $7.95 at The Girls @ Los Altos. Proceeds support product enhancement and charity donations, according to Laila.
“Running my own business has always seemed like a cool idea,” she added. “I’m so excited to be able to sell my products to not only my friends and family, but also others in our neighborhood.”
