Meet the Youthpreneurs of NW Washington 2025
In this blog, I’d like to share a story about something very local, very real, and very much an honor to have been part of.
Early last April, I got an email from my friend Trevor Swezey, who owns Highline Construction.
His idea was to hold a competition for young entrepreneurs aged 15 to 21.
Each entrant would pitch their business by completing a stringent application, and potentially win one of three cash prizes – up to $5000.
Trevor invited Isaac Burrous who, with his wife Laurie, owns Kent’s Garden and Nursery, and me, to be the co-sponsors and co-conspirators.
We loved it from the start.
We helped with promotion, we reviewed applications, and in the afternoon of August 27th, we gathered at Kent’s, met the three winners in person for the first time, and handed them their awards.
The program is called Youthpreneurs of NW Washington, and in this, its first year, we considered it a great success.
Read on, meet these inspiring young business people, and see why we are all so honored to see them recognized for their initiative and success.
Introducing Youthpreneurs of NW Washington
Trevor and his phenom office manager Tera Contezac did all the heavy lifting, putting the program rules and application together, shooting and editing a video to promote the competition, and spreading the word throughout Whatcom and Skagit Counties.
Applications were due by May 1, 2025, and essentially sought to identify exceptional youth who said “Yes” to:
Are you already building something?
Are you already selling something?
Are you already taking business seriously?
If so, tell us your whole story.
For the chosen winners, the rewards were a meaningful amount:
$5,000 for the Youthpreneur of the Year
$2,000 each for the two Honorable Mentions
The money had to go back into each winner’s business, not just into their pockets.
Inventory, equipment, licensing, marketing, training, even college-level business classes were eligible investments.
On that afternoon in August, we had parents, siblings, teachers, business owners, and press all gathered.
In the middle of it: three hard-working teenagers already acting like founders.
Allow me to introduce them:
Youthpreneur of the Year: Malachi Larsen, Pacific Kickz
Malachi Larsen, 19 years old, runs Pacific Kickz, a sneaker and streetwear business that buys, sells, and trades high-demand shoes across the country and even internationally.
He calls it “a pawn shop for sneakers.”
Malachi has already done more than $250,000 in revenue, having started the business when he was a sophomore at age 15.
For Malachi, this wasn’t just about money. It was about control, stability, and mental health.
He was a foster child at age 13.
Building his own business gave him a sense of direction during a time in life when a lot of things were not stable.
He’s now studying business at Skagit Valley College, and he’s putting the $5,000 first prize straight back into inventory, branding, and education.
In Malachi’s words: “I have not only built my business and skills over the years, but entrepreneurship has positively impacted my mental health and grown me into the person I am today.”
Follow Malachi on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pacific.kickz/
Honorable Mention: Gunnar Williamson, Custom Freeze Drying
Next is Gunnar Williamson, 17, who runs Custom Freeze Drying.
He takes fruit, candy, even full meals, freeze dries them, packages them, and sells them.
He started with a family freeze dryer, tested products with classmates and local athletes, paid off the startup costs, and kept going.
Like a seasoned entrepreneur, Gunnar is constantly testing packaging, dialing pricing, and watching how people respond, then iterating.
That is literally how adult founders in accelerator programs are coached to act.
He walked away from the gathering at Kent’s with $2,000 to keep scaling.
In Gunnar’s words: “It is a kind of self-dependency key to the American dream; I seek meaning and happiness in it.”
Follow Gunnar on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/customfreezecreations/
Honorable Mention ($2,000): Ella Jones, Ella’s Photo Booth
Our third award went to Ella Jones, 15 years old.
Ella runs Ella’s Photo Booth, a full event photo booth service with instant digital images, props, and custom banners for parties, fundraisers, weddings, booster events, you name it.
https://www.ellasphotobooth.com
Jones started her business in 2023 after experiencing a photo booth at her freshman homecoming dance at Burlington-Edison High School.
She borrowed startup money, bought gear, built packages, and books real paid jobs.
She also left the Youthpreneurs awards event with $2,000.
In Ella’s words: “It’s not just about making money, it’s about independence, creativity, and turning ideas into something real and impactful.”
Follow Ella on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ellas.photobooth/
We have been proud of all the press coverage the Youthpreneurs have received since winning the awards.
The Skagit Valley Herald did a story on each of the 3 winners.
King 5 did a nice video on grand prize winner Malachi Larson.
All three winners had ties to Burlington-Edison High School, which their school publicly celebrated – and which we absolutely love!
When a high school says “These are our people,” that sends a message to every other student watching.
Trevor summed up the spirit of the event beautifully:
“We wanted to give back to the next generation. We wanted to find people that have grit and determination, and that was clear with all three of these young superstars!”
We're ALL part of this story
Now, here’s where you come in.
Hire these kids, buy from them, support them and others like them.
Need rare sneakers or serious streetwear for yourself, or for an auction basket that will actually get a bidding war. Talk to Malachi at Pacific Kickz.
Want high-impact event snacks or gift baskets built around freeze dried candy and fruit. Talk to Gunnar.
Planning an auction, wedding, booster event, retirement party, senior night. Book Ella’s Photo Booth and give people something they’ll actually post.
And if you know a young person with a start-up business, tell them about Youthpreneurs of NW Washington!
We'll be back again next year, looking for the next round of superstars!
Take good care, and I’ll see you again soon!
