Philly's 11-year-old entrepreneur starts car cleaning business
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- He may be too young to drive, but 11-year-old Jabre Dutton has taken the wheel on his economic future.
Earlier this month, he started a car cleaning business based out of Germantown.
Even though the soon-to-be seventh-grader at Wissahickon Charter School did most of the hard work, he gives a lot of credit to his mom.
"I look up to her a lot," he said. "She's been teaching me since I was a kid, since I was little, since I was born!"
Jabre, who turns 12 later this week, is wise beyond his years. His mom says she never has to push him to pave his own road in the world.
"I hear a lot from other people saying Jabre is an inspiration," said Sabrina Dutton, Jabre's mom. "So I do want kids to know that you can figure out a way to make money and start your own business."
That's exactly what Jabre did. He created Jabre's Car Cleaning Service, JCCS, earlier this month. Using an online service called Booksy, Philadelphia residents can schedule a time to have their car cleaned on Saturdays and Sundays. JCCS only cleans the interior of each vehicle and prioritizes safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Jabre and his mom drive to each customer's location to clean their vehicle.
Jabre's big idea started as a means of purchasing in-game currency for the popular "Roblox" gaming platform. But it quickly became more than just a game for him.
"My mom talked to me about credit and I was like, I need to start taking my money very seriously," he said, hoping now to save much of his earnings for school.
Jabre and his mom are a big-grinning, joke-cracking, secret-handshaking tag team. A single mother, Sabrina is proud to have raised a child with an innate entrepreneurial spirit.
Giving credit runs in the family, as she recognizes her own father's influence on her child.
"My father is his biggest role model," Sabrina said. "He's been there since day one."
Now, she hopes Jabre can be a role model for other children his age.
In the future, Jabre hopes to open a car-cleaning facility where he can invite customers and create a more hospitable experience. Although he does not yet know what he wants to be when he grows up, he says that becoming a lawyer is on the table.
To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit JCCS' website.
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