Monday, August 23, 2010

SEEING STARS-HAMPTON STAR MAP


There are times when I see a something new and innovative and I ask myself--why didn't I think of that?  It is even more impressive when that new product happens to have been invented by your 16 year old son. Carter has always had a head for business, whether it was selling lemonade or predicting the salaries of the top NFL draft picks-this kids has always had a head for numbers.  So it came as no surprise to me when he told me after a trip to L.A. that he was going to develop his own Hampton star map based upon the celebrity maps being hawked in Hollywood. With the money he had saved from a summer job scooping ice cream when he was 15, he produced the Hampton Star Map, an  impressive street wise map that shows the location of nearly 70 "celebrities" in the Hamptons.
He has had great success selling the maps into local specialty stores and on his online website as well as phenomenal press (The New Yorker, Curbed, El Pais) but of course every success comes with its share of setbacks. There have been stores that do not want to carry the map and some people who don't want to deal with a teenager, but through it all, he carries an optimism and determination for his business that is contagious.  
As a mother, I'm awfully proud of Carter; but as a budding entrepreneur I can only say, "Why didn't I think of that?" And smile.

14 comments:

Punctuation Mark said...

i love it!!! that is absolutely clever and he will become a very successful businessman one day... have a great week!

red ticking said...

carter rocks... and i am waiting for him to contact me! xx

Kelly Frances Dunn said...

One thing will evolve into another! I'd say he is brilliant and if anything you have obviously raised a forward thinking and go getter son. That's a job well done :)

Pemberley said...

What a great idea! You must be so proud and so pleased. If this is what he does at 16 then rest assured you will be well taken care of when you are old a gray! Well done!

Unknown said...

OK...how handsome is your Carter! :) And what I bright young man. I want to get my hands on that map! We'll be out there next Sunday!

Splendid Sass said...

Such awonderful. intelligent idea! I know that you are proud of him.
Teresa

The Buzz Blog said...

What a great idea! I still have my Hollywood map of the stars from a visit I made to LA at sixteen and now I will have to add this one to the pile! Congratulations to Carter - you must be so proud!

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita said...

I am very impressed! I just checked out the press and his site - you must be so so so proud! SOMEONE's mom and dad did a great job!

Harrison Howard said...

Carter's idea is remarkably clever, and it would not be surprising to see it copied in other places such as Washington DC, or any place where there is a high concentration of publicly known people, although it seems very unlikely those people would appreciate the attention!! His inventiveness will definitely be very interesting to colleges when he starts to send applications, and no doubt that thought has crossed your mind.

HAMPTON HOSTESS said...

thank you all for your kind comments! xxbarbara

North of 25A said...

Handsome and smart; a winning combination!

SuSu said...

What a great kid...I can't imagine what he'll be doing next!

Kudos to you for raising such a responsible and inventive young man. You should be proud!

Kelsey said...

What a genius! I want one... :)

xxx
kelsey

Suburban Princess said...

I love reading stories like this! Yay for your son and yay for you! You obviously raised him well!