Amanda and Luna - From Friends to Co-Authors
By Jody Bell
They say the best successes are the ones found by chance.
For co-authors Amanda Kossoff and Luna Wang, who initially met in their high school Spanish class, that was most definitely true.
What was initially a school-friendship quickly evolved when they realized they were both social entrepreneurs. Amanda, a Girls With Impact graduate, had already founded Pop for a Cause, and IDream of Dance, and Luna had co-founded Vitto Baskets and Circle LCL. Soon their conversation shifted from conjugations to their experience juggling multiple ventures along with their coursework.
Luna and Amanda both noticed the amount of questions and requests for feedback they would get from young teens; topics ranged from website creation, to 501(c)(3) registration and even how to name your business. As busy CEOs and high schoolers, it was obvious that they couldn’t sustain individualized support for other young entrepreneurs - so instead they set out to create an accessible resource for teens hoping to start a business.
They began to meet as often as they could, “typing away between lockers during lunch or in our school’s library after school.” Creating a book was not just a fun pastime for these two friends – they set goals, held each other accountable, and delegated chapters to each other. The outcome is a 150-page framework that outlines how a teen can start a venture, including the intimidating logistical dilemmas, definitions for the necessary business jargon, and cartoons and layouts that make this complex information digestible. The book even includes a “Learn by Example” section which consolidates knowledge from six different teen founders ranging from a hair braiding business, to an arts initiative in Kenya.
Along with the book, Amanda and Luna have published the Make an Impact Opportunity Bank - a free resource for teens that highlights internships, programs, organizations, and books.
Of course there were challenges and roadblocks that both Luna and Amanda faced in the creation of their book. As with any start-up there are constant logistical obstacles and feedback that requires pivots. The unpredictable path of entrepreneurship can be made even more difficult when you are spending so much time following a rigid school schedule that relies on a linear academic path and strict deadlines.
Additionally, Luna notes that “as teenagers, our skills and knowledge are sometimes doubted by adults” - an experience that far too many young entrepreneurs tend to face. Yet, the two co-authors remained firm in their conviction that they were to make a book for teens by teens, and cited the importance of “having full control over our organization's destiny.”
Half of the book's proceeds are being donated to the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NTFE), an organization targeting low-income students and promoting young entrepreneurship through competitions, programming, and pitching events. To purchase your own book and look at some of the other resources Amanda and Luna recommend, click here.
Amanda is a Girls With Impact graduate who went on to start not one, but two ventures and write a book to support others – as she states “my work with Girls With Impact and completing the Academy was the biggest major inspiration in writing the book.”
We truly could not be more proud of both Amanda and Luna.
Luna and Amanda
Luna Wang co-founded Vitto Baskets at the age of sixteen, a company working to advocate for a healthy lifestyle and support local farms during the worldwide pandemic through delivering fresh produce. She is also the founder and executive director of Circle LCL, a social enterprise striving to offer accessible language learning opportunities by connecting native speakers to students. As a lover of all things business and economics, Luna was the winner of the Maryland DECA Pitch Competition, a finalist at the Asian American Entrepreneurship and Innovation Challenge, and a two-time placer at DECA International Career Development Conference in Operations Research Event. Luna aspires to close the gender gap in the business world and make business education more accessible through working with 501(c)(3) nonprofit Girls For Business and school club Women in Business, while also serving as a Chinese-English translator for business curriculum and various conferences. In her free time, Luna is a competitive volleyball player and loves traveling around the world.
Amanda Kossoff founded two impactful nonprofit organizations (Pop for a Cause, Inc., and iDream of Dance) before she turned sixteen. Pop for a Cause, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization that sells popcorn, donates 100% of profits to charity, and engages student volunteers in service-oriented events. iDream of Dance is a global health and education nonprofit, providing free dance programming to low-income youth and implementing STEAM programs throughout rural Kenya. Kossoff was named a 2022 YouthCon Scholar for her iDream of Dance project "Bridging the Digital Divide, One Plié at a Time," a 2022 Diller Teen Awards Tikkun Olam Finalist, Recipient of the Rochester Institute of Technology Innovation and Creativity Award, and 2021 Volunteer of the Year from So What Else, Inc. She advises others on community impact: from the Montgomery County Regional Student Government Association as Service Coordinator to other teens beginning their nonprofit journey. Amanda enjoys discussing philosophy and ethics with her peers and competitive hip-hop dance.