LITTLE LOCAL LEGENDS
Big Ideas. Small Humans. Extraordinary Potential.
Meet Lorelei: The 12-Year-Old Entrepreneur Who Built a Business in a Weekend Using AI
How one local girl, three friends, and a little artificial intelligence are showing us that the next generation of entrepreneurs isn't waiting to grow up.
By The Bubble Ladera | Little Local Legends & Entrepreneurs Spotlight
Move over, Silicon Valley. The next generation of entrepreneurs might just be doing their homework down the street.
Meet Lorelei, a 12-year-old local entrepreneur who, along with three friends ages 9 to 12, decided to launch a business selling custom 3D-printed fidget toys. Their creations, called Klickables, are fun, tactile gadgets designed to help kids focus, fidget, and de-stress.
But here's where the story gets especially interesting.
Rather than spending months learning to code, hiring a web developer, or navigating complicated e-commerce platforms, Lorelei sat down with her dad, learned how to use an AI coding tool called Claude Code, and built a fully functional, custom online storefront in just a few hours.
No Shopify. No templates. Just an idea, a little guidance, and AI.
By Monday, according to her proud dad, the orders were already rolling in.
And just like that, four kids had become business owners.
The New Lemonade Stand Has a Website
There was a time when childhood entrepreneurship meant setting up a lemonade stand, knocking on neighbors' doors, or convincing your parents to buy enough supplies for a friendship-bracelet business.
Those experiences still matter. But today's kids have something previous generations could only dream of: access to technology that can turn an idea into a real, functioning business almost overnight.
Lorelei's story represents something much bigger than a cute local success story.
Artificial intelligence is helping create a new kind of meritocracy, one where age, technical expertise, and access to capital don't have to determine who gets to participate.
A 12-year-old with a great idea can now access tools that, not long ago, required an entire team of developers.
Of course, AI doesn't guarantee success or eliminate every obstacle. But it dramatically lowers the cost of trying.
And perhaps that's the most exciting part.
When Ideas & Execution Matter More Than Capital
Lorelei's dad, a former director at Google, shared an observation after watching his daughter bring her vision to life: the technical barriers to launching a business are disappearing.
For decades, entrepreneurship often required significant upfront investment, specialized technical knowledge, or connections to people who possessed those skills.
Today, a motivated middle schooler can build a website, develop a brand, create marketing materials, and reach customers using tools that are increasingly accessible to everyone.
The playing field isn't perfectly level. But it's getting a whole lot more interesting.
And while adults debate whether AI will replace jobs, these four young entrepreneurs are demonstrating another possibility:
What if AI doesn't just replace work? What if it empowers an entirely new generation to create it?
The Skills AI Can't Replace
Here's what makes Lorelei and her friends' story particularly inspiring: AI didn't come up with their business idea.
They did.
They identified something kids enjoy. They found a product they wanted to create. They collaborated with friends. They took the initiative to build something real.
AI simply helped them get there faster.
And the skills they'll develop along the way, creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, customer service, perseverance, and learning from mistakes, are the very skills that will matter in a rapidly changing economy.
Their first website might have taken hours, not months, to build. But learning to run a business? That's an education no algorithm can hand them.
A Little Local Legend in the Making
At The Bubble Ladera, we love celebrating the people who make our community special. And sometimes, the most inspiring stories come from its youngest residents.
Lorelei and her friends remind us that you don't need a college degree, a fancy office, or even a driver's license to start building something meaningful.
Sometimes all you need is a good idea, a few friends, a supportive parent, and the courage to click create.
So here's our challenge to the community: Let's support these little local legends. Visit Klickables.net, check out what these young entrepreneurs have created, and consider supporting their budding business.
Because the next great entrepreneur might not be pitching investors in Silicon Valley.
She might be sitting next to your kid in math class.
Shop their creations
Small creations. Big imagination. Tap any photo to visit Klickables and explore what’s available to order.
Visit the Klickables shop
Know a Little Local Legend?
We're looking for the next generation of Ladera Ranch creators, inventors, artists, entrepreneurs, and big thinkers!
Whether they're launching a business, creating something extraordinary, or making a difference in our community, we want to celebrate them.
Nominate a Little LegendBig ideas don't have an age requirement. And neither should opportunity.