Riley Petersen: A mini entrepreneur making mega moves

Riley Petersen Was Born With Style.

By the age of five, Riley was designing her own jewelry at her kitchen table.  Just a few years later, Riley, with the help of her dad John, has turned a fledgling jewelry business into a flourishing online retailer.  Between an exclusive J.Crew collaboration, Teen Vogue feature and insta-famous status, Riley is a child entrepreneur with some serious business savvy. 

We spoke with Riley and John about building a business with a kid at the helm.  Read on to hear advice from the dad & daughter power duo behind Gunner & Lux.  

Questions for Riley

What is the most important business lesson you have learned?

There have been so many amazing women business owners who have offered me so much great advice along the way. I think one good lesson in business and in life is that you shouldn’t spend more than you have. With my business we have only ever put money into the company that we have made. 

Who are some entrepreneurs you admire?  

Oh, there are so many!

Charity Savage owner of @SAVAGE SEEDS®
Catalina Gonzalez @dondolo.official
Jennifer Vallez @sophieandlili
Laura Gelfand @lelioncollection
Gen Sohr @pencilandpaperco

What advice would you give to a young entrepreneur just starting out? 

Find something you really love and make it yours! 

Questions for John

How did you help Riley transform her creative vision into a thriving business?

That’s a really good question. I worked late nights helping her ship orders. When it came time to really build her website, I learned the best I could. We hired part-time employees when the business really took off, and then I quit my full time job to work for her. 

Is there anything that you wish you had done differently when you were building your business? 

Everything is a learning experience. I think you have to try things and see how they go, that way you know for the next time how to better navigate your course. 

Do you have any advice for parents hoping to foster an entrepreneurial spirit in their children?

Believe in your kids, nurture whatever it is they are loving. Listen to them. Being a kid entrepreneur is very hard work, and Riley is one of the hardest workers I have ever known. She is also very much in tune with what she wants and doesn’t want. She is not afraid to speak her mind. 

Behind every kid entrepreneur, there is a supportive caregiver guiding the way.  To read more about how to foster your own blossoming businessperson, click here to read Five Ways To Foster Your Mini Entrepreneur.  

To shop Riley’s exclusive designs, visit https://gunnerandlux.com/ and follow @gunnerandlux on Insta for some serious style inspiration.