06/28/2026
About a year and a half ago, Hunter and Bryce came to me with an idea.
They wanted to sell Hot Wheels at local Cars & Coffee events.
Being the business owner I am, my response wasn’t “sure.” It was, “Let’s build a plan first.”
Before I loaned them the startup money, they had homework.
They walked around Cars & Coffee asking owners what kinds of Hot Wheels they would actually buy. They researched market values to figure out what inventory made the most sense. They reached out to event organizers to see who would even let two kids set up and sell.
In December 2024, we started buying inventory. eBay, Target, Safeway… wherever we could find good deals.
From day one, I wanted this to be more than buying and selling toy cars.
We built a simple Excel spreadsheet to track every purchase, every sale, and our inventory. We talk about profits, cash flow, and when it makes sense to reinvest instead of spending everything they make.
What started as a fun idea has become one of my favorite things we do together as a family. Heather is all in too.
At every event, they talk to customers, ask questions, figure out what people are looking for, and work together to make decisions. It’s been amazing to watch their confidence grow.
The biggest lesson for me has been this:
Kids are capable of so much more than we give them credit for if we let them own the process instead of doing it for them.
They’re only 8 and 11, but they’re already learning lessons about customer service, inventory management, finance, communication, and delayed gratification that many adults never have the opportunity to learn.
Whether this turns into a lifelong business or just a great childhood memory doesn’t really matter.
The real return on investment was never the Hot Wheels.