Paul Bickford/NNSL photo
Deacon Tybring is 13 years old and a Grade 8 student, and he's also a businessperson in Hay River.
Actually, Tybring has been an entrepreneur for several years with an idea that he entered in the Hay River Dragons' Den Challenge when he was in Grade 4.
"I put in the idea for a clothing line for the North and I pitched the idea to the dragons," he recalled.
Tybring won that year's Dragons' Den Challenge, and put the $500 he received towards his business idea and created North of 60 Lifestyle.
The young entrepreneur noted there are clothing lines specific to certain parts of countries, but he had never seen one for the North.
So he designed a northern-themed logo for clothes incorporating images of a wolf, the Northern Lights and the North Star.
"I did come up with it myself," he said.
And in the last several years, Tybring has been selling T-shirts, sweatshirts, toques and caps emblazoned with the logo.
"I think I've probably sold 250 to 350 items," he said, noting any money earned goes right back into the business.
The items are sold at the Visitor Information Centre in Hay River and at his grandmother's home business, and Tybring also sells some on this own. Plus, he is trying to arrange for some outlets in Yellowknife.
Tybring credits the Dragons' Den Challenge with getting him started in business, noting he used to watch the CBC program Dragons' Den
"When I was nine, I was like, 'This is the coolest thing,'" he said, noting that he and many of his classmates when he was at Princess Alexandra School wanted to be in the local contest, which is presented by the Rotary Club of Hay River Sunrise.
The experience of competing in the Dragons' Den Challenge makes young people think they could start their own businesses and create their own jobs, he said. "I could work for myself, which I think is really important."
And Tybring wants to continue in his own business when he gets older.
"Because that's what makes the world go around," he said. "It's people and entrepreneurs making new businesses. And, if people keep at it and apply the right amount of work, it will always work out."
Tybring, who is now a student at Diamond Jenness Secondary School, said he enjoys being in business.
"It's awesome," he said, adding that it makes him happy to know that people like his products.
Tom Lakusta, a Rotary Club member and the organizer of the Dragons' Den Challenge, said the goal is to teach young people about entrepreneurship, business and taking control of their own lives as adults.
"So starting with the first year of Dragons' Den, we were surprised by how many students really hungered for something like this," he said, adding that many impressive business ideas have been proposed over the years.
Lakusta is pleased when students like Deacon Tybring turn their ideas into real small businesses.
"It's really gratifying and it shows that the program is being a success," he said.
This year's Dragons' Den Challenge won't be taking place as originally planned in December because of Covid-19 restrictions.
However, the Rotary Club of Hay River Sunrise plans to present the contest once again next year.