Making her Mark in the Business World

27th January 2020   ·   0 Comments

By Charmaine Jackson
Contributing Writer

Local 7-year-old launches business to showcase New Orleans culture

A love for New Orleans culture and community inspired a school project turned business venture for seven-year-old Naomi DeBerry.

Kelly Harris, Naomi’s mother, said they wanted something easy to make, so they opted to decorate pencils.

The idea of turning this project into a business was due to a loss of a job.

“She was heartbroken about the layoff of her father,” said Harris. Naomi’s father is Jarvis DeBerry, the long-time columnist at the former The Times Picayune, who has been diagnosed with kidney disease. Harris recalled Naomi saying, “I’m going to make my own job so that no one will be able to fire me.”

With the guidance of Junior Achievement, a non-profit organization that partners with local schools and educates young people in the areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy, Naomi in New Orleans (N.I.N.) was established.

The inventory consists of 35 “regular and specialty pencils,” and Naomi says the specialty pencils are the most popular. All of the pencils are hand decorated into pieces of art with beads, feathers and glitter embellishments. Each tell the story of New Orleans’ unique culture. According to Naomi, the pencils are meant to be collectibles, due to their creative designs.

“When we first started, we had doubts, but started to build confidence when we started making sales,” stated Harris. Naomi said she will save all the money from the sales for college.

Each pencil is personal to Naomi and mirrors her childhood experiences in New Orleans. The “Carol Bebelle” is named after the recently retired co-founder of the Ashé Cultural Arts Center and marks her involvement in the organization when she served as youth ambassador and helped with the membership drive.

“She is very aware of the culture here,” said Harris. The family was set to move to Cleveland, Ohio in 2019 where DeBerry accepted a columnist position with Cleveland.com, but he is currently writing remotely from New Orleans until he can get medical clearance to leave. “This is like her last-ditch attempt to stay in New Orleans. She is so proud of the culture. She is New Orleans to the bone. She is a second-liner,” said Harris.

She named two specialty pencils, “Spy Boy” and “The Big Chief,” after the Mardi Gras Indians. Both pencils, modeled after the elaborate suits worn during performances, are completely adorned with big feathers and colorful beads. “Ode to Zulu” pays tribute to the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, and was fashioned after the coveted Zulu coconut parade goers aim to score.

Harris hopes the pencil designs will garner a similar status. “Just like people want the muses shoe, maybe people would want ‘The Big Chief’,” said Harris.

Naomi will eventually expand design offerings to include special occasions such as Valentine’s Day as well as special orders for sororities.

Throughout this entrepreneurial journey, Harris and DeBerry want Naomi to learn lessons about self-determination, planning and organization skills, how to handle money, and build confidence along the way. As a family, Harris says they are learning to find joy in the midst of challenges.

“You don’t have to be an adult to have a business,” Harris said. “The sky is the limit for her.”

Last week, on market day at her school, Naomi sold out of her first batch of inventory, selling 34 pencils. The pencils range in cost from $2 to $4. She will be selling Congo Square on February 1 from 3-5 p.m., and Harris says they’re also hoping to get Naomi’s pencils on shelves for sale in Community Book Center and Ashé Cultural Arts Center.

This article originally published in the January 27, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.