Southbury Siblings To Compete In 'World Of Money' Competition

SOUTHBURY, CT — Two Southbury siblings will compete in the 4th annual World of Money youth business pitch competition at Martha’s Vineyard Aug. 12. Rochambeau Middle School students Ethan Rochester, 13, and Sarah Rochester, 10, will pitch their business, Miracle Threads to a panel of seasoned business executives.

Miracle Threads has been in business for nearly two years. The company focuses on selling Afro-Brazilian designer pillows. The idea came about after Sarah attended an after-school enrichment program where she learned how to sew. Her mom Delores Rochester posted a picture of her work, which garnered a lot of interest. Sarah and Ethan then decided to explore a business venture.

The two siblings said they discovered that Afro-Brazilian pillows are an underrepresented and very expensive part of the market. They are working to make the vibrantly colored pillows an affordable option for any home. The company donates one pillow to Saint Jude’s Hospital for every 10 they sell.

The siblings attended the pitch competition last year where their father Shawn Rochester was a guest speaker talking about his book The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America. They became World of Money moguls last year by taking part in the non-profits financial education program.

The competition will take place on Martha’s Vineyard Aug. 12. There is more than $15,000 in cash prizes that can be won by competitors. It is sponsored by JPMorgan Chase Advancing Black Pathways.

“We’re proud to team up with World of Money to help this rising generation understand what it takes to build lasting wealth through healthy personal finance behaviors and entrepreneurship,” said Sekou Kaalund, head of Advancing Black Pathways at JPMorgan Chase “By providing our young people with this education early, we’re setting them on a path towards economic freedom.”

World of Money is a New York City-based non-profit dedicated to educating youth about finance. Nearly 4,000 youth between the ages of 7 and 18-years-old have taken the World of Money 120-hour class on financial education.

“We are proud to partner with JPMorgan Chase to promote financial education and invest in young entrepreneurs, ages 7 – 23, with over $15,000 in cash prizes,"" said World of Money Founder and CEO Sabrina Lamb. "It is gratifying to support youth from around the country as they pitch their brilliant businesses to a panel of seasoned executives.”

Ethan said he aspires to become an asset manager and Sarah wants to be either a software engineer or an actress. Both want to own their own firms.