By Alia Salim
Content Editor

Like the average student, junior Jarrett Fishpaw wanted a car. Like the average student, he couldn’t quite afford to buy one on his own. Slightly less like the average student, he started his own chocolate company, raised over $2,500 in four months and bought himself a VW Toronto.

J&J Fishpaw Chocolate, the business Jarrett started with his brother Jonathan, makes decorated chocolate houses. Jarret designs, manufactures and markets the product almost entirely on his own. At $25 each, the houses are both a creative and lucrative source of income.

“I learned a lot of stuff about marketing and dealing with adults…. A big thing is just learning how to have a conversation with people and get what you want out of the conversation,” Jarrett said.

It was Jarrett’s success with J&J Fishpaw Chocolate that inspired him and fellow juniors Amy Tong and Alex Wheatley to start one of the school’s new clubs: Entrepreneurs Pursuing Dreams, better known as EntrePiD.

“I thought it would be neat experience for other classmates to have the opportunity to start a business.... I figured there were a lot of people out there who had the ideas but who didn’t know how to go about doing it,” Jarrett said.
EntrePiD aims to foster entrepreneurship by offering advice and support to students interested in running their own businesses.

“Our main goal is to inspire, promote and sustain student-run businesses here at Los Altos because we don’t think that kids here make enough money. They just go for the local jobs that don’t pay enough…. We want people to use the talents they have to start their own businesses,” Alex said.

Through its fundraising efforts, EntrePiD also hopes to be able to provide students’ companies with financial assistance to help them get started. The club has already received inquiries from local businesses interested in contributing to the group.

“As an entrepreneurship club, we actually have a lot of contacts. A lot of companies want to help clubs like this,” Jarrett said.

The group has already heard money-making ideas ranging from designing custom t-shirts to offering exterior decoration services to local homeowners. Who knows—EntrePiD may prove to be the launch pad of the next great American business.