Talk Justice, an LSC Podcast: Legal Help Opened Doors for Teen Entrepreneur Now in Walmart
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WASHINGTON – Small business owners and a lawyer discuss how free legal services can create opportunities for entrepreneurs on LSC’s “Talk Justice” podcast, released today. Host Lee Rawles is joined by Joshua Danrich, the 16-year-old entrepreneur behind the brand Mr. Fresh, Shay Danrich, Joshua’s mother and business partner, and Marlene Elliot, managing attorney for the Community Economic Development Microenterprise Program at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (LSEM).
Joshua Danrich had the idea for Mr. Fresh, a line of oil-based air fresheners for cars, at just 10 years old. His mother had a business background and decided to help her son pursue his dream.
Now, just six years later, Mr. Fresh products are being sold by Walmart.
Along the way, they needed help with legal processes like trademarking their brand, explains Shay Danrich. They searched online and found that their local legal aid organization, LSEM, could help them through the Microenterprise Program.
"[LSEM] made sure they got everything in the correct order that we needed and made sure our hand was held all the way through the trademark process, from beginning to end,” Shay Danrich says. “So, we were truly grateful for that.”
The legal aspects of owning a business can be a barrier for those without access to an attorney. In 2011, LSEM launched their Microenterprise Program in order to help local entrepreneurs without the means to hire an attorney navigate issues like setting up an LLC, copyright, trademarks, contracts and commercial leases.
Elliot says some of the other small businesses that LSEM has assisted are a custom perfume bar, a pet trainer, makeup artists, cosmetic brands, cleaning product makers, a lemonade business and even another mother and son pair who have developed a product that helps children learn math through art.
Through his entrepreneurial spirit and assistance from LSEM, they explain, Joshua Danrich and his mom had built a solid business by the time the opportunity to pitch to Walmart came last year.
“I went in with my product, a dream and a whole lot of passion,” says Joshua Danrich. “I believed in myself, I sealed the deal, I pitched my products, and now my products are in Walmart stores.”
Elliot explains that due to limited resources, programs like this that focus on small business are not common at legal services organizations around the country. She would like to see that change.
“I'd like to see more funding going to microenterprise programs because there are a lot of small businesses out there, and especially among women and minorities, and they need legal help, they need legal education, they need guidance,” Elliot says. “Don't forget, small business serves as a great catalyst for community wealth building, and it not only gives people an additional source of income, but it also gives them autonomy in how they make their income and how they build their lives.”
“There's so many talented people out there and they have dreams and they have ideas that can help other people,” she continues. “And we want to be there to support them.”
Talk Justice episodes are available online and on Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts. The podcast is sponsored by LSC’s Leaders Council.