February 9 2024- At the age of 12, Bella Lin faced the challenge of her guinea pigs disappearing in her parents’ backyard. Wanting to provide a better environment for them than a traditional cage, she started drawing prototypes and eventually launched her side hustle, GuineaLoft, on Amazon in November 2022. Despite being a senior at Khan Lab School in Mountain View, California, with a full academic course load, extracurriculars, and college applications, Lin’s side hustle has been highly successful, selling nearly 11,000 cages and generating over $410,000 in the first year. Considering the business’s success, Lin is contemplating delaying college to focus on GuineaLoft.
