BY KYRA FRISBIE, DONOR RELATIONS COORDINATOR
What started as a way to support her show goat projects in the Maple Hill Hustlers 4-H Club has grown into a thriving small business for 16-year-old Katie Aubert. In 2020, Katie began making “car freshies” decorative, scented air fresheners as a way to fund her 4-H livestock goals. Five years later, her business, Katie’s Car Freshies, has grown beyond what she ever imagined.
Katie now owns more than 450 molds that she uses to create unique designs tailored to her customers’ interests. Just this past September, she hand-crafted nearly 600 freshies to meet demand. Her creativity, dedication, and willingness to adapt to what her clientele enjoys have helped her business continue to expand.
Recently, Katie’s hard work was recognized in a big way. Katie’s Car Freshies was awarded a $10,000 Youth Entrepreneurial Grant Katie Founder of Katies’s car Freshies through The Greater Topeka Partnership’s Economic Mobility programs. This grant will provide Katie with a dedicated shed space to produce and sell her freshies, a much-needed expansion, as her business has quickly outgrown the family’s home. Construction on the shed is expected to begin soon, with completion anticipated before winter.
For Katie, what began as a 4-H project to support her goats has turned into a successful entrepreneurial journey. Her story is an inspiring example of how the skills learned through 4-H, responsibility, innovation, and perseverance, can spark opportunities that grow far beyond the show ring.