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Have you ever walked into a store looking for something specific and been disappointed with what you found? Ever wished you could start your own business that would provide you and others like you with exactly what you need, but didn't think your idea would go anywhere? Think again.

That's what Chauncey Holloman, 17, of Little Rock, AR, did. When she walked into a store to purchase a birthday card for her best friend, she came out empty-handed. "I found nothing a teen would say," Chauncey says. "The cards were either meant for adults or were too childish. It was then that I realized my age group was being overlooked." And so, with a strong belief in herself and the potential profit, Chauncey created her own greeting card company.

Dubbed  

Harlem Lyrics Enterprises, Inc.

 , the company was created in August 2003, and went public the following February. The name comes from some of Chauncey's greatest influences, specifically the Harlem Renaissance, a 1920s cultural movement originating in New York City's Harlem, in which black art and literature flourished. The cards feature hip-hop slang and imagery. "For example, a card that might normally say 'Happy birthday to my best friend' will say 'Happy birthday to my soul sister,'" Chauncey explains.

But that's only part of the cards' charm; poetry also adds to each one's sentiment. Drawing from the inspiration of AUGUST WILSON and MAYA ANGELOU, Chauncey writes all the text for the cards, which are now on sale in stores like Kroger and Walgreens.

But success didn't happen immediately for Chauncey. First she had to flesh out the concept, then she had to make samples and set up kits to send prospective buyers such as hospital gift shops. From there, her business of vibrantly colored cards took off. Today, she continues to visit different stores to pitch her ideas.

This is all while maintaining senior status at Parkview Magnet High School (Conway, AR), where she is studying theater. She plans to continue her pursuit of theater in college, but also wants to add a double major in business management. She is unsure where she would like to go, but has already begun her search and is on the road to attendance with the first-place award she captured in Guardian's Girls Going Places(r) competition. Not only is the $10,000 scholarship positive financially, but it has also given Chauncey the "inspiration to keep going," she says.

The scholarship, sponsored by Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, was the result of a national competition among 4,600 girls making outstanding business accomplishments. "A lot of things I had been winning or speaking at were mostly in Arkansas," she says. "At first I thought it was good ol' Southern hospitality, but now I see that what I'm doing actually means something."

Chauncey's main motivation is reaching a wide variety of young people, from ages 13-24. "I want to break down racial walls and barriers and be able to blend together," she says. Chauncey's mom, Subrena McCoy, says the company is reaching an even broader market than teens. How? "I've had conversations with adult customers and managers. For them, Chauncey represents nieces and daughters, and she serves as an inspiration," says McCoy proudly. "Teachers show cards as examples, and we are pleased to be able to reach out to human interest."

While Chauncey is in school, she constantly creates new poems, but her mother takes care of the business aspect. That's because Chauncey is focused on her education and looks forward to attending college. "Education is everything," she says. "After all, you can only be as good as what you know."

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