Business

This 11-year-old St. George started his first business when he was 4 to fund his own goat farm – St. George News

netsports 2 weeks ago

0 5 5 minutes read

Business

ST. GEORGE –This young entrepreneur started his first business at the age of 4 to fund his own goat farm. Syears later he is still there.

Rock Fanene, an entrepreneur since the age of 4, poses with two of his companies at his home in St. George, Utah on March 7, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St George News

Rock Fanene, 11, the owner of Rock’s Garden + Home and Field and Court, told St. George News that it all started with growing organic plants. At just 4 years old, he was growing the plants, packing them in a wagon and towing them around his neighborhood to sell.

Three years later, at the age of 7, he began making his own concrete pots from recycled molds and adding succulents to create succulent gardens. Under the name Rock’s Garden and Home, he sold his rustic creations at the Downtown Farmers Market, where he says they were a smash hit. His favorite planter is the Gravity Bowl, which rotates and tilts without overflowing.

“I’ve always loved plants,” he says. “They’re funky looking pots and plants that are fun to make from scratch. And everyone loves her.”

Rock’s Garden and Home was formed for the sole purpose of funding his own goat farm. The proceeds from his business enabled him to purchase a high quality Champion goat line. The farm, now located in Washington Fields, also consists of ducks and chickens.

Succulents are placed in cement pots by Rock Fanene, place and date not given | Photo courtesy of Melynda Fanene, St George News

Fanene’s mother, Melynda Fanene, said her son sold many pots at local markets until COVID hit. The business then focused heavily on online sales and moved into the wholesale market. His planters are available at the local Moss and Timber store and he has also been hired as a centerpiece for wedding and corporate events.

“I learned a lot about succulents,” Rock Fanene said of working with Moss and Timber. “For example, when the leaves fall off, you can just put them in soil and water them, and roots will start to grow, just from a dead leaf. Succulents are really cool.”

Now that he owns “a ton of goats,” Rock Fanene said his business now supports his sports career, which consists of football, basketball and baseball. His parents pay 50% of the sports costs, he the other 50%. His mother said she’s always happy to invest in him when he’s willing to invest in himself. The stores were a great educational tool for her son and meant the money wasn’t wasted on “candy and craziness.”

In addition to his sports career, Rock Fanene has started a YouTube channel entitled field and yardwhere he personally interviews athletes who he hopes will inspire others.

Rock Fanene plays baseball, place and date not given | Photo courtesy of Melynda Fanene, St George News

“The goal and the theme is basically ‘Let’s be excellent,'” he said. “I mainly ask what you would say to young athletes in sport and in life. And I got a lot of really good answers to that, like, ‘Don’t give up.’”

Rock Fanene said many people are depressed and the goal of his videos is to cheer them up and focus on the positive. He has interviewed many BYU athletes who turned pro, two Utah State players, an NFL player, a baseball influencer and many more.

But that’s not all.

Coinciding with his sports career and his Field and Court brand, Rock Fanene recently had the opportunity to create his own sports line called The Grip, derived from a friend’s phone accessory brand. His sports line features images of various sports balls, such as basketballs, soccer balls, and baseballs. The phone grips can be used as a kickstand to avoid dropping phones and more, and laid flat on the back of phones to easily fit in pockets.

“My passion for sports grew and I thought why not do some sports so I could do what I love and make money from it at the same time,” he said.

As for future goals, Fanene said he is focused on excelling in sports, with football being his favorite and basketball a close second. Outside of sport, he wants to continue to focus on his business.

Rock Fanene's Sport line of phone grips sits on a countertop at his home in St. George, Utah March 7, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St George News — Rock Fanene’s Sport line of phone grips sits on a countertop at his home in St. George, Utah March 7, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St George News

“We teach at home and we travel all the time and we’re just constantly experiencing life,” his mother said. “We’re an entrepreneurial family and I want him to have that fire in him. I see it and love it mostly because it teaches him to talk to people.

Melynda Fanene said her son learned to speak respectfully to adults at the market and learned how to be a vendor – something he is a natural at. The more athletes he interviews, the better his communication skills become. With two younger siblings always looking to big brother, they are also learning to grow up and communicate which means it is making a difference for the whole family.

“All the deals I’ve done have been big money,” Rock Fanene said. “However, the best part about owning a business is running your own business.”

To buy a succulent planter from Rock’s Garden and Home Follow them on Instagram. Subscribe to Rock Fanenes Field and Court YouTube channelor follow @fieldandcourt on Instagram.

photo gallery

Rock Fanene poses with one of his goats, which he paid for from his own business, place and date not given | Photo courtesy of Melynda Fanene, St George News