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

ST. GEORGE —This young entrepreneur started his first business at the age of 4 to finance his own goat farm. Seven years later, he still does.

Rock Fanene, 11, owner of both Rock’s Garden + Home and Field and Court, told St. George News that it all started with growing organic plants. At only 4 years old, he grows the plants, puts them in a cart and drives them around his neighborhood to sell them.

Three years later, at age 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 sells his rustic creations at the Downtown Farmers Market, where he said they’re a huge hit. His favorite planter is the Gravity Bowl, which spins and tilts without spilling.

“I’ve loved plants since the beginning,” he said. “They are funky looking pots and plants that are fun to make from scratch. And everybody loves them.”

Rock’s Garden and Home was created for the sole purpose of financing his own goat farm. The income from his business allowed him to purchase a high quality champion line of goats. The farm, now located in Washington Fields, also consisted of ducks and chickens.

Fanene’s mother, Melinda Fanene, said her son sold a lot of pots at local markets until COVID hit. The business then focused heavily on online sales and moved into the wholesale market. His pots are available at your local Moss and Timber store and he has also been hired to make centerpieces for weddings and corporate events.

“I learned a lot about succulents,” said Rock Fanene about working with Moss and Timber. “Like when leaves fall, you can just put them on soil and water them and it starts to grow roots, just from a dead leaf. Succulents are really great.”

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 expenses while he pays the remaining 50%. His mother said she was always happy to invest in him if he was willing to invest in himself. The business is a great teaching tool for her son and means the money isn’t wasted on “candy and craziness.”

Following his sports career, Rock Fanene started a YouTube channel titled Field and courtwhere he personally interviews athletes who he hopes will inspire others.

“The goal and the theme is ‘Let’s be great,'” he said. “I’m basically asking what they would say to young athletes in sports and in life. And I had a lot of good responses to that, like, “Don’t give up.”

Rock Fanene said many people find themselves depressed and the purpose of his videos is to cheer them up and focus on the positive. He has interviewed many BYU athletes who have gone 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, which originated from a friend’s phone accessory brand. Its sports line features pictures of various sports balls such as basketballs, soccer balls, and baseballs. Phone grips can be used as a stand, a way to avoid dropping phones and more, and lay flat on the back of phones so they can easily fit in pockets.

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

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

“We’re homeschooled and we travel all the time and we’re just constantly going on adventures,” his mom said. “We are a family of entrepreneurs and I want him to have that fire in him.” I see it and I like it mostly because it teaches him to talk to people.

Melinda Fanene said her son has learned to speak respectfully to the adults at the market and has learned how to be a seller, something that comes naturally to him. As he interviews more athletes, his communication skills continue to improve. With two younger siblings always looking out for big brother, they are also learning how to be mature and communicate, which means it matters to the whole family.

“All the businesses I’ve done have been big money,” Rock Fanene said. “However, the best part of owning a business is running something of my own.”

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

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