"Slime isn’t just for preschoolers anymore. The shapeshifting substance has gotten more popular over the years, ignited by a Gen Zers on social media,but also used by people of all ages as a wellness tool, a salve for anxiety and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Across social platforms a quick search for “slime” yields countless channels, pages, and profiles dedicated to stretching and showcasing slimes in different colors, shapes, and molds.

 When Angelina Ly was 14 years old in middle school, she noticed the slime trend take off. Inspired, she began making her own slimes and showcasing them on social media—creating pages on Instagram and TikTok that rapidly grew. Her followers started requesting that she sell her creations. This was the start of Fireflyslime, an ecommerce business selling colorful and creative slimes—from products crafted in the likeness of an acai bowl to others resembling “cookies n cream frosting.”

In the last five years, her business has exploded, moving from Etsy to Shopify as it scaled. Along the way Fireflyslime has sold tens and thousands of slimes to customers, grown to $100,000 in annual revenue, and Angelina has traveled around the country to conventions meeting other slime enthusiasts. Today she is running her company full-time—developing new slimes, growing her social media following, and packaging every order—all while studying business as a full-time college student. 

Listen to one of our podcast’s youngest ever guests discuss learning from fellow business owners, effectively managing her time as a student entrepreneur, and much more here.

"Founded by Angelina Ly at the age of 14, Fireflyslime was established from the desire to create and the passion to embrace play. Slime is not just a social media craze, but a great tool for stress relief and expressiveness for all ages. Based in Renton, WA, Fireflyslime operates mainly through E-commerce and partnering with toy stores across the country including local Learning Express Toys at the Renton Landing. Check out @fireflyslime on IG for restock announcements and satisfying content!"

"EPISODE SUMMARY
On this podcast, we talk about why Angelina decided to migrate from Etsy to Shopify, Fireflyslime’s organic growth strategy on social media, how Angelina won her parents over for support to her solo venture, and so much more!

EPISODE NOTES
Angelina Ly founded her own company, Fireflyslime, at the age of 14 and is now celebrating her 5th year of business. She single-handedly operates all aspects of her business while being a full-time college student."

Resources:
Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
Experience the joy of slime during playtime or to wind down after a stressful day fireflyslime.com
Connect with Angelina linkedin.com/in/angelina-ly
Scale your business with electriceye.io
Download Mesa at the Shopify App Store apps.shopify.com/mesa
Transform your returns into exchanges loopreturns.com/honest
Get started with a free account at klaviyo.com/honest

"This week on the show, we are joined by Angelina Ly, Founder of Fireflyslime, who is celebrating 5 years of business at age 19! Angelina and Nick discuss the benefits and challenges of using social media to build a thriving Shopify business."

"Celebrating her 5th year of business at age 19, Angelina Ly, Founder of Firefly Slime comes on the show to share her story of building Firefly Slime what it is today. Angelina started her business at age 14, and over the last 5 years she has reached her goal of 15,000 orders online and has amassed 375k followers on Instagram, 115k followers on Tiktok, and 20k on Youtube, all while being a full-time student. Angelina and Nick discuss the benefits and challenges of using social media to build a thriving Shopify business."

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Amazon Music, Stitcher, IHeartRadio, Podcast Addict, Castro, Castbox, Podchaser, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Listen Notes, Podfriend, and RSS Feed.

"I love talking to kids (literally) who become #influencers and #entrepreneurs. Drop in on my chat with Firefly Slime's Angelina Ly today on Winfluence. She started her channel and company at 14 (she's 19 now). Just awesome!"

"She was 14-years-old at the time. She started making slime and posting pictures and recipes on social media channels and became quite popular as a slime influencer. 
So she started making slime recipes, packaging them and selling them on Etsy. Then migrated over to her own website and Shopify account. Late last year, she sold her 15,000th order. And all this was happening while she was in high school and her first year of college. 

Angelina Ly is the influencer and entrepreneur behind Firefly Slime. She is a mega influencer in the space, has done brand partnerships and all the things that go along with being an influencer. But she also walked that interesting entrepreneurial balance of also selling products and driving revenue for her own brand. She has been so successful doing it, her parents finally let go of the obsession with telling her to be a doctor or a lawyer.

Angelina and I caught up recently to chat so we could learn more about her balancing act of being an online business owners and an influencer. All around slime."

Have you met Angelina Ly, the teen sensation behind Fireflyslime?

At just 14, Angelina tapped into the slime trend, not just as a hobby but as a budding business venture. From crafting her unique slimes to showcasing them on Instagram and TikTok, her entrepreneurial spirit was bright. Fast forward five years, and Fireflyslime isn't just a pastime—it's a thriving business! 🙌

Balancing the demands of running a full-time company with her college studies in business, Angelina is a shining example of the many doors entrepreneurship can open. 📚 Stories like Angelina's inspire us every day. At Entrepreneur Pathways, our mission is to ignite the passion and potential in young minds around the world. We want to partner with more schools and organizations to empower the next generation of Angelinas. 

Scholastic MATH asked Angelina Ly about her business Firefly Slime, which she started when she was 14!

Scholastic: Why did you start your business?
Angelina: It was an accident! I’ve always loved crafts: crocheting, painting, and slime. After posting my slimes on Instagram, my followers kept asking to buy them, so I set up a temporary online store. It eventually became permanent!

Scholastic: What’s the best part of running your business?
Angelina: Hearing stories from my customers! It is so touching to see my slime on someone’s wish list, gifted for a birthday, or putting a smile on someone’s face after a bad day.

Scholastic: What’s the most difficult part?
Angelina: Being my own boss! I do it all: shipping, graphic design, marketing, and more. I am also a full-time college student. I learned quickly how to manage my time so that I can run my business without having it interfere with my studies.

Scholastic: What math do you use to run your business?
Angelina: Making slime is a science as much as it is a creative outlet. Just like baking a cake, making slime requires specific amounts of each ingredient. Over the past six years, I’ve perfected my slime recipes. Today my slimes are the best quality and texture, thanks to all my experimentation. Finances and budgeting also play an important role. I have to calculate the quantity of supplies to purchase and do taxes.

Scholastic: What advice do you have for other kidpreneurs?
Angelina: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! When I started, I knew nothing about running a business or managing a website. I learned the skills I needed from trial and error and reflecting on how to improve. All it takes is someone who is brave enough to start turning their dreams into reality.

University of Washington student creates viral slime business. A 14-year-old's hobby led to a viral business online. Firefly Slime is celebrating seven years this month!