“Who says you have to be an adult to start your own business?” says Madison Harrison, owner and founder of Photos With Madison. This amazing entrepreneur is only 10 years old and started the business when she was 7. Can you believe that? Madison started taking pictures when she was only 3 years old because she wanted to capture memories herself. She says, “I wanted to take my own pictures.”
Originally she started taking pictures of her dolls, but then graduated to other little girls with their dolls, then to all children. Most recently she has made it to the big leagues… just last summer, she went to the White House and photographed President Barak Obama!
When Madison was 7 years old, her mother left the corporate world and became an entrepreneur. Madison saw that courageous move and thought, “Why should I wait until I’m 20 or 30 to start a business?”
She likes photography because she gets to take photos of the world, capture memories and show others the world through her lens. She usually edits the pictures herself, but admits that occasionally when she’s too tired after a photoshoot, her mom helps out.
Madison says that the Canon EOS 80D is her currently her favorite camera to use “because it’s really clear and has a touch screen. It’s pretty cool.” That camera was also a gift from comedian and talk show host Steve Harvey, so I’m sure that may have something to do with it. She was featured on his talk show twice and he even made her a special correspondent on the red carpet.
Would you believe that at just 9 years old Madison was interviewing celebrities on the red carpet? Her favorite person to interview was Oprah Winfrey. Last month she interviewed the voice of Disney’s Doc Mcstuffins and currently is back in Washington D.C. for a summit with the U.S. Department of Education.
Madison may be doing big things but she is still a kid who loves doing normal kid things. She likes taking pictures of her dolls “because they cooperate.” When not working, Madison likes to read, write, play with dolls, call friends, play Minecraft, building, look at nature, daydream. One of her favorite past times is laying on the grass and looking at the clouds. Madison is also incredibly intelligent. She was in the Quest program at Challenger CK8 but recently switched to homeschooling because of her travel schedule.
Next she will be writing for The Hernando Sun. Madison will be interviewing local kids who are doing amazing things to show what talent and ingenuity we have in Hernando County. She says “I want to share everyone else’s stories with the world. I want to show that kids can be entrepreneurs too.” If you know of a local kid doing big things, we want to know! Please contact us so Madison can share their story.
Her advice to anyone who wants to start their own business? “Don’t stop believing. Just like the song. Because if you stop believing in yourself then what’s the point?” When she grows up, Madison would like to be a movie director, a scientist who finds a cure for cancer, and even create her own country. One thing is for sure- This little girl is going to take over the world!
