Young Vero Beach entrepreneur making a splash with natural bath products

Not everyone can call themselves an international entrepreneur. Twelve-year-old Kamea Modesitt can.

Instead of scrolling through social media or playing videos games in her free time, the Vero Beach middle schooler is making extra pocket money as well as a name for herself in the business community.

For more than a year, Kamea has been taking over her family’s kitchen and dining room to create a line of natural bath bombs as well as salt and sugar scrubs.

The idea started as a science project and a way to make a little cash at local craft markets, then turned into something much bigger, a full-fledged company called Natev Bath Bombs.

“I had no idea it would develop into this,” Kamea said. “You don’t see a lot of kids having businesses. I didn’t how if it would work, it was really trial and error.”

But within months of introducing her bath bombs and scrubs at area markets, Kamea had repeat customers.

“I think that they like the fact that everything is all natural," Kamea said. "They are different and they don’t have any chemicals in them.” 

Unlike many other bath bombs on the market that use fragrances, food coloring, glitter and other chemicals, Kamea creates her products using natural materials, such as essential oils and micro powders that already have a shimmer to them.

“I wanted to try to find a way so that they wouldn’t stain the tub and they would be all natural,” Kamea said. “If it lingers around your tub, all you have to do is just wipe your finger across it and it is gone, so no stain at all.”

Kamea’s mom, Kimberly Modesitt urged her daughter to find a way to develop the products using her own recipe.

“I told her to do some research to find a recipe that she could tweak and change the ingredients to make it her own, Kimberly Modesitt said. "Now she has a completely proprietary bath bomb recipe."

Her parents also insisted  Kamea use her own money to start and keep the business running.

“She took her Christmas money and bought all of her supplies," Kimberly Modesitt said. "Everything she’s put into it she’s either paid back or used her profits to buy more.”

Trial and error

Kamea soon learned going into business wasn’t quick or cheap after she discovered using plastic molds wasn’t going to work.

“My essential oils would spill sometimes so it just ate right through the plastic and they also kept cracking,” Kamea said. “So I searched and found really good quality metal molds.”

 She also had challenges packaging the products.

After hearing feedback from customers that the sugar and salt scrubs would leak, Kamea switched to mason jars instead of less expensive bottles and found lined bags to prevent spills from escaping.

Marketing and mentoring

After appearing at a mock Shark Tank (modeled after the ABC Television Network show where entrepreneurs pitch their product ideas to a panel of wealthy business people) at Vero Beach High School, where her mom works, Kamea found herself in talks with business leaders in the community, including Bobbie Miller.

Miller became Kamea’s mentor shortly after.

“I knew right from the beginning that Kamea had the energy and the focus that you rarely see in a younger person of her age,” Miller said. She gave Kamea tips on how to market her company.

“I told her to rethink her name so it would tell people what the product is, what it does and what benefit it would have,” Miller said. “She has a lot of competition out there but if she’s unique in her packaging and concept, I think she’ll sustain and continue to grow her product line and make it.”

Courtney Turner, who owns True Colors Salon and Spa in Vero Beach and has styled Kamea's hair for years, sell the products and uses them in her salon.

After trying the bath bombs for the pedicure units, the salon added the scrubs. Turner said her customers love the variety of available scents and that they are all natural.

Turner said Kamea's products definitely added value to her business.

“Giving back to the community and buying from a local person who is trying to get their foot into something is an inspiration to anyone going into business.”

Kamea hopes to come up with enough money to move to an air-conditioned shed in the backyard where she can continue making her bath bombs, and one day, create an all-natural clothing line.

But no matter how successful Kamea gets, her parents want her to finish her education.

“She’s got six months to get on the real Shark Tank so I can retire and work for her full-time because she is not quitting school,” Kimberly Modesitt said.

MORE: Bamboo straws are best-sellers at JAR, zero-waste Stuart shop started by local teen

Learn more:

In addition to True Colors Salon and Spa, Natev Bath Bombs products also are being sold at two salons in Canada. To learn more, visit www.natev.life.