Dom Pecora
Founder and CEO, Dom Fixes Bikes
When 10-year-old Dom Pecora couldn’t afford the pricey mountain bike he had his eye on, he started a bike repair business out of his house. It wasn’t long before he had the money he needed—and then some. So he began gifting bikes to those in need. These days, the 14-year-old fixes, tunes and sells bikes at his brick-and-mortar location in Malvern. Dom Fixes Bikes also accepts donations, giving 121 bikes to Chester County kids and families need over last year.
Now a rising sophomore at Conestoga High School, Pecora has already faced some challenges as a young businessman. “I take a step back and calm down before going back to work on something I get frustrated with,” he says.
Pecora’s best advice for other young entrepreneurs: Always network. He’s the youngest member of his Business Network International group. “When I get nervous about a networking event, I think about how everyone is there for the same thing,” he says.
Visit domfixesbikes.com.
Ethan Mazer
Founder, Empower Event Group
“I grew up with a passion for music, entertaining and performing,” says Wynnewood’s Ethan Mazer. “I DJed our neighborhood block party at age 12, and I fell in love with entertaining others.”
Three years later, Mazer founded Empower Event Group, Now, at 26, he’s running a full-service entertainment company that handles mitzvahs and Sweet 16 parties, weddings, school events, birthdays, and more. Mazer has assembled a team of the area’s top DJs, and he also assists with planning the events.
“Starting your own business from the ground up is a major grind that comes with its fair share of highs and lows,” says Mazer, who also works as a realtor in the area. “At the end of the day, being able to see your dreams come to fruition is the most rewarding thing of all.”
Visit empowereventgroup.com.
Olufela Osimokun
Board Member, Charles A. Melton Arts and Education Center
Volunteering as a summer counselor at West Chester’s Charles A. Melton Arts and Education Center, Olufela Osimokun hoped to do something about the disconnect he’d witnessed between staff and students. “When I first started, the children didn’t even know my name,” says the Bayard Rustin High School graduate. “As the summer progressed, I couldn’t go anywhere without at least four children attached to me on both sides.”
Through his work at the center, Osimokun earned a spot on its board. At 18 years old, he’s now its youngest member. He also serves on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement, working with his office on policies and issues that affect Pennsylvania’s 16–26 age group. He’ll continue his two-year term there during his freshman year at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
For Osimokun, it’s all about listening to kids and celebrating their uniqueness. “I work to help make the center a place where all students can experience a safe space to learn and grow,” he says.
Visit meltoncenter.org.
Sophie Fontecchio
Founder and Executive Director, Let’s Bake the World a Better Place
Sophie Fontecchio grew up watching her mom whip up homemade baked goods in the kitchen of their Downingtown home. “What started as me hanging around the kitchen to lick the spoon turned into my mom teaching me the basics of baking,” she recalls.
The 18-year-old has funneled her passion for baking into a novel nonprofit venture. Founded on the pillars of philanthropy, advocacy and action, her Let’s Bake the World a Better Place hosts monthly bake sales to raise money for local, national and international nonprofits. Since September 2021, she’s raised over $19,000 for 27 different organizations addressing a range of causes, from food insecurity to homelessness to cancer research.
In the fall, Fontecchio will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a full scholarship. She’s also vice chair of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement. “Age really is just a number,” says the Downingtown STEM Academy graduate. “It’s a way-too-common misconception that there are no opportunities for young people to get involved and create change.”
Visit letsbaketheworldabetterplace.com.
Morgan Jackson
Volunteer, Charles A. Melton Arts and Education Center
Morgan Jackson loved her volunteer work as a learning coach at West Chester’s Charles A. Melton Arts and Education Center. But it wasn’t enough to simply provide tutoring and homework assistance to students in the after-school program. She wanted to offer more. So she crafted a monthly curriculum covering everything from women’s history to celebrated activist Bayard Rustin. “I firmly believe education isn’t merely a tool for acquiring knowledge,” says the 18-year-old Henderson High School grad. “It’s also a catalyst for societal transformation.”
That belief has inspired Jackson’s continued work at the center, this time through a daylong STEM fair. “Witnessing the joy and excitement of children presented with these opportunities rekindles my own enthusiasm and happiness,” she says.
Visit meltoncenter.org.
Justin Titchenell
Founder and President, CoachTools
As a football player at Gettysburg College, Justin Titchenell craved feedback from his coaches—if only there were a more integrative way to benefit from it. During his pandemic downtime, Titchenell researched tech startups and connected with a business professor at the school. With the help of a grant, he developed CoachTools, a software program that helps high school and college football coaches better evaluate their players. “Coaches can access detailed, actionable insights to help them effectively communicate feedback to players,” says Titchenell. “The software is also designed to save coaches time in the player evaluation process after games and practices.”
It isn’t always easy to crack the tech world, but Titchenell didn’t let that hold him back. “When you’re young, it’s unreasonable to think you’re going to be good at something you’ve never done before,” says the 25-year-old, who also hosts the First Down podcast, where he interviews coaches and athletes. “You’ll face failures often, and that’s OK. Take each failure as a learning experience and keep moving toward your goals.”
Visit coachtoolsllc.com.
Alexis and Taylor Brady
Cofounders, Bored No More
Now 17, Alexis Brady was tasked with creating her own charity for a grade-school project at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy. So she reached out to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, assembling 20 bags filled with toys for the patients there. The effort was a hit—and in early 2023, Alexis and her younger sister, Taylor, cofounded Bored No More. The Gladwyne teens have since raised over $15,000 for their charity project.
Each Bored No More bag includes goodies like coloring books, Play-Doh and card games. Aside from CHOP, beneficiaries have included Nemours Children’s Hospital and Miami’s Holtz Children’s Hospital. “I love working with my sister,” says 15-year-old Taylor, who’s a rising sophomore at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy. “We’ve only gotten closer because of this charity.”
Visit borednomorecharity.org.
Lizzy Friedman
Founder, Lower Merion Foodie and Iconic Creative Consulting
Lizzy Friedman has had her fill of content creators who never venture outside the city limits. “With everyone so focused on Philadelphia, the Main Line gets overshadowed,” she says. “So I took matters into my own hands.”
In 2019, Friedman launched @lowermerionfoodie on Instagram to highlight suburban restaurants and businesses. The 26-year-old Lower Merion High School alum now has over 30,000 followers.
That success inspired Iconic Creative Consulting, where she helps clients make more of an impact on social media. “I teach businesses simple but strategic ways to find and grow a hyper-local audience organically by fostering intrigue and connection with the community,” she says. “Teaching people—instead of doing the work for them—fosters empowerment and authenticity. Nothing makes me feel better than hearing I made an impact on a business’s success,” she says.
Visit iconiccreativeconsulting.com and follow on Instagram at @lowermerionfoodie.
Austin Piona
Founder, Mayday Coffee Shop
Working in coffee shops since he was 16, Austin Piona got the itch to open his own soon after returning home from college at the University of San Diego. “I realized how coffee shops can be a pillar in a community and how they can positively affect individuals’ daily lives,” says the 2017 Downingtown East High School grad, who’s now 25. “I wanted to be able to provide a similar experience to my hometown.”
Piona opened Mayday Coffee Shop in West Chester in 2023. The name is a nod to his mission—to provide an escape from everyday life. He’d witnessed high school classmates’ mental health struggles, losing a close friend to suicide. “Mayday is not just a place that can literally reenergize you,” says Piona. “I also want the interaction with the space and the community to inspire, motivate and empower others.”
Visit maydaycoffeeshop.com.
Annie Xu
Founder and CEO, Pairfect
As the popularity of dating apps continues to soar, so do the anxiety and self-esteem issues that come along with them. “Having worked as a therapist, I heard countless stories from my clients,” says Annie Xu. “I’m always concerned when someone says to me, ‘Using apps almost always makes me feel worse about myself—but what other options do I have?’”
Frustrated singles can now add Pairfect to their list of options. Created by Xu, the dating app offers a more personal touch. Upon setting up a profile, users actually talk with a human being on the Pairfect team, which should lead to more suitable dates. Since the app’s 2023 launch, more than 2,000 people in the Philadelphia area have signed up.
“I’d encourage young entrepreneurs to see their age as an advantage,” says the 28-year-old Conestoga High School alum. “I found that surrounding myself with peers and professors exposed me to innovative ways to think about creating a business. If you’re confident in your product and willing to work tirelessly, age is irrelevant.”
Visit pairfect.net.
Vincent Miles Jr.
Public/ Government Affairs Representative, City of Coatesville
Vincent Miles Jr. is a proud Coatesville native. So when the city was looking for its first government and public affairs representative, he used that to his advantage to land the job. Never mind that he’s just 27 years old.
“My position was created to help Coatesville interact with all levels and sectors of our government, plus other legislators, interest groups and the media,” says Miles, who has a master’s degree in public administration from West Chester University and worked in the Coatesville Area School District as a one-on-one paraprofessional aide. “Coatesville’s history has prevailed through many storms and took many economic hits throughout the past 50 years. I’m happy to say we’re turning over a new leaf.”
Miles is working to change perceptions of the beleaguered city, one step at a time. “We have such a rich history here, and it’s my main prerogative to tell the story and let Coatesville residents know they have the potential to change the narrative,” he says.
Visit coatesville.org.
Lizzie Shacklett
Author and Founder, Literacy is Lit
One in four American kids never learns how to read—a sobering statistic that inspired Lizzie Shacklett to take action. “Studies show that children who grow up in a home and an environment surrounded by books are bound to develop stronger literacy skills,” she says. “As an avid reader myself, I knew I wanted this to be the focus of my initiative.”
Through her nonprofit organization, Literacy Is Lit, Shacklett hosts book drives for schools in need, distributing over 20,000 books. The 16-year-old is also a published author: I Read Before Bed spotlights six children and the lessons they learn from reading.
A rising junior at Agnes Irwin School and a competitive Irish step dancer, Shacklett also works with state legislators to improve equitable education in the region. “My goal is to inspire today’s readers to become tomorrow’s leaders,” she says.
Visit lizzieshacklett.com.
