Senior Grayson Hensley, owner of Hensley’s Cookies, sells all types of cookies to students, faculty, catering, and anyone who is interested. His best sellers are his hot chocolate chip cookies, although they change periodically each season. “It’s convenient to buy a Hensley cookie because it’s right there in class and you don’t have to leave,” Hensley said. “While I do sell re- ally good cookies, I mostly sell the convenience.” He compares his cookies with stores like Walmart and Crumble. Hensley said his business has helped him not only in school but in all aspects of his life. Helping him raise money for trips, gifts, and items he wants in general, his small business has made that much easier and more accessible. “I started my business out of a desire to be a bit more independent,” Hensley said. “I don’t have to say, ‘Hey mom, can I get some money?’ It removes that need to ask because I like going out with friends and having money for my own luxuries.” This independence has been with him since the eighth grade when he first started his business. He used his first earnings to get an iPhone 10, one of his greatest achievements as a small business owner. Hensley gets the word out about his business through word of mouth and Instagram advertising, even having a social media manager for his account. “Oral advertisement is what I use a lot of,” Hensley said. “For example, when we have free time in choir I’m like, ‘Hey, who wants to buy cookies?’ and that gets a lot of sales.” Not only have students been his main supporters but teachers as well. Sci- ence teacher Doug Sharkey is one of them. “He was in Mitchell’s class when he asked if he could sell cookies in my class,” Sharkey said. “Mitchell said no, but he came over to my classroom any- way. He sold us some very good cookies and he’s been doing it ever since.” Sharkey said he ad- mires Hensley’s entrepreneurial spirit and his ability to be creative through his cookies. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re tasty, too. What keeps Hensley selling his cookies is being able to see the re- sults of his sales pay off in the long run. “What motivates me most is seeing how suc- cessful I’ve been in the past and how I’ve been able to earn my own money to pay for things,” Hensley said. He has been able to pay for thousands of dollars worth of choir trips along with his own wants and needs just by the sales he makes alone. “My business would be nowhere without the sup- port of my friends and family, who have been by my side the whole way,” Hensley said. “I give my thanks to all of them for making my business what it is today.”