Light it Up! Preteen Launches Judaica Company
Meet Teddy Hamilton. He’s 12 years old and is the founder and CEO of a company that produces electric menorahs, Shabbat candles, and holiday dipping dishes.
Sasha Heller is the Web Editor and Copy Editor for the Atlanta Jewish Times
Most 12-year-olds spend their days scrolling endlessly on TikTok, playing Minecraft or watching someone else play Minecraft on Twitch, or are living out their Major League dreams on the Little League ballfield or basketball court.
Not Teddy Hamilton.
The San Francisco native preteen has launched his own company – Eight Zero – with the support of financial backer and mentor, Dr. Jerry Richman, producing electric menorahs using a 3D printer and various Judaica, including flameless Shabbat candles and holiday wine dipping dishes. And he’s also published three books of poetry.
He hasn’t even been bar mitzvahed yet!
Hamilton, CEO of Eight Zero, said he got the idea to start his company during a FaceTime session with his grandfather in Chicago while lighting the Chanukah candles.
“Because he would work late during the festival, he often wouldn’t have a menorah to celebrate with since his office didn’t allow flame-emitting devices,” said Hamilton. “This led me to come up with Eight Zero’s pilot product, our Eight Zero Modern Menorah. After partnering with Dr. Jerry Richman, we expanded into Shabbat candles and a Passover Ten Plagues dipping dish.”
Hamilton chose the name, Eight Zero, for the company for a specific reason: “It symbolizes our keystone product, the Modern Menorah, by showing ‘Eight’ as the eight nights of Chanukah, and ‘Zero’ as the zero flames emitted by our products.”
Richman met Hamilton at the Temple Sinai Chanukah Arts Fair and was impressed right away.
“My friends told me I must meet this exceptional young man and see his modern electric menorah,” Richman said. “His shpiel was mature and engaging. After buying his product … he promised delivery in a week. Like Amazon, he kept me posted on the production and delivery date.”
Richman recognized the potential that Hamilton possessed and felt like he could provide Teddy with some direction for his burgeoning operation.
“I thought he needed mentoring in goal setting, inventory and cash control, marketing, and ethics of business,” Richman said.
Richman, who had retired from a successful career in dentistry, jumped at the opportunity to mentor Hamilton and provide guidance, wisdom and experience.
“As a recent retiree, the prospect of mentoring a young Jewish man had appeal to me,” Richman said. “Teddy is becoming a bar mitzvah in January, so I hope to add some wisdom to that life cycle, if he asks for it.”
He explained that Hamilton needed financial support and business mentoring, including learning about values like working together, patience, honoring commitments, orderliness, humility, and taking care of employees – including Teddy himself.
Two weeks after their initial meeting at Temple Sinai, Hamilton emailed Richman with an offer to be a partner and chief operational officer for the infant company. Richman noted that he met with Hamilton and his parents before starting the business to hash out the operating agreement.
“I quickly responded with a positive yes!” exclaimed Richman. “We quickly became partners and Teddy set up an LLC … Eight Zero Innovations LLC. We have an operating agreement including rules where a parent must be present when we meet.”
All products designed by Hamilton are available for sale in The Breman Museum and online at www.Eightzero.us. Future plans include an electric Yahrzeit candle.
Hamilton, the budding entrepreneur, said he has no plans to lead his company in the future. Instead, he would like to develop the brand with the intention of selling it and then enter the field of education as a professor.
“I do not want to pursue Eight Zero far into college or as a career,” Hamilton said. “My plan is to sell Eight Zero to another electric menorah company for a good sum and become a professor of quantum physics at a university.”
He’s 12 years old, plans to sell his company in the future and teach quantum physics.
When he’s not leading his Judaica company, Hamilton enjoys playing the trombone, reading about quantum physics, traveling, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
For Richman, he’s not “in it to win it.” This investment is in Teddy and his potential to be great.
“My reimbursement is nachas and enjoyment to interact with and mentor such a special kid,” he said.
Nachas indeed, Teddy. All the nachas.
And he hasn’t even been bar mitzvahed yet.
Eight Zero’s Product Line
Eight Zero Modern Shabbat Candles
$30 — Celebrate Shabbat with flameless Modern Shabbat Candles, easy to use and safe for all ages. Flameless tee light candles included.
Eight Zero Modern Menorah
$40 — Celebrate Chanukkah with the flameless Modern Menorah, easy to use and safe for all ages. Flameless tee light candles included.
Eight Zero Modern Passover Dipping Dish
$6 per dish; $5 per dish when you buy 10 or more — Celebrate Passover with a unique state-of-the-art wine dipping dish for the 10 plagues at your seder. Save your expensive tablecloth and use this small dish instead! Also usable as a coaster.
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