glo Girl : Scoti Moncur

AGE: 13

By Julie Young | Photo by Mollie Shutt

Scotlyn “Scoti” Moncur is literally going places thanks to the business she began in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was tired of staying at home during the pandemic, so I decided to start a business to save money for a trip,” she said.

After brainstorming ideas with her parents, Scoti launched Bear’s Beanies, a homemade stretch-knit cap company specializing in fun, funky fashion accessories with a philanthropic focus. For every hat she sells, the Leo Junior/Senior High School eighth grader donates one to the Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis.

“I chose the Ronald McDonald House because it’s local and they help families stay close to their children when they are in the hospital,” Scoti said. “Also, a lot of those kids have cancer and lose their hair so a beanie is something that they can use.” adults, as well as a miniature version for 18-inch dolls, but they also transform into gaitor-style masks. Initially, each mask took about 15-20 minutes to create, but as she gained more experience, Scoti has shaved her production time to 10 minutes. The beanies cost $15 each and come in a variety of colors and patterns.

It did not take long for Bear’s Beanies to gain traction and in February, Scoti was named Junior Achievement (JA) of Northern Indiana’s Entrepreneur of the Month. JA put her in touch with the Fortitude Fund who awarded Scoti a grant and is helping to mentor her business interests. While most of her sales are conducted through her website, she hopes to stock her caps in a few local stores in the coming months.

But right now, business is good and Scoti was able to save enough money to take a trip to Chicago once it was safe to travel.

“It was so much fun to walk around and see the sites,” she said. “We went to the Shedd Aquarium, the Miracle Mile and Navy Pier. I hope to go back someday.”