TAMPA, Fla. — Two sisters with “nothing to do” because of the pandemic have launched their own homemade cookie business.

Twelve-year-old Elecia Jackson and 10-year-old Aniyah Jackson started their company “Young Queens Baking” last summer after being stuck at home due to COVID. The girls were watching all sorts of kids baking shows. Their dad told them they needed to do more than watch TV.

“Okay, it’s summertime, you guys haven’t been in school since March,” said their father, Reggie Jackson. “We aren’t just going to sit at this house all day. We have to do something.”

After hearing his daughters talk about one of the baking shows, Reggie Jackson said he told the girls “that’s it, we’re going to bake.”

Twice a week, Elecia and Aniyah come home from school and get to work in the kitchen. Their parents help guide them through the process.

“I think out of both of us, I like baking the most,” Elecia said to her sister.

“Definitely, but I love the business part of it,” Aniyah responded.

The duo has created dozens of special cake-inspired flavors. There are banana pudding, carrot cake, chocolate brownie, and even cinnamon roll cookies. 

“When we started selling it, people actually liked what we were doing,” Elecia said. “It made us want to keep going because people liked what we were doing.”

Overall, their dad says the business is teaching his daughters skills for a lifetime. Elecia and Aniyah hope it inspires their peers not to be afraid to start their own business too.

The girls attend Rampello K-8 Downtown Partnership Magney School.

For more information on their company, Young Queens Baking, click here.