At the age of 15, most girls are just learning about fashion. But Madison Robinson is already on track to becoming a millionaire thanks to an ingenious design for light-up flip-flops for kids. The teenager, from Galveston Island, Texas, came up with the idea for Fish Flops at the age of just eight. With the help of her father, Dan, and some 'friends and family financing' she was able to turn her drawings into product samples and sell the idea to retailers at trade fairs. And it seems retailers themselves can't get enough of the brightly-colored footwear. Already more than 30 stores have placed . orders including national powerhouses Nordstrom and Macy's. Teenage dream: Madison Robinson, 15, from Galveston Island, Texas, is already on track to becoming a millionaire thanks to an ingenious design for light-up flip-flops for kids . She told My Fox Houston: 'It's exciting. I didn't think [Fish Flops] would come all the way this far. I thought they would just . stay in boutiques, but now they're in Nordstrom.' She reveals that she made the initial approach to the retailer herself by letter, and created a series of custom designs that could be sold in stores across the U.S. Now she is doing the same for Macy's, after buyers asked her to make a line for adult women. The shoes sell for around $25 a pair, . and, just two years since the company's official launch, over 60,000 pairs have sold, making for retail sales of . at least $1.2 million. Flash of color: Fish Flops feature LED lights in the soles, making them popular with young beachgoers . Each pair comes with a tag bearing Madison's photo and a message explaining how her idea was born. 'I didn't think they would come this far. I thought they would just . stay in boutiques, but now they're in Nordstrom' 'In 2006, I had an idea to make flip . flops that showed my love for swimming, fishing and drawing,' it reads. ' I hope you . wear them, love them and share them with your friends and I hope they . make you smile.' Madison, who will start 10th grade next fall, is involved in every step of the Fish Flops business. She draws all of her own designs and chooses color combinations . digitally, but has also learned how to pack shipments, stock the . warehouse, explain her pricing, host a trade show booth, and make a sales . pitch. But it seems she has a particular aptitude for marketing through social media. Hands-on: Madison draws all of her own designs and chooses color combinations, but has also learned how to pack shipments, stock the warehouse, host a tradeshow booth, and make a sales pitch . From me to you: Each pair of Fish Flops comes with a tag bearing Madison's photo and a message explaining to young wearers how her idea was born . Thanks to her Twitter account, she captured the interest of the daughter of Entertainment Tonight host Nancy O'Dell, as well as HSN fitness personality . Tony Little. She admits that her . business has helped hone several life skills, such as public speaking, thanks to the experience of explaining her product at industry expos and making presentations to . stone-faced department store buyers. She has . also learned patience. The worst part of business, Madison says, is . 'waiting for stores to decide' if they want her goods on their shelves. And Fish Flops has also made her a discerning consumer. Tried and tested: Madison tries on her creations for size on the beach near her home in Texas . Celebrity status: Madison poses with a young fan in a department store . 'When I go shoe shopping now, I look carefully at the quality of the . materials,' she says. Fish Flops, she explains, are sturdy and made without punch-out . holes in the soles so the straps don't pop out the way they do in . generic flip-flops. Madison has already put away enough profits to cover her . college tuition, thanks to her father's wise decision not to allow her to spend them just yet. 'My Dad won't let me touch the . money,' she admits. 'It's for college.' The high-schooler says she plans to study business in college, and already has grand plans beyond Fish Flops. 'Eventually I want to . do something by myself,' she says.
Madison Robinson came up with the design for her sea-creature-adorned flip-flops with LED lights aged just eight .
Every store buyer she has approached has placed an order for Fish Flops .
She has now made enough money to put herself through college .
At the age of 15, most girls are just learning about fashion. But Madison Robinson is already on track to becoming a millionaire thanks to an ingenious design for light-up flip-flops for kids. The teenager, from Galveston Island, Texas, came up with the idea for Fish Flops at the age of just eight. With the help of her father, Dan, and some 'friends and family financing' she was able to turn her drawings into product samples and sell the idea to retailers at trade fairs. And it seems retailers themselves can't get enough of the brightly-colored footwear. Already more than 30 stores have placed . orders including national powerhouses Nordstrom and Macy's. Teenage dream: Madison Robinson, 15, from Galveston Island, Texas, is already on track to becoming a millionaire thanks to an ingenious design for light-up flip-flops for kids . She told My Fox Houston: 'It's exciting. I didn't think [Fish Flops] would come all the way this far. I thought they would just . stay in boutiques, but now they're in Nordstrom.' She reveals that she made the initial approach to the retailer herself by letter, and created a series of custom designs that could be sold in stores across the U.S. Now she is doing the same for Macy's, after buyers asked her to make a line for adult women. The shoes sell for around $25 a pair, . and, just two years since the company's official launch, over 60,000 pairs have sold, making for retail sales of . at least $1.2 million. Flash of color: Fish Flops feature LED lights in the soles, making them popular with young beachgoers . Each pair comes with a tag bearing Madison's photo and a message explaining how her idea was born. 'I didn't think they would come this far. I thought they would just . stay in boutiques, but now they're in Nordstrom' 'In 2006, I had an idea to make flip . flops that showed my love for swimming, fishing and drawing,' it reads. ' I hope you . wear them, love them and share them with your friends and I hope they . make you smile.' Madison, who will start 10th grade next fall, is involved in every step of the Fish Flops business. She draws all of her own designs and chooses color combinations . digitally, but has also learned how to pack shipments, stock the . warehouse, explain her pricing, host a trade show booth, and make a sales . pitch. But it seems she has a particular aptitude for marketing through social media. Hands-on: Madison draws all of her own designs and chooses color combinations, but has also learned how to pack shipments, stock the warehouse, host a tradeshow booth, and make a sales pitch . From me to you: Each pair of Fish Flops comes with a tag bearing Madison's photo and a message explaining to young wearers how her idea was born . Thanks to her Twitter account, she captured the interest of the daughter of Entertainment Tonight host Nancy O'Dell, as well as HSN fitness personality . Tony Little. She admits that her . business has helped hone several life skills, such as public speaking, thanks to the experience of explaining her product at industry expos and making presentations to . stone-faced department store buyers. She has . also learned patience. The worst part of business, Madison says, is . 'waiting for stores to decide' if they want her goods on their shelves. And Fish Flops has also made her a discerning consumer. Tried and tested: Madison tries on her creations for size on the beach near her home in Texas . Celebrity status: Madison poses with a young fan in a department store . 'When I go shoe shopping now, I look carefully at the quality of the . materials,' she says. Fish Flops, she explains, are sturdy and made without punch-out . holes in the soles so the straps don't pop out the way they do in . generic flip-flops. Madison has already put away enough profits to cover her . college tuition, thanks to her father's wise decision not to allow her to spend them just yet. 'My Dad won't let me touch the . money,' she admits. 'It's for college.' The high-schooler says she plans to study business in college, and already has grand plans beyond Fish Flops. 'Eventually I want to . do something by myself,' she says.
came up with the idea for Fish Flops at the age of just eight. With the help of her father, Dan, design for light-up flip-flops for kids . She generic flip-flops. Madison has already put away enough profits to cover her . college tuition, touch the . money,' she admits. 'It's for