A Colorado Springs boy learns entrepreneur skills through vending machine project

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- A 12-year-old boy is finding a way to help nonprofits in Colorado Springs and across the country. Anthony Meyer has his very own vending machine business and his ultimate goal is to give back to the community.

Meyer started his business when he was just 8 years old. Now he has at least five vending machines inside of non-profits all across Colorado Springs.

"I started my business just as, like, a little side hustle to just, like, kind of help me develop entrepreneurial," said Anthony Meyer.

Meyer is from Colorado Springs and is about to go into 7th grade and has a pretty good head on his shoulders. The young man's initiative caught the attention of one local business owner. 

"So basically, just browsing Facebook, seeing that there was a young man looking for places, willing machines, and a local restaurant," said Leo Padilla, operations director at Ice Cream Snack Shack.

Anthony wants to eventually open an arcade but until then he's working hard for a good cause. 

"Of course, I reached out to him, let him know that it would be a good fit for him just because we do things for the community, we like to support our kids," added Padilla.

Anthony has about five of these vending machines across Southern Colorado and with each one he's helping take care of his community.

"I've donated to local children's organizations to just, you know, like, help, like, educate and, like, help, like kids experience, wonder when they can't necessarily reach that with their position," said Meyer.  

Last year he also helped out a non-profit called Team Sea and for every dollar he donated, one pound of trash got pulled from the ocean. 

"I've taken over 100 dollars out of the ocean from donations," said Meyer.

And his ultimate goal is to keep paying it forward until he's able to become his own boss. 

"My ultimate goal at the very end is to try to make little toys and bouncy balls just like widely accessible throughout Colorado, where people can pretty much walk into every establishment and then get a bouncy ball or a little toy or something," said Meyer.

The next non-profit Anthony is trying to help is called Team Bees, a nonprofit that specializes in helping save bees.