BILLINGS — On top of doing homework for his fifth-grade class, hunting, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors, 10-year-old Keagan Jones also runs his own business.
His business, Sage Brush Creations, sells wood burned boxes that he works on for hours at a time.
“I do it right after I get off of school. I’ll do it until about 8 o’clock,” Jones said.
Each box takes around two hours to complete, and it's a team effort to get them done.
“My mom draws (the design), I wood burn it and then, I’m learning how to color them and then she finishes them because she doesn’t trust me on her kitchen table,” he said while laughing.
He first started his wood-burning journey last December, when he was making a present for his aunt.
“I got a piece of cottonwood and I cut it in half and wrote, 'You’re one in a million,' on it with a wood burner,” he said.
The wood burner he first used was his father's when he was a child. In less than a year, Jones has gone through three wood burners while making over 200 boxes.
“My family knows I’m creative, but they never knew I would turn it into a big business like this,” he said.
The boxes have a variety of designs on them, ranging from dragonflies and flowers to fish and pheasants. The boxes also range in size and price. The smallest ones start at $35 and larger boxes are around $50.
The young entrepreneur is considering starting a Facebook page to sell his work, but for now, he can only be found at local markets. The next one he will be at is Dec. 2 at the Rhoadside Event Center in Huntley.
A passionate young man, full of personality and talent, who said he loves his business and all that it's taught him.
“I used to be very timid and shy. But now I’m very talkative,” Jones said. “I don’t think I would ever stop.”
