Leah Hernandez

Young Authors develops a sales and marketing strategy so that books can be sold nationally and globally. Royalties from the young authors’ book sales are deposited into a secured savings account for them to access at the age of 18 to use towards their post-secondary plans. Leah Hernandez’s team teaches the authors skills such as saving and budgeting, so that when they have access to their money, they will be financially literate adults.

Leah says that all kids are story-worthy and should see themselves reflected in the books they read. As founder and CEO of Young Authors Publishing, Leah helps bring to life the stories of children, many of whom live in under-represented communities. The company works with partners such as schools, not for profits and churches that are already serving their target demographic. These partners select young authors with promise, who then go through an eight-week programme – they’re paired with a writing mentor who helps them write their own book; they also learn writing techniques, public speaking and financial skills.