Little Lion, Big Business: An Omani Boy's Entrepreneurial Journey

It has always been said that a child’s confidence is built not only by what they are told, but by what they are trusted to do on their own. That is how the story of a young Omani boy, Laith, began.
As a child, Laith would help his mother, who runs a decoupage business, pack orders and prime boxes for her to finish. Watching her business grow, particularly during busy seasons such as Eid, the start of the school year, Mother’s Day and Teacher’s Day, planted a question in his mind: “When do I get to run a business like you? When will I have that much money?”
His mother did not dismiss the question. Knowing his interest in handmade crafts and wool, they started small. While he was in Grade 1, he bought toys wholesale and sold them during Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, initially relying only on family, neighbours and word of mouth.
The Rejection That Lit the Fire
The turning point came not from a success, but a rejection. His mother once registered him for an exhibition organised by Oman’s Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises. However, when organisers asked whether he had a website, retail outlet or Instagram account, the answer was no. His participation was declined.
His mother says that rejection became the real spark. Within days, she opened an Instagram account under Laith’s own name rather than hiding him behind a separate brand. Together, they designed a logo featuring a small lion, reflecting the meaning of his name, Laith, which means “lion” in Arabic.
They bought a larger batch of merchandise and photographed it themselves. Laith learned to calculate costs, selling prices and profit margins. Mathematics came naturally to him, his mother says, and when calculations became more complicated than what he had learned at school, he simply reached for a calculator.
The Order That Changed Everything
A major milestone came with an order for 300 giveaways from a private preschool.
“That was the real launch,” his mother says. “The real spark.”
The boy who would normally rather play or watch television remained at his seat until the order was completed. His father and younger sister joined in, helping him pack the large order.

Soon, orders began arriving from across Oman, including Sohar, Saham, Samail and Nizwa. Laith also learned what to do with unsold stock. By the following Eid al-Fitr, he had created “Eid Gathering Boxes” and “Friday Gathering Boxes”, curated sets combining leftover toys with small activities.
More Than Buying and Selling
For his mother, the business is ultimately about much more than selling toys. It has become a way for Laith to learn independence, responsibility and how to understand customers.
At school exhibitions, he prices products, negotiates and closes sales himself. At public events, his mother deliberately stays nearby but remains quiet, allowing him to speak directly with customers.
“This is his business,” she says. “He has to be the one running it.”
He has also learned to read the market. At school events, for example, he tends to stock more affordable products so that more children can buy something.
After each sale, he separates his capital from his profit rather than spending immediately. When enough money accumulates, the family reinvests it into new stock, particularly ahead of Eid. His first major personal purchase was an 80-rial swivel office chair, bought simply because he had earned the money himself.
Boundaries Around Business
Despite his growing venture, ordinary childhood boundaries remain in place. Screen time is limited to an hour and a half a day, while business-related research and reference videos generally take no more than 30 minutes and are supervised.
The Instagram account remains accessible on both parents’ phones, allowing them to monitor comments and activity. Laith may have his own business, but he is still learning, growing and, most importantly, being given the space to do it himself.