Today we’d like to introduce you to Ava N. Simmons.
Hi Ava N., so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia in 2021. School was really hard for me. Reading and writing was really difficult super frustrating. Sometimes I felt different from other kids. But then I learned about something really special that helped me change my mind and discover my passion for STEM-STEAM and youth entrepreneurship.
I started tinkering and making things, and learning through play and hands on experiences, and suddenly things shifted. STEM-STEAM made the world of numbers and concepts make so much more sense to me; it helped me to improve my maths and problem-solving skills and generally just helped me to become a bit more confident and self-assured, and able to express my thoughts, feelings, and needs more clearly in the world. It made me realise that my brain wasn’t broken; it’s just wired in a different way.
That’s how Team Genius Squad was born.
Now the brand has blossomed into a mission to empower all children to experience and recognize their unique Genius, especially those who feel struggling, challenged, misunderstood or looked over. In addition to resources and activities we offer through our website, we are applying the principles of our E³ Impact Strategy™ (Engage, Encourage, Empower) to create innovative materials, products, and experiences: encouraging self-confidence through dynamic outreach, stimulating curiosity through the provision of inspiring, creative experiences, and challenging kids to put their creative imagination to the test through project-based experiment kits and more.
To date we have reached and engaged over 800,000 families through our STEM-STEAM activities, videos and partnerships. I have also had the opportunity to be a host on a PBS Kids Educational TV Show, done experiments on national TV and have partnered with many schools, museums, and community programs including Boys & Girls Clubs across the United States and the REED Charitable Foundation.
Team Genius Squad is now a thriving business and social movement. When a customer purchases our products, we donate free services and products to the community. Our model empowers kids from all communities to engage in activities they may not have ever had access to, making STEM-STEAM education possible.
I started this journey in STEM-STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) because it helped me to face my challenges. Now, my purpose in life is to make sure no kid believes that their diagnosis, their struggles, or their situation limits their future.
Every child has an inner Genius. I’m just here to help them discover it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Has it been a smooth road? Not at all.
When I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia, I struggled a lot. Reading took me longer. Writing felt overwhelming. Sometimes I felt embarrassed or frustrated because I knew I was smart, but my schoolwork didn’t always show it. That was one of my first big challenges, learning how to believe in myself even when things were hard.
Starting a company as a kid hasn’t been easy either. Some people didn’t take me seriously because of my age. I’ve had to learn how to speak up in rooms with adults, explain my vision clearly, and prove that what we’re building is real and impactful. Balancing school, being a teenager, and running a growing brand has also required discipline, time management, and a lot of support from my family and team.
There were also business challenges, developing products, making sure they were safe and tested, building partnerships, funding growth, and figuring out how to scale while staying true to our mission. Growth sounds exciting, but it comes with pressure and responsibility.
But every struggle has helped me grow.
My learning challenges taught me perseverance. Entrepreneurship taught me problem-solving and leadership. And every obstacle reminded me why I started: because there are other kids out there who feel the way I once felt.
So no, it hasn’t been smooth, but it has been purposeful. And every challenge has helped shape me into a stronger founder, leader, and young entrepreneur.
As you know, we’re big fans of Team Genius Squad. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Team Genius Squad is more than an educational toy brand, it’s a movement built to help children discover their inner Genius.
We specialize in STEM-STEAM education, literacy, and youth entrepreneurship through hands-on experiments, interactive live experiences, books, and role-play learning tools. We create experiment kits, lab coats, puzzles, plush Genius Buddies, and structured workshops that combine real science with confidence-building.
What makes us different is that we were built from lived experience.
I didn’t create Team Genius Squad from theory, I created it from my own learning journey after being diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Everything we design is built with purpose. Our products and programs are created to engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners, including neurodivergent students, because I understand firsthand what it feels like when traditional learning doesn’t always work.
We are known for three things:
First, our E³ Impact Strategy™, Engage, Encourage, Empower. Every experience we deliver is built around engaging children through hands-on learning, encouraging them to believe in themselves, and empowering them to apply what they learn in real life.
Second, our interactive STEM-STEAM experiences. We don’t just sell kits, we create full learning moments. Children aren’t watching science; they’re building lamps, generating electricity from lemons, creating solar-powered energy, writing books, and developing products. They leave our experiences feeling capable.
Third, we are youth-led. I am a young founder building products for other young people. That representation matters. When children see someone close to their age leading, inventing, and teaching, it shifts what they believe is possible for themselves.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that we have grown into a nationally recognized brand while staying mission-driven. From hosting a PBS Kids educational show to partnering with schools, museums, retailers, and community organizations, we’ve been able to reach over 800,000 families. But what makes me proud isn’t just visibility, it’s impact.
I’m proud that for every product purchased, we donate STEM-STEAM experiences to underserved communities. I’m proud that children who once felt “behind” leave our events saying, “I feel smart.” I’m proud that parents and educators tell us our programs build both skills and confidence.
What I want readers to know is this:
We are not just selling STEM-STEAM toys. We are building confidence, identity, and leadership in children. We are helping them see that challenges do not define their future. We are creating hands-on pathways to literacy, math confidence, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship.
Team Genius Squad stands for purposeful play, real science, real confidence, and real opportunity.
Every child has an inner Genius. Our job is to help them see it.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhoold memory was dressing up as Doc McStuffins and taking my dad’s blood pressure and doing operations on my baby dolls to fix their boo-boos
Pricing:
- Our products range from 15.99 to 59.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://teamgeniussquad.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/TeamGeniusSquad/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamGeniusSquad/
- LinkedIn: https://LinkedIn.com/in/AvaTheSTEMPrincess
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/c/TeamGeniusSquad
