Boy Owner of Bizzy Fizz Biz Looks to Create Bath-Time Buzz

The creative director and co-owner of Bizzy Fizz Bath Treats, Skylar Bisel has big plans for his homegrown business. By next year, he wants to expand his customer base, diversify his product line and corner the market on scented bath fizzies.

Somewhere in between, the Macomb Township teen will turn 14.

“It’s been really neat to watch him from the very beginning, because he was so excited,” said mom Laura Bisel, 39. “When he’s doing this, he loves it and he’s learning so much along the way. He’s learning how to talk to people ... (and) his confidence has really grown.”

As Skylar tells it, the inspiration for Bizzy Fizz came by way of a Bisel family tradition. 

“My parents always hide a pickle (ornament) on the Christmas tree and (my brothers and I) rush to find it Christmas morning because whoever finds it gets a special prize–an extra gift. When I was 6, I found the pickle and my mom just happened to have apple cinnamon bath fizzies as the gift.”

It was love at first scent.

From science project to business experiment

Fascinated by the product’s chemical reaction and limitless varieties, Skylar turned his unexpected Christmas present into a home school science project and hobby. 

“Then he started giving them away to his friends and people started asking for them,” Laura said. “It was like a light bulb went off in his head. He decided he could make money doing this and said, ‘Mom, we should make this a business.’”

For a year, the pair researched ingredients and experimented with different products. In 2005, Laura filed for a business license and Bizzy Fizz Bath Treats began selling its bath and body products online and at area retailers.

Although website issues forced Bizzy Fizz to close in 2009, the business re-launched in October 2011 with new logos, products and renewed drive on the part of Skylar to make Bizzy Fizz a success. 

“It’s been really cool,” he said of the restart. “We’ve added one or two new things. Everything is unique. Every single (product) has a different thing to it.”

While Laura is responsible for much of the actual production, which takes place in the Bisel's basement-turned-lab, Skylar is chief of design. From scent and shape, to color and packaging, Skylar has final approval on every product sold under the Bizzy Fizz label.

“It’s getting inspiration for something, telling mom about it and then mom finding the mold (and ingredients) to fit the idea,” Skylar said.

All natural and self tested 

And whether it is a fizzy that changes the color of the bath water, or a lip balm that makes your mouth water with its scent, the products are all organic.

“Everything we use is safe,” Skylar said. “We use preservatives in our lotions, because it’s safer for customers if there is no way anything can grow in them,” but only all-natural oils and butters are used in Bizzy Fizz products, Laura added.

And how are the products tested?

"That would be us," Laura said, laughing. 

"If we don’t want to use it on us, we’re not going to sell it," Skylar added.

While the products are currently available only on the company's website, Skylar said his next move is start selling on the craft show circuit. From there, this young entrepreneur has an unending list of ideas and goals to take him through high school at least.

But whether or not Bizzy Fizz ever makes the Fortune 500, Laura said she'll support Skylar every step of the way.

"It's something that he really loves to do, which is why I’m doing it for the most part," she said. "He still has the excitement over everything. And now there is a different excitement because he is doing more on the production side and he gets that same sparkle that he did when he first started."

While Skylar vehemently denies ever "sparkling," he admits his interest in the business has only grown since that Christmas morning seven years ago. However, that's probably because "our products are addictive," or so he tells potential customers.