Local Teens Spin Sweet Success Out of Cotton Candy
While Balancing School, Sports, and LoCO Cotton Candy
Under a canopy in the melting summer heat or bundled up against the chill of a snowy December night, Noah Valdez-Zimmerman, 14, and Ryan Donovan, 15, the teens behind LoCO Cotton Candy, can be found hard at work, spinning sugary creations for kids and kids at heart all the same.
When most of their peers were focused on navigating such challenging subjects as pre-algebra and Minecraft, these young entrepreneurs have been busy navigating the real world of business, learning the ropes of financial independence one batch of cotton candy at a time in Longmont.
Both wearing light, cotton-candy-colored tie-dye hoodies, Valdez-Zimmerman commented, “It helps disguise the cotton candy that gets on my arm while I’m cooking.”
Donovan, a sophomore at Silver Creek High, stays busy with wrestling, track, and marching band. She also has a classmate who runs his own lawn-mowing business. Valdez-Zimmerman, a freshman at Niwot, is also juggling a busy schedule in high school. Both are one of a pair of twins—a coincidence they find comical as they run their business as a twosome.
When asked about the hassle of finding their first job, Donovan said, “That’s kind of why I wanted to do this. I didn’t want to have to start from scratch with no experience, so I figured I’d create my own opportunity. I had no idea where to start, but when someone brought it up, I thought, I’ll work with you.”
After conducting some research, the teens realized there wasn’t a similar cotton candy business in the area. They saw an opportunity to bring something unique to local events and thought it would be an exciting addition to birthday parties and other celebrations.
Best buds before they could even utter the words “cotton candy,” they started their business when Ryan was 12 and Noah was 11. Now, in their fourth year of slinging cotton candy, the two teens have built a small business around their sweet creations.
LoCO Cotton Candy operates by setting up at live events, where customers can enjoy freshly spun cotton candy on demand. Depending on the occasion, they offer an all-you-can-eat prepaid option or a vendor-style setup where attendees purchase each cotton candy individually.
Despite LoCO Cotton Candy’s success, its founders faced a few logistical hurdles—like the fact that neither of them could drive. “Neither of us can drive, so that kind of presents an issue,” Valdez-Zimmerman laughed.
All their tools and supplies can for the most part be packed up into one car, but since they’re too young to drive, their parents are the ones handling transportation for events in Longmont or as far away as Broomfield and Denver.
In launching LoCO Cotton Candy, the duo took inspiration from a family connection.
“My cousin runs a similar business in California, and we decided it would be a good idea to try doing something similar to what he does,” Valdez-Zimmerman said. “So, we decided on cotton candy… we were looking for any business idea to kind of latch onto.”
As for whether they had any early entrepreneurial spirit, like running lemonade stands, both admitted it didn’t appeal much to them and was simply a way to make some money.
“I never thought the lemonade stand had any promise, because no one drives by my house,” Valdez-Zimmerman joked.
Donovan added, “Honestly, I can’t remember ever doing one. But since we had seen it done before; we knew it was possible. Having someone to walk us through it, too, made it a lot more appealing to go with cotton candy than anything else.”
They secured a loan from their parents, set up social media and a website, and began by doing free events to build a customer base. At their second event at the Longmont Humane Society, they packaged and handed out about 7,500 cotton candies.
“We donate 10% of our profits to the Humane Society,” Valdez-Zimmerman said, explaining their passion for giving back.
Donovan agreed, adding, “The Humane Society has been a big help in getting our name out there—just by stating our partnership with them, we get a lot of customers.”
Running a cotton candy machine is no simple task, especially in extreme weather. The teens recounted a memorable night at Longmont Lights.
“There was a huge blizzard right in the middle of the event,” Valdez-Zimmerman recalled. “We had to hide under our tent, shivering and still making cotton candy. When it’s damp, it’s rough because cotton candy just dissolves in moisture. And when it’s cold, our fingers lose some dexterity, which makes it tough.”
Donovan nodded, adding, “It gets really sticky with sugar. And when it’s hot—like most of our summer events—the machines start smoking a little, so we have to turn them off more often to keep everything running smoothly.”
Despite these challenges, the two keep showing up, learning, and building their business, one cone at a time. LoCO Cotton Candy has run approximately 50 events since its start in 2021, all carefully planned around their school schedules.
“Not usually,” Valdez-Zimmerman said when asked if events conflict with schoolwork. “We usually get bookings pretty early on, so we can plan around it.”
The business offers six flavors: pink vanilla, blue raspberry, cherry, grape, green apple, and birthday cake.
“My brother really likes the cotton candy,” Valdez-Zimmerman shared. “I usually have to make him a mix of all six. I do a double scoop—three flavors each—because mixing them can get tricky.”
The business has been featured at events like Longmont Lights and is often hired by clients for a flat fee to provide cotton candy over a set period. In addition to live events, they offer pre-packaged cotton candy for delivery and have even experimented with crafting cotton candy cakes for parties where it’s packed into a cake shape.
While unsure about the future of the business, for now, it serves as a fun and rewarding way to make some money and gain experience running a small business. As for their future, they’re both still exploring other career paths.
“I’m thinking about going into aviation,” Donovan said. “So, I don’t really see this as part of my future. I’m just kind of taking it for as long as I have it. I did take an entrepreneurial class at the Innovation Center for high school, though. That was pretty cool.”
“I’m not sure how Noah feels about it, but since I’m a year older, I’m going off to college sooner. I was thinking about finding someone to take over when I leave after high school. I think it’d be cool to keep it going,” Donovan said. “I really like the idea of it, and I like the partnership we have with the Longmont Humane Society. It’s been great to build a customer base, and I feel like it’d be kind of mean to just disappear. It’s like my little baby—I want to see it grow, but I don’t want to take care of it forever.”
For Valdez-Zimmerman, high school is just the beginning.
“I’m trying to fill out my credits before I look into anything else. But, like Ryan, I’m probably going to go in another direction—probably engineering.” Valdez-Zimmerman added, “I also joined Future Business Leaders of America, but we’ve only had one meeting, and I was the only person who showed up.”
With years ahead to grow their venture, LoCO Cotton Candy plans to remain a local fixture, bringing their signature sugary treats to events across Longmont. Residents can look forward to seeing the duo around town, offering a taste of classic, nostalgic sweetness that’s sure to delight for years to come.