When most teenagers are 16 they’re worried about getting their license or if they’ll be asked to prom. Then again, Madison Robinson is not most 16-year-olds. Madison created Fish Flops, a creative brand of flip flops that incorporates cute sea creatures and flashing lights, when she was only 13-years-old. When she unveiled the product for the first time at a trade show in 2011, Robison had 30 stores placing orders for their own business.

Online sales boomed and boutique stores everywhere wanted the flip flops on their shelves. Then, Madison did something amazing, she got her flip flops into Nordstrom’s. Not just one store, but 60. And that’s when things really started to take off.

Presently, Robison has sold more than 100,000 pairs of her popular beach footwear. The flip flops currently sell between $20 and $32 a pair. That’s a lot of clams, especially for someone who’s two years away from starting college. The flip flops are so popular in fact, that their servers can’t even seem to handle the amount of traffic they’re receiving. When trying to visit the site, a greeting appear: “Thanks for taking an interest in FishFlops! The site is currently under heavy load. Please email us at info@fishflops.com.”

But she’s not stopping there! This spring, she launched her first clothing line. Saks Fifth Avenue has already signed up to prominently display the young entrepreneurs designs, and so have 120 unique boutiques as well.

Robinson admits, however, that just because she did create the designs for her flip flop line, she does not really have any clothing design experience. For the new line, Madison teamed up with a collaborator in California who has created different clothing designs for tweens. Her instincts seem to be on point, since Saks has already sold out of her tops. They have also scheduled a second order, which is expected to be available later this month.

Right now, the clothing line is targeted towards 9-13-year-olds, but soon Robinson expects to develop a line dedicated to her own age group.

Though it was never Madison’s intention, her success has morphed her into a semi-celebrity. The Houston Chronicle listed her as their top choice for “Most Interesting People for 2014”, beating out athletes and other celebrities who call the Houston area home. Her story has also been incorporated into two separate middle school text books, with as many as $1 million copies printed. Robinson constantly receives emails from peewee entrepreneurs from all around the world, offering congratulations and asking for advice.

Madison acknowledges that keeping school and her business in perspective is a balancing act. Active in dance as well, Madison explains that business is the very last thing she concentrates on at the end of the day. On the weekends though, it gets her undivided attention. This sophomore in high school serves as a true inspiration to people of all ages. She has proved that you do not have to be a “grown-up” to accomplish great things.

Photo:  Madison Nicole clothing in Saks Fifth Ave via Yahoo.com