Joseph Vasquez / The Collegian

She is the C.E.O. of her own company, she has her own office –– and she is only nineteen years old.

Stephanie Reilly, a freshmen here at Fresno State, started and created POParazzi, a unique jewelry line made from vintage bottle caps.

“It’s just crazy, I never thought that all this success would happen for me so quickly,â€Â Reilly said.

Her very first office, at the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State, is simple and professional, but yet still has some flair, with a display of her patented product to the right of the entrance.

All the usual office supplies are there, but on the desk there is a dish full of multi-colored candy, a small silver glittery Christmas tree and a plastic card holder containing business cards for her first-ever established business.

Joseph Vasquez / The Collegian

Big white wooden letters sit across the top of the desk, spelling the word “Pop.â€Â

“My mom helped me decorate it and arrange the furniture and make it my own,â€Â Reilly said. “We wanted to represent not just me, but POParazzi, which is professional but trendy.â€Â

Reilly said POParazzi isn̢۪t just a jewelry line, it is a life style. It is all about glamour and feeling hip and fresh. That̢۪s why she isn̢۪t just stopping at jewelry. She wants to eventually make POParazzi a brand, featuring everything from clothing to makeup.

“This has always been my dream, to do something with fashion, but I never really was talented at design,â€Â Reilly said. “But now since I have my own business, I can work closely with designers and still be able to get my ideas out there.â€Â

Stephanie̢۪s mother, Michelle Reilly, said that running a business has always been a passion of her daughter̢۪s.

“Steph always played store when she was little. She had a little toy cash register and she would set up her bedroom as her ‘shop,’â€Â her mother said, “and line up all her toys according to a theme and then have us or her friends come in and shop.â€Â

Her mother also said she is glad to be working closely with her daughter as her creative director and can̢۪t believe her daughter̢۪s unique ideas.

“I was just amazed that my daughter came up with this idea,â€Â Michelle Reilly said. “It’s brilliant.â€Â

Reilly said the idea of making jewelry from bottle caps came to her while watching a commercial on television featuring a vintage coke bottle. She figured it would be a unique and valuable piece to own and would help save the environment by recycling these caps.

“I want all our products to in some way give back to the community and be charitable,â€Â Reilly said.

Reilly does admit there is a problem with finding these bottle caps. In fact, pretty soon they might run out and have to start making replicas.

“So what people order right now might be more valuable and rare as opposed to pieces made in the near future,â€Â Reilly said.

She said problems associated with product creation are minimal compared to some of the nuances that come with running your own business.

Reilly said she tries as hard as possible to make time for herself and her family.

“It has been hard this first year, learning to manage my time, because being a CEO requires so much effort,â€Â Reilly said.

Reilly credits the guidance she gets from the mentors and coaches at the Lyles Center for helping to alleviate the stress, as well as a very supportive family.

She wants people to understand, though, that she loves what she is doing and appreciates this opportunity she̢۪s been handed.

“You just have to learn to handle multiple tasks, like having to keep a hundred pans burning. If you’re someone who has trouble with only one pan, then this type of work is not for you,â€Â Reilly said.

She said she̢۪s glad the Lyles Center recognized this ability she possesses and gave her the entrepreneual scholarship.

Genelle Taylor, associate director at the Lyles Center, said immediately after they read Reilly̢۪s business plan, they knew Reilly was exactly who they were looking for.

“Stephanie was born to be a entrepreneur,â€Â Taylor said.

Reilly herself has many dreams for the future. Her ultimate goal would be to be recognized by talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

“Eventually Oprah will be giving away my products to an ecstatic audience on her ‘My Favorite Things’ show,â€Â Reilly said.

For more about Reilly and the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, check out this related story.