How Much Can You Earn Making Tiny Clay Smiles? Ask 'Seeds of Happiness'

A Kirkwood business that's been around since 2006 reported a giant increase in sales in 2012—36 percent over the year before.

The St. Louis Business Journal reported last week on Seeds of Happiness, which has been creating novelty beads, T-shirts and other apparel in the community. Last year, the business made $186,000, the Journal reported.

The Journal noted that owner Mark Borella started the business as a way to honor a friend whose son was dying of cancer.

Borella told the story to Patch in a December 2010 feature.

"I'm a smiley guy," he told Patch. "I don't take a lot of things very seriously."

Borella's business churns out 10,000 tiny ceramic smiles each week –  "seeds of happiness" that are meant to spread joy to anyone feeling sadness or pain. The colorful little balls of clay are finding their way into the hands of people all around the world.