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Autistic boy starts business to get to SeaWorld

Posted at 9:50 AM, Apr 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-28 12:44:25-04

His office is his parent's New Port Richey kitchen.

His desk is his mother's kitchen table.

He doesn't have any employees but he has at least 100 customers.

"It's called My Little Work Shop," explained Eric Bishop, of his art company's name.

Bishop spends his after school hours decorating bottles with messages inside.  Each one is personalized and includes sand and shells.

"Oh I don't even know, that is how much I sold," Bishop said.

The fourth grader's business came about in a roundabout way.  At Christmas, he decorated ornaments and sold them in order to buy his parent's presents.

Then, the 11-year-old saw a commercial for SeaWorld and set his sights on getting to Orlando.  The only problem: his family cannot afford the trip.

"This is what he likes to do and it makes him calm," explain Doreen Bishop.

Instead of asking for donations, Eric decided to use his artistic talents to start a business.

So far, he has received about a hundred orders, most are local but he does have customers as far away as Illinois.

"He is just happy that he can show his work in other ways," Doreen added.

He is selling his messages in a bottle, which come with a handwritten thank you note, for $5.

You can visit Eric's online business by clicking here.