It’s My Biz by Milwaukee-based Fashion Angels, a line of activity kits designed to help tween girls build their self-confidence by becoming the SHE-E-Os of their own entrepreneurial businesses, is a finalist for a 2015 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award. The new product is one of seven finalists in the Activity Toy of the Year category, which features indoor toys that inspire creative play.

According to statistics, only 47.7 percent of women believe they are capable of starting and running a business and young girls’ self-confidence drops from 72 percent to 55 percent between 6th and 10th grade. It’s My Biz is the perfect product to inspire young girls at a vital stage of their lives while cultivating the next generation of female leaders.

The 2015 TOTY Award winners are chosen through a voting process, a portion of which is decided by an online fan vote. Fans are encouraged to vote through Jan. 11 by visiting toyawards.org/toyaward/custom/ActivityToy.aspx#.VH4c8ofLd5s.

Presented by the Toy Industry Association, the TOTY Awards are considered the Oscars of the toy industry. Experts in the field, including retail buyers, journalists, inventors and designers, selected the 2015 finalists from more than 580 nominations in 12 categories.

"We started the It’s My Biz line because we wanted to encourage girls to explore their creative side while also helping them learn fundamental business skills," said Goldi Miller, founder and president of Fashion Angels Enterprises. "To be recognized by our peers and the Toy Industry Association is an honor and further validation that this product is making a difference in empowering tween girls at a key point in their lives."

Award winners will be announced during a ceremony in New York City on Feb. 13. Winners are chosen through a voting process that includes ballots from members of the Toy Industry Association, mass and specialty retailers, journalists and bloggers, along with the fan vote.

In addition to the It’s My Biz kits, Fashion Angels is helping tweens prepare for life with its Future SHE-E-O Contest, the winner of which will receive a $10,000 college scholarship. To enter the contest, tweens between the ages of 7 and 12 can fill out an entry form detailing the story behind their start-up business, fashionangels.com/itsmybiz/she-e-o-contest.

The top five entries will receive a trip to the Fashion Angels headquarters in Milwaukee, where they will go on a behind-the-scenes tour of the company and interact with its female founders. Finalists will then be escorted to nearby Marquette University where they will present their businesses in front of a panel of influential businesswomen, who will pick the winner.

It’s My Biz, which launched this fall, also has been named a 2014 Hot 20 holiday award winner by Toy Insider magazine. Activity kits are available in specialty toy stores, Barnes & Noble, in mass retailers and online at itsmybiz.biz.

Designed as activity kits to teach lessons that extend beyond play and into the real world, It’s My Biz provides the essential tools and materials needed to create and sell products and services to family, friends, neighbors and classmates. It helps tweens build their own start-ups through creative activities they are already interested in, such as making jewelry (Bead Boutique), decorating cupcakes (The Cup-Cakery), designing T-shirts (Vintage T-Shirt Shop) and painting fingernails (Lacquer Lounge). Each kit also includes the "It’s My Biz: Ultimate Business Guide," a step-by-step guide on creating and running your own business. The It’s My Biz app provides a free customizable business tool that is both iOS and Android compatible.

The Milwaukee-based Fashion Angels Enterprises, established in 1996, is the leading designer and manufacturer of tween girls’ lifestyle and activity products. Fashion Angels’ mission is to provide tween girls with experiences that inspire them to Find Their Wings; to believe in themselves and to be proud of what they can do. For additional information, please visit the company website at www.fashionangels.com. For the most up-to-the-minute information and to interact with Fashion Angels, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube.