By: | May 22, 2025 | | Fair Haven
We’re not sure what might be in the water, but lately, Monmouth County seems to have become a brewing pot for young entrepreneurs. Recently, Community Magazine covered Charlie Silvestro, a Shrewsbury resident, high schooler and owner of a landscaping company. Nearby in Fair Haven, ninth grader at High Technology High School in Lincroft, Angelina de Bruijn has her own business endeavor — one that’s been recognized with a prestigious grant.
Thirteen-year-old de Bruijn says she has “always liked to bake, as a young kid”. Hand-in-hand with this passion for baking was her love for horses. “Ever since I was young, I liked horses. For my sixth birthday, I got horse riding lessons. After that, I fell in love,” she says.
It was this combination of interests that inspired de Bruijn to start her company, Mane Course back in 2021. de Bruijn began baking horse treats, and now, through her subscription-based business, she sells those treats alongside easy, step-by-step instructions and pre-measured ingredients for buyers to make their own treats at home (think BarkBox for dogs – but now, for horse lovers).
Mane Course uses unique recipes with wholesome ingredients like molasses, apple cider vinegar, and fresh produce to create treats that are both enjoyable and beneficial for horses. Mane Course’s treats are available as one-off purchases or in subscription plans.
Recently, de Bruijn accomplished another feat, entering (and ultimately winning) a competition to secure a $1,000 grant from the Formidable Fellowship, a nonprofit dedicated to offering grants to middle and high school students throughout the United States. de Bruijn’s school counselor presented the competition to students, and she entered, submitting a video and biography about her business. She advanced into the second round, undergoing a video interview, before finally being selected as one of 23 exceptional young entrepreneurs to receive the $1,000 grant.
de Bruijn is thrilled at having won. “My counselor and principal both congratulated me and put it on the school website. Winning this grant is really one of the biggest things I’ve done for the company. I’m looking forward to selling in stores to further the clientele,” she says. Getting her products in stores is the current aspiration for de Bruijn – with her business currently being mostly done through Etsy, shipping can get expensive, especially over long distances.
“The Formidable Fellowship was created to identify and support amazing young entrepreneurs like Angelina who saw a customer need and found a way to provide a solution,” said Anand Sanwal, co-founder of the Formidable Fellowship in a recent press release. “We were particularly impressed by Angelina's vision for Mane Course, their rapid growth, and their commitment to their product and customers. Young founders like Angelina represent the future of entrepreneurship in America.”
When not working on her business, de Bruijn showcases her horse, Kingsley. She’s trying to qualify Kingsley for the Pony Finals in August. “I’ve done a lot of local competitions, but nothing on this scale,” she says. She practices her riding lessons at Nevergreen Farm in Farmingdale, and volunteers at Sunny Side Equestrian Center in Lincroft.
de Bruijn especially wants to shout out her entrepreneurial family. Her father, Jacob de Bruijn, owns his own startup, Nines Living, a household management platform. Her uncle, Chad Lore, started Red Bank business Bossbites, and her uncle Marc Lore started Wonder, an NYC restaurant chain with locations coming to Middletown and Shrewsbury.
de Bruijn’s mother, Brooke de Bruijn, couldn’t be prouder of her daughter. “I think it’s amazing,” she says. “I’m so proud of her. Doing interviews, it’s such a good experience for her. I think it's a great life experience. It’s exciting.”
With family support and a new grant on her side, Mane Course has nowhere to go but up – and de Bruijn can’t wait for the next step for Mane Course.
To learn more about Mane Course, visit manecourse.com, or visit them on Etsy.com at ManeCourseHorse.
