PROMPTED BY CHANCE and inspired by dreams to do something big, 16-year-old Nicole Ballard of Madison has combined a message of faith, fashion and music to launch her own business.

For the sophomore at Madison Central High School, it was sudden.

“It began when I started dating the guy who is my boyfriend,” Nicole said. “I found one of his guitar picks on the ground. I took that and made a rough bracelet, using a string with the pick. Everyone went crazy about them at school.”

That was last fall. A few months later, Nicole and her parents have signed 17 stores with about 14 more waiting for her merchandise.

“I just came home one day and said, 選 want to start this business.’ Dad said that it could really be a good business, so here we are today.”

Nicole hand crafts bracelets with guitar strings in several styles, colors and designs. They sell for $25 each and can also be purchased on Nicole’s StrummWear Web site, strummwear.com. Each pick contains three holes, representing the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Nicole designs two picks n skins and logos n and a portion of the profits are given to Christian ministries in the area.

“Giving to other ministries is just to help people spread the gospel,” Nicole’s mother, Toni Ballard, said. “I’m sure we will get some resistance at some point because of the message we are proclaiming, but I think we’re doing a good job on not banging people over the head with it.”

NICOLE’S FATHER, Greg, said the family isn’t focusing on negative feedback. Besides, the trio said, StrummWear has sold well in stores, the Web site is gaining popularity, and Nicole is scheduled to promote her products across the nation this year.

“The buzz is just beginning,” her father, a financial services professional, said. “We’re going to run this like a secular business and let God do the rest. This is going to start really escalating during the summer.”

For example, he said, Nicole is booked for Atlanta, Philadelphia, Biloxi, Memphis, New Orleans and other cities. Her schedule begins Saturday morning at Gingersnaps in Highland Village in Jackson for a designer appearance.

Nicole said she doesn’t think her work schedule will interfere with school, church, and her personal life.

“I can keep up,” she said, smiling. “I don’t mind it at all. I like going into the stores and talking to people.”

Her parents expressed the same confidence in Nicole.

“People really just fell in love with her,” Toni Ballard said. “She’s been doing it since she was little bitty. We had the first (coffee shop) in Madison about 10 years ago when she sold coffee to people. They’d get upset because traffic would back up down the street.”

At school, Nicole won a pageant this year and participates in Key Club. She also plays piano and sings at Scotland Missionary Baptist Church in Bentonia. On the guitar, she can “play one or two things.”

“A lot more people know who I am now,” she said. “I don’t have a clique. I’m just everywhere.”

And people are taking notice. A week ago, during a live chat on Nicole’s Web site, a young fan told her she loved the bracelets, called Nicole “awesome” and told her it “would be so cool to meet (you).”

Nicole’s mom smiled when talking about the girls’ exchange.

“She has a fan following for a business that just started (in February),” she said. “That puts the responsibility on her now. They will look up to her, and she has to act Christlike.”

During a church youth trip last summer, Nicole accepted Christ shortly after her family started attending Scotland. Her boyfriend, Paul Allen, is the son of Scotland’s pastor, Glenn Allen.

“It was really life-changing,” she said. “And I’d like to keep this going. I’d like to be famous.”

She may get her chance. On Wednesday, Nicole was scheduled to appear on CNBC to promote her work.