9-year-old gets a taste of corporate life

Alex Múnoz met with the CEO of Kind Snacks.

ByABC News
June 20, 2017, 4:18 PM

— -- Elementary school student Alex Múnoz has quite a story to share with his Boston-area classmates.

The 9-year-old spent June 19 in New York City, hanging out with the founder and chief executive of Kind Snacks.

Alex said he and his family buy the company's fruit and nut bars (his favorite is peanut butter dark chocolate) and wanted to one day invest money in the company.

But once he realized Kind Snacks was not publicly traded, his mother, Dara Múnoz, encouraged him to write a letter to Daniel Lubetzky, Kind's founder and CEO.

"I reached Daniel's assistant and I told her I had a funny letter and I thought that it would make her laugh. I didn't think any of this would happen," Múnoz told ABC News.

In the letter, Alex asks if the company has plans to go public.

"Do you know when you will go public? I think you would do well," he wrote.

PHOTO: Alex Munoz, 9, was invited to meet the CEO and CFO of Kind Snacks at the company's New York City office after writing a letter to the company.
Alex Munoz, 9, was invited to meet the CEO and CFO of Kind Snacks at the company's New York City office after writing a letter to the company.

To Alex's surprise, Lubetzky was so impressed by the letter that he invited the budding investor to spend a day at Kind's Times Square headquarters. The company paid for Alex and his mother to travel to the city to meet with Kind executives.

Alex, who was dressed in a suit, was named “honorary chief financial officer for the day” and given 10 shares in the company.

PHOTO: Alex Munoz, 9, was invited to meet the CEO and CFO of Kind Snacks at the company's New York City office after writing a letter to the company.
Alex Munoz, 9, was invited to meet the CEO and CFO of Kind Snacks at the company's New York City office after writing a letter to the company.

"We’re pleased to gift Alex 10 shares, making him our youngest owner to date. If KIND were ever to go public, Alex would reap the benefits just as our team would. I’m personally energized by young entrepreneurs who think business can make this a better world,” said Lubetzky.

Alex also met one-on-one with the current chief financial officer, Zahir Ibrahim, who gave Alex advice on what it takes to be a great CFO. But Alex, showing his age, yawned during the conversation, eliciting laughter from everyone in the room.

PHOTO: Alex Munoz, 9, was invited to meet the CEO and CFO of Kind Snacks at the company's New York City office after writing a letter to the company.
Alex Munoz, 9, was invited to meet the CEO and CFO of Kind Snacks at the company's New York City office after writing a letter to the company.

Earlier in the day, Alex sampled different Kind snack bars and rated them on a scale of 1 through 10. He also received official business cards with his honorary title.

When asked what was the biggest lesson he learned from the day, Alex replied, “Be kind.”

PHOTO: Alex Munoz, 9, was invited to meet the CEO and CFO of Kind Snacks at the company's New York City office after writing a letter to the company.
Alex Munoz, 9, was invited to meet the CEO and CFO of Kind Snacks at the company's New York City office after writing a letter to the company.