The ʻŌpio Mākeke 96792 inspires our youth to discover their inner entrepreneur. This one-day marketplace gives young leaders the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses, offering a platform to develop their skills and creativity while connecting with the community. Through this mākeke, we empower the next generation of entrepreneurs in Waiʻanae, fostering leadership and innovation right here in our moku.

We will accept up to 27 businesses. Food businesses will be limted.

Start with our resources page. Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills.

Application must be submitted online. Please submit one application for each business. Children working as a group should submit one application that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business.

The application asks kids to think through some simple, but important elements of their business:

What product or service do you plan to sell?
What price will you charge for each product/service? How much will each product/service cost you?
How will you pay for your startup costs? If someone is helping you with your startup costs, how will you pay that person back?
How will you advertise/market your business before the fair?
At the end of the fair, how will you determine if your business was a success?

Two cupcake businesses? Not a problem. In general, we will let market forces play out, though we will let later entries know if another applicant has a similar idea so the later entrant can decide what to do.

The mākeke will take place in an air-conditioned room, with additional outdoor booths available. Each business will be provided with a space that includes a 6-foot table, full-cover, and 1-2 chairs. Please note, tablecloths will not be provided.

We have a limited number of spots available for businesses that require access to electricity.

This event is designed to provide children with the opportunity to independently experience selling a product or service. While we value the support of parents and guardians, direct involvement in vendor booth operations can take away from the learning and growth this event is intended to foster. Allowing children to take the lead will ensure they gain the most from this unique experience. We encourage parents to cheer their keiki on from the sidelines and trust in their abilities to shine. As this is our second fair, we want to maintain its focus as a truly child-centered event. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in making this a special day for the kids!

Parents of younger children may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales. Your booth should STAY open for the entire 3 hours, if the youth cannot be there the entire time, their booth space will be forfeited.

Parents may help their child fill out the application, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves. I

Jeff and Laura Sandefer and a few other families wanted to spark a sense of wonder and entrepreneurship in their children so they created the first Acton Children’s Business Fair in Austin, Texas, in 2007. That year, there were seven entrepreneurs and around 25 attendees. Now, there are over 115 entrepreneurs and 1,500 attendees at the Acton Children's Business Fair in Austin.