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Too old to participate in the fair? Youth Volunteers, ages 14-18, can post flyers and business cards for their own businesses on our Volunteer Board and gain some visibility in the community. CONTACT US for more information!
Children's Business Fair - North Guilford
Saturday, June 18, 2022
1:00PM - 4:00PM
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About the fair
Observe the opportunity for children ages 6-14 to launch their very own startup business!
Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
We will host up to 50 booths at the 2nd annual event in Oak Ridge, NC on June 18, 2022 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
This event is sponsored by Beacon Academy--a new micro-school local to Stokesdale, Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, and the generous support of our donors and volunteers. We all believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role models for the next generation.
Whether an entrepreneur is famous like Elon Musk or Oprah Winfrey or they are one of the thousands of unsung business owners across this country, these are the people who make sacrifices to innovate, create jobs and serve their communities.
Hosted by
Meredith Carlton
🗓️ Started hosting in 2018
✅ Identity verified
🚀 Has hosted 5 fairs
Beacon Academy sponsors this event for children in the community. We are a team of passionate entrepreneurs, teachers, mentors, and parents, who want our children to learn about entrepreneurship in a practical and fun way. Our goal is to inspire young people to find a calling and change the world, and we believe entrepreneurship skills are a key ingredient for turning one's vision and talents into reality.
Want to find out more about our school? Learn more at beaconacademyNC.org.
Want to find out more about our school? Learn more at beaconacademyNC.org.
22 booths participating
Happy the Birthday Bird
Molly's Creative Crafts
And 20 others.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?
The Acton Children’s Business Fair is the largest entrepreneurship movement for kids in North America, and inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. Each fair is a one-day market which gives children the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses.
How many businesses will you accept?
We will accept up to 50 businesses.
As a young entrepreneur, where should I begin?
Step 1: Watch this video about CBF to be inspired!
Step 2: Come up with a business idea (it could be a physical good like original artwork, homemade candles, jewelry, etc.; or it could be a service like selling punch cards for future dog-walking or lawncare).
Step 3: Register your business for the fair.
Step 4: Prepare your brand, product, and display.
Step 5: Come set up shop at one of the booths at the Children's Business Fair in Stokesdale on Saturday, June 18th!
Step 2: Come up with a business idea (it could be a physical good like original artwork, homemade candles, jewelry, etc.; or it could be a service like selling punch cards for future dog-walking or lawncare).
Step 3: Register your business for the fair.
Step 4: Prepare your brand, product, and display.
Step 5: Come set up shop at one of the booths at the Children's Business Fair in Stokesdale on Saturday, June 18th!
How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group?
Applications 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.
What is on the application?
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?
What is the cost to register?
There is a $10 Registration Fee for each participating business. Young Entrepreneurs should include this as part of their "start-up" costs when calculating their profits at the end of the fair.
What if someone else has the same business idea?
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.
How will the fair be set up?
The fair will be an outdoor event with booths. Each business will be given a booth with a 6-foot table and 2 chairs. We encourage entrepreneurs to bring their own table cloths and creative displays. *We also recommend bringing a pop-up canopy for some shade.*
Will electricity be available?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide electricity to the booths.
What are the rules?
This event is designed to give children the experience of selling a product or service. If a parent is found selling or promoting a child’s product or service, their child’s business will be disqualified from receiving awards.
Parents of younger children may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales.
Parents may help their child fill out the application and set up their Venmo QR Code, but we encourage the children to do as much as possible by themselves.
See our Participant Information sheet for more details.
See our Participant Information sheet for more details.
How did the Acton Children’s Business Fair get started?
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.
