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Hosted at The Columbia Museum of Art!
KidPreneur Expo @ The Columbia Museum of Art
Saturday, October 21, 2023
10:00AM - 2:00PM
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About the fair
Observe the opportunity for children 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 35 booths at the 1st annual Life Ready Learners Children's Educational Business Fair at the Columbia Museum of Art! This event will be held on October 21st from 10am-3pm.
Location: Columbia Museum of Art 1515 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201
Location: Columbia Museum of Art 1515 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201
This event is sponsored by 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
Kiyana Thomas
🗓️ Started hosting in 2022
✅ Identity verified
⭐️ 3.0 (2)
Our hybrid school and pop-up events are dedicated to ensuring that kids gain vital skills necessary for daily life. We offer a wide range of age-appropriate courses and events tailored to the unique needs of children. Our programs are designed to help kids develop important social, emotional, and practical skills that will help them succeed in school and beyond.
Through fun and interactive activities, we teach children how to communicate effectively, manage their time, become more responsible, and learn essential life skills. Our experienced teachers and educators are passionate about instilling confidence and independence in each child. We believe that every child has the potential to be successful, and we are committed to providing them with the tools they need to reach their goals.
- Safe & Welcoming environment
- Comprehensive life skills curriculum
- Promoting positive child development
- Engaging courses for development
16 booths participating
Q Cleans Shoes
Natalies inquiry bags
And 14 others.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?
The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. The largest entrepreneurship event for kids in North America, this one-day market gives children the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses.
How many businesses will you accept?
We will accept up to 35 businesses.
Where should I begin?
Start with our resources page. Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills.
How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group?
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.
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 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 hosted inside the Columbia Museum of Art Commons area! Each business will be given a table and 1-2 chairs. Tablecloths will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity.
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 the competition.
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, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves.
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.
