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 XX booths at the second annual event at XXX on XXX 2020 from 10:00am – 2:00pm.
The rain date will be XXX, 2020..
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.
Holly Chang / Kerron Miller Tracy Stuger Scott / Duane Scott
We are a team of local parents, who want our children to learn about entrepreneurship in a practical and fun way.
Our goal is for kids to acquire essential entrepreneurial skills - grit, listening, communication, creativity, critical thinking, time management and collaboration.
We also want children to understand that success doesn't always come easy. Success, in fact, is all about trying, learning and getting better.
We invite you to join us and ignite your child’s entrepreneurial passions!
Hosted by
Holly Chang
🗓️ Started hosting in 2018
✅ Identity verified
🚀
Has hosted
6 fairs
Organizers
Holly Chang / Kerron Miller Tracy Stuger Scott / Duane Scott
We are a team of local parents, who believe that our children can learn about entrepreneurship in a practical and fun way.
Our goal is for kids to acquire essential entrepreneurial skills - communication, creativity, critical thinking, time management, collaboration and grit.
It is important for our children to understand that success doesn't always come easy. Success, in fact, is all about trying, learning and getting better.
This event is sponsored by the generous support of Takoma Park business owners and volunteers, who all believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role models for the next generation.
2023 summer we were incredibly honored to be the recipient of the 17th Annual Azalea Awards as Youth Leaders by Takoma Foundation.
🔥We invite you to join us and ignite your child’s entrepreneurial passions!🔥
What is Takoma Park Children’s Business Fair? Takoma Park Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. The largest entrepreneurship event for children in North America, this one-day market gives children the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses.
When and where will it be held? The second annual Takoma Park Children’s Business Fair will be held XXX, 2020 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at XXXX. Businesses can start setting up at 9:00 am.
What is the rain date? The rain date will be XXXX, 2020..
Who can participate? Children who are ages 6 to 14 on the date of the business fair can participate.
Scholarship and assistance are available, please email us! tkpkcbf@gmail.com
How does it work? Young entrepreneurs submit an application and then begin to build a product or service. They plan their business at every level: product/service, marketing, accounting, cost of goods, pricing, and more.
Accepted applicants will sell their product or service to real customers from a booth at the fair.
How many businesses will you accept? We will accept up to XX businesses.
Is there a fee to participate? We will collect a $20 participation fee from all accepted businesses. The fee will be collected online via Paypal prior to the fair.
Where should I begin? Start with our resources page.
Business Ideas for kids from other fairs all over the country!
How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group? Application must be submitted online by XXX, 2020. Please submit one application for each business. Children working as a group should submit one application that includes each child’s information. Space are limited and can be filled very quickly, we encourage siblings or friends to team up as one application so more people can participate. No more than 3 participants per business. If children of different age groups submit a business together, they will be judged in the age group of the oldest participant. Applications will be accepted for the 2020 business fair from XXX through XXX 2020.
What is on the application? The application asks children 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?
How will the fair be set up? The fair will be a tented outdoor event with booths. Each business will be given a booth with an 8-foot table (to share with one other business), full-cover tenting, and 1-2 chairs. Table cloths will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity. Here is a site plan.
Will electricity be available? Unfortunately, we are not able to provide electricity to the booths.
Will there be prizes? Yes. We believe that starting and running your own business is its own reward, but in order to recognize those entrepreneurs who go above and beyond, we have awards in specific categories:
Most original business idea Best branding/marketing Best sales presentation/pitch
All entries will be automatically entered in the business competition. The competition will be judged according to the following four age groups: 6-7, 8-10, 11-12, and 13-14. If children of different age groups submit a business together, they will be judged in the age group of the oldest participant.
Judges will ask the entrepreneurs questions about the fundamentals of their business, such as how they came up with product prices and who their target market is. Judges will also evaluate how much of the business reflects the child's own work (versus the parents'). Prizes will be presented at the end of the fair.
What are the rules? This event is designed to give children the experience of creating a business and selling a product or service. If a parent is found creating a business for a child or selling or promoting a child’s product or service, the child’s business will be disqualified from consideration for an award.
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.
What advice do you have for parents? Please remember to keep this about the children. Let them imagine, create, and problem solve. Your job is to maintain enthusiasm and provide encouragement.
Keep it simple. This is a children’s fair. Let the business plan, booth, and sales reflect your child at her/his best, not your best.
Let your child do the work. Let her make mistakes and learn from them. Let him problem solve and come up with his own solutions. Let her be messy! Let your child be the Chair of the Board, CEO, and owner of his/her ideas.
If your child gets stuck, return to the key question for her entrepreneurial journey: “What can I make with my own hands that others might enjoy?”
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.
We invite you to celebrate the power of entrepreneurship with the following sponsorship levels. Your sponsorship provides resources for young entrepreneurs, and benefits your business through our marketing to parents and the larger entrepreneurship community in Takoma Park.
Please email us tkpkcbf@gmail.com if you are interested in becoming a sponsor or donate now!
The Acton Children's Business Fair does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin and admits and gives all hosts and participants access to the same rights, privileges, programs and activities.
