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GROW YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
Children's Business Fair by The Collective
Sunday, September 24, 2023
9:00AM - 1:00PM
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About the fair
Observe this 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 8 booths at The Collective, located at 407 Uluniu Street in Kailua on September 24th, 2023 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. In addition to supporting the young vendors' booths, and enjoy the tasty menu at the new Lilikoi Kitchen, inside The Collective.
This event is hosted by The Collective Gallery LLC, with sponsorship from Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, Next Great Adventure, and the Lilikoi Kitchen. A modest booth fee of $30.00 covers execution costs, and will mostly come back to the kids in prize money.
Cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit in our youth is a foundational undertaking for the future of our communities. Unsung small business owners make sacrifices to innovate, create jobs and serve the public. This fair intends to promote and inspire the confidence and acumen of child-entrepreneurs in the community.
Hosted by
Brett Fillmore
🗓️ Started hosting in 2023
✅ Identity verified
⭐️ 5.0 (1)
The Collective Tattoo, Cafe, and Gallery (407 Uluniu Street) hosts the Children's Business Fair as a way to extend business opportunities to school-age kids. Through collaboration with Lokahi Kailua Market, the fair operates within an existing market setting. Doing business right next to grown-up vendors solidifies the value of the experience. Please come by The Collective or visit us at www.thecollectivetattoocafeandgallery.com for more about our business and community activities.
8 booths participating
Self Care Kids
Trail Treats Kailua
And 6 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?
Based on venue size, and being the first event, we will accept 8 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.
How much is the booth fee?
$30.00 is a modest booth fee to help the organizers cover operational costs, with an expectation that some or all of that money will come back their way via prizes. Full disclosure of accounting will be available -- we are not in this to make money. Accepting booth fee via PayPal after submitting your application.
How much is the booth fee?
$30.00 is a modest booth fee to help the organizers cover operational costs, with an expectation that some or all of that money will come back their way via prizes. Full disclosure of accounting will be available -- we are not in this to make money. Accepting booth fee via PayPal after submitting your application.
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 an outdoor event with booths. We are working to acquire banquet tables for use, and 10x10 tents for borrowing, but if applicants can provide their own, you'll be glad you did (reduces stress and uncertainty). The Collective will have some chairs for borrow but again, bringing your own is recommended. Table cloths will not be provided.
Will electricity be available?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide electricity to the booths, as we cannot provide it to all participants uniformly.
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.
