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Registration is now OPEN! So get those creative juices flowing and apply to showcase your very own business at the fair!
Acton Children's Business Fair Washington, MO
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
12:00AM - 12:00AM
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About the fair
COULD A TEN-YEAR-OLD INVENT THE NEXT ÜBER?
Find out at the Washington Children’s Business Fair, showcasing kids’ entrepreneurial genius!
On February 9th from 10-12pm, the 1st annual Washington Children’s Business Fair will host up to 50 young entrepreneurs at the Clearview Elementary School Gymnasium. This event is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
One previous competitor from 2009, Makaila Ulmer of Bee Sweet Lemonade, now 10 years old, will be on hand to promote other children in their business efforts. Mikaila’s Bee Sweet Lemonade is now sold in Whole Foods Market here in Texas as a result of her young business savvy.
This event is sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, and the generous support of our donors and volunteers, who 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 one of the thousands of unsung business owners across this country, these entrepreneurs are the people who make sacrifices to innovate, create jobs, and serve their communities.
“Today’s youth are tomorrow’s business innovators and leaders. The Children’s Business Fair gives students the opportunity to spread their entrepreneurial wings and get a head start on promising business careers,”
~Jeff Sandefer, founder of the Acton School of Business, one of the sponsors of the fair.
For more information, please take a look at the FAQ section! It details information on what types of businesses will be accepted, what information you'll need when registering, how much it'll cost, and a whole lot more.
Hosted by
Lindsey Michalowski
🗓️ Started hosting in 2018
🚀 Has hosted 1 fair
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.
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 50 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?
Does it cost anything to bring my business to the fair?
Yes. There is a $15 fee for each business that participates. This fee is due withing 5 days of the accepted businesses being announced. Accepted business will be announced on December 17th, so payment will be due by December 22nd. Business will be able to pay directly to the host, Lindsey Michalowski, or online through PayPal. Payment is non-refundable.
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 a tented indoor event. Each business will be given a booth with an 8-foot table and 1-2 chairs. Table cloths 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.
