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River Oak Academy’s 7th Children's Business Fair
Saturday, May 18, 2024
12:00PM - 3:00PM
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About the fair
Observe the opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business!
Children 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 30 spots at the 7th event and will be sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, River Oak Academy, 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
Mary Shaeffer
🗓️ Started hosting in 2017
✅ Identity verified
⭐️ 5.0 (3)
We are a team of passionate entrepreneurs, educators, mentors, and parents, who want our children to learn about entrepreneurship in a practical and fun way.
21 booths participating
Adrienne's Beaded Accessories
I.S.A. Isabella Stylish Accent
And 19 others.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Children’s Business Fair?
The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneurs. The largest entrepreneurship event for children 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 30 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?
An 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. Fee is per child and not per business.
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?
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 in an outdoor field. Each business will have to bring their own tent, table and chairs. Tents, tables, chairs, tablecloths or decorations will not be provided. Please bring your own.
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 are 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.
