The North Hardin High School gym was converted into a pop-up shop for young entrepreneurs to give their business ideas a trial run.
With 25 local participants, the second Hardin County Children’s Business Fair was a hub for shoppers Saturday as they perused the variety of items ranging from dog treats to plants and jewelry to sweets.
“This is bigger than last year, so this is awesome,” event coordinator Juandalynn Heslop said. “We had more registrants and more community members come out.”
Selling baked goods and other sweets, Kinsey Fortenberry, 15, said business was better than she expected after participating in the event last year.
“Mom doesn’t bake and I like sweet things,” she said, adding she likes the business side of the event. “So if I want it, I have to make it.”
Sisters Tessa, 12, and Torre Traversa, 11, each had their own business at the fair.
Tessa’s venture, Timeless Notes and Treasures, had handmade pocket cards and also sold earrings and necklaces.
As Girl Scouts, the sisters completed their jewelry badge, which was a form of inspiration for Tessa.
“So that gave us the idea to do the earrings and necklaces,” she said. “So with the pocket cards, our grandmother, she likes to craft a lot, she gave us the idea.”
Torre, who had vinyl bookmarks filled with glitter for sale through Torre’s Stories, said business had been good for their dual-purposed booth.
Crystal Rogers and her daughter, Heaven, 9, came to the fair to support the young entrepreneurs.
Stopped at a booth called Glossy Ks, run by 12-year-old twins Keilani and Khloe Sparrow, which sold lip gloss and scrubs, Heaven was carrying a pillow, jewelry and sweets the two had purchased.
“I’ll all about local business and children make it better,” Rogers said. “If they are out doing something constructive, that is amazing.”
Across the way, Nolan Reyes, 11, was selling paracord bracelets and keychains. The business, Not Easily Broken, was inspired by Ecclesiastes 4:12, he said.
“The verse says, ‘And thou man might prevail against the one who is alone, two will withstand him — a threefold cord is not quickly broken,’ ” he said.
The products take around three minutes each to make, Nolan said.
“I have a measurement,” he said. “I usually take different bracelets and measure them to different people. I take one size and make it bigger or smaller or whatever is needed.”
While business was good for the participants, Legacy Foundation member and judge Kae Cooper said the most valuable lesson the children were gaining was how to advocate for themselves and their business.
“As a judge and also as a teacher of entrepreneurs, it is so beautiful to see young people so active and involved in the process of entrepreneurship, especially this early,” she said. “Just the fact that they’re out here is a success no matter how much they sell today. They’ll learn and they’ll grow from this.”
Also encouraged by what he saw, judge Jake Darabos from Abound Credit Union said he was glad to see children taking advantage of the opportunity to participate.
“Definitely from a financial perspective, we at the credit union spend a lot of time in the schools trying to teach kids these ages how to manage money, how to save, and these kids are definitely grasping it,” he said. “They understand finances, they understand savings, they understand building for their future.”
Heslop was glad the event all came together and received support from the community.
“The interaction, the community support, bar none, this has been wonderful,” she said. “Hopefully, we encourage these kids to continue to keep going.”
The fair was sponsored by the Radcliff Small Business Alliance, Abound Credit Union and other local businesses.
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