Young entrepreneurs were hard at work this summer selling their products and services.
Biz Kids took to the Bonnyville Centennial Centre to celebrate another successful season on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
The event showcased what each entrepreneur had to offer, and allowed residents to ask questions and purchase local products. Lemonade, slime, and fresh produce were just some of the things up for grabs.
The Biz Kids Program pairs 10 to 16-year-old entrepreneurs with mentors in the community. They advise them on the best practices and give them tips on how to run a successful business.
Workshops were used to outline what’s expected of everyone involved, and teach them how to operate their small businesses, including applying for a business license for July and August. During that time, the young go-getters have to participate in two public events.
In most cases, the kids come into the program with an idea already in mind.
“It’s usually one of the first conversations we have with them, if they don’t know already,” explained Phyllis Maki, general manager of Community Futures Lakeland.
The local branch organizes the event every year, and strongly encouraged those involved to choose a product or service they’re passionate about.
For some, the idea came from a family member.
This was the case for the creators of the Honeybeez Wax Cloth Wraps. Brothers Coen and Kalix Karras got the idea from their mother.
The food wraps are made of organic cloth and natural ingredients. They come in three sizes, and can be used for up-to a year with proper care.
“We ended up choosing to do this since we wanted to do something that is safer for the environment,” explained Coen, 12.
The pair joined the program so they could get help starting their business. They used Biz Kids to learn the ins-and-outs of running a small business.
“Community Futures really helped us start out,” Kalix said.
He noted, the program gave them some start-up cash, and taught them how to make their own product.
Biz Kids started in 2001 as ‘I want to be a millionaire’ by Community Futures Lakeland.
Maki said it was revamped to allow participants to do what they wanted.
“There was things with the program, at that time, that just weren’t really working for us in our community,” she explained.
Thus, in 2015, Biz Kids was born.
Quiver Hockey owner, Isiah Watters, joined the program to sell custom hockey sticks, a hole in the market he felt his product could fill.
“There’s already hockey sticks in store that people are already buying,” he explained. “I want custom hockey sticks that fit the person, like a certain curve. If it didn’t have that curve, they might not buy my stick.”
Being a part of Biz Kids made Watters realize just how much work goes into running your own business. He plans on using what he’s learned to decide whether or not to continue with Quiver Hockey.
Some participants used their location to their advantage. For example, Maki said, kids staying at local campsites would “set up their stuff in a wagon and sold it around the campground.”
Being a part of Biz Kids gives youth the opportunity to learn what it takes to run a business, and could help them later on when they’re deciding what to do with their future.
“When you think of small towns, it’s the small businesses that keep us going. When they have the opportunity to find out what it’s like to run a business, it gives them a real reason to go off, gain some life experience, get some education. Even if they don’t have a job back in their hometown, they know what it’s like to run a business,” expressed Maki.
She added, Biz Kids “plants a seed” for young entrepreneurs to take chance by opening up shop, selling their own products, and contributing to the community they grow up in.
