Lockport entrepreneur to host Children’s Business Fair

When Ashley York approached the city of Lockport to partner with her to host a children’s business fair, the city thought it was a great idea.

“Because it’s a great event for kids to spark their interest and their imagination to create and sell their products,” said Allison Cann, Lockport’s marketing and special events coordinator.

York, owner of Realtopia Real Estate, also is partnering with Lupine Montessori School to host Acton Children’s Business on Sept. 17 on the lawn outside Lockport’s city hall. The business fair will feature 40 young entrepreneurs from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Applications are now open and York said there are about 20 spaces left. Products so far will include handmade jewelry, crocheted items, pizzelles, keychains, handmade soaps and pressed flower art.

To participate, children must “create a product or service, develop a brand, build a marketing strategy and then open for customers at this one-day marketplace,” according to a news release announcing the event. “The children are responsible for the setup, sales and interacting with customers.”

Admission to the fair is free and York hopes the greater community comes out to shop.

“I’m just really excited to be able to support these kids,” York said.

The Acton Children’s Business fair is a gift from Jeff and Laura Sandefer, who created the first fair in 2007 in Texas, and provides a kit for its coordinators, according to the Acton Children’s Business Fair website. The Sandefers also founded the nonprofit Acton Academy network, which focuses on learner-driven education.

Benefits of entrepreneurship to kids

Tina Davidson, head of Lupine Montessori in Lockport, said she heard about the children’s business fair from the Lockport Chamber of Commerce and already knew its benefits. The adolescent program at Lupine runs its own business – Map Inc. – by selling handmade products and food, Davidson said.

“They get so much pride from the work they do.”

“Hot sellers” included stuffed dolls, watercolor bookmarks, crocheted bookmarks, decorated plant pots and rice Krispies, Davidson said. The young entrepreneurs also create and sell kits, such as bird feeder kits, that parents and children can assemble together.

“The kids love it, and they get the direct results of seeing the impact from the things they make,” Davidson said. The direct impact includes people praising how delicious a food item is or the beauty of a suncatcher.

These entrepreneurs learn about marketing, budgeting, profit and loss, and how to evaluate why some items sold well and others did not, Davidson said. They also gain a “unique sense of self-esteem” by becoming a contributing member of society. The students then use their profits to fund extra programs and events.

“They want to become more self-sufficient and not have to ask their parents for additional money for the things they want to do during the year,” Davidson said. “So when they make that goal, they make sure they raise that much money. They have philanthropic goals, too. They want to give back to the community.”

For instance, the students donated coats and other winter clothing to families in need and money to a local animal shelter with the money they earned, Davidson said. They even donated $1,000 last year to the school’s tuition scholarship program. And that’s just with an average of four to 10 students in that program.

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“They have this sense of purpose. I think that’s the heart of it all,” Davidson said. “It’s just an assignment, do something and turn it in. They know whatever they’re going to make will make an impact on whoever buys their product.”

Bringing a business idea to life

York said her daughter Emily York, 8, of Homer Glen participated in a similar business fair in the spring and really enjoyed it. So York wanted to bring the event to Lockport.

“She called it ‘Emily’s Picture Shop,’” Ashley York said. “She drew pictures of different scenes and came up with prices. She probably made over $50. It was really cool.”

Emily York said she actually made $58 dollars by laminating and then selling her drawings of sunsets, beaches, outer space, doughnuts, coffee and themes of family and friendship. Her top seller was her coffee, and one customer said that “when she gets crabby, it will remind her to drink coffee,” Emily York said.

But the highlight was when her best friend bought a drawing, Emily York said. She hopes kids get involved with the children’s business fair Sept. 17.

“Because it’s fun,” Emily York said.

Davidson said the main difference between the Lockport Children’s Business Fair and, say, a lemonade stand, is that customers aren’t guaranteed with the latter. People will come out to the Lockport Children’s Business Fair, and she hopes even people who don’t have children in the fair attend, too.

“Come and see what a little bit of the future looks like,” Davidson said. “What these young adults are interested in, what they’re passionate about, what they can do – and be impressed by that.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Lockport Children’s Business Fair.

WHEN: 9 to 11 a.m. Sept. 17.

WHERE: Lockport City Hall, 222 E 9th St. Lockport.

ETC: Hot and iced coffee for the adults, DJ and there will be free community raffles. Event T-shirts for the kids.

REGISTER: childrensbusinessfair.org/lockport.

INFO: Contact Ashley York at 708-307-9616 or ashley@realtopiaRE.com.