NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) \u2014 Children became business owners at the first Lowcountry Children\u2019s Business Fair.<\/p>\n
Twenty-one vendors created a product, designed their booth and sold to customers in Park Circle. <\/p>\n
The children sold homemade sweets, 3D-printed designs, and bracelets. To continue the celebration of each business, each owner got the chance to ring a bell after getting their first customer.<\/p>\n
The businesses were judged by volunteers for originality, highest business potential and best presentation and creativity.<\/p>\n
For the six-to-eight age group, mini makers won the most original idea for their 3D designs; Hayden baked goods and lemonade won best potential. <\/p>\n
Bath bomb baker and Cutie card tied for best presentation and creativity for the nine- to 12-year-olds. For the final group, ages 13 to 18, Cream cycles won best presentation and Willa\u2019s jewelry won best potential.<\/p>\n
Learning entrepreneurship<\/p>\n
Arrie Seals, founder of Children\u2019s Muse Academy, created the fair in partnership with Acton Children\u2019s Business Fair. Seals said she wanted children to make their ideas into real businesses and profit.<\/p>\n
\u201cEntrepreneurship is all about trying,\u201d Seals said. \u201cYou really got to take a leap of faith. So, I\u2019m really glad that their parents signed them up so they can give it a shot and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neveah Swanson, owner of Cutie Cards, said she turned her interest in art into a business.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really liked art and so I decided to make that into a business,\u201d Swanson said. \u201cIt took me a while to learn that like you have like to not just make every card by hand but like I ended up making one card and then making it into taking it to the printer. And they would print them all, so I\u2019m not doing every single card by hand.\u201d <\/p>\n
Swanson started the business three years ago when she was just in fourth grade. Now, with the support of her family, she\u2019s working on a website, has created a Facebook page, and has learned how to streamline her creative process. <\/p>\n
Terra Gooden, a sixth grader and owner of Sweets by Terra, said her mother\u2019s business inspired her.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mom owns a business. I want it to be just like her, so I made my own business and took a sniff it and made it my own,\u201d Gooden said. <\/p>\n
Once trying, she hopes other kids will just trying a business idea. But importantly, starting this business has helped her understand how to handle business expenses on her own.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot how to handle money,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve also learned how to keep things sanitary and how to do things correctly, so it doesn\u2019t go wrong.\u201d <\/p>\n
Family support<\/p>\n
Christopher Smalls, owner of CJ\u2019s Cool Cup Creations, turned one of his favorite snacks into a business with support from his mother, Stephanie Smalls.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has been asking me for a while to start an Italian ice business,\u201d Stephanie Smalls said. \u201cAt first, I didn\u2019t think that he was serious because he likes to eat Italian ice. But he kept asking and he kept pushing and when we saw this opportunity for the kids\u2019 entrepreneurship fair, we decided that this would be a great place to start.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stephanie Smalls said the fair gives children a chance to learn what it takes to run a small business.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that this is a very great space for the kids to start at least because they could see that it\u2019s a lot of hard work,\u201d she said. \u201cWe started maybe a few weeks ago getting all of the equipment and everything together. So, I think this is a great opportunity so that kids can learn how to become entrepreneurs and how to run a small business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christopher Smalls said customers are supporting his business.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told my mom, I wanted to create Italian nice business and she said yes,\u201d he said. \u201cNow I get now I get to do it. And from now on, everybody\u2019s coming to my business. Everybody is supporting my business.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Seals, the event was about serving children and showing them their potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren are our future leaders and we have to uplift them because they\u2019re precious now,\u201d Seals said. \u201cI\u2019m just trying to serve the children.\u201d<\/p>\n