Page 30 December 2 016 By Rachael Bouley O n a cool Saturday morning in November, the AZ Children’s Business Fair made its debut in the Arcadia neighborhood, giving local kids the chance to turn their creative ideas into a reality. Over fifty local children brought their imaginative business ideas to life at the Arcadia Neighborhood Park, where the community was invited to stop by and shop a variety of booths featuring homemade products such as bath soaps, paintings, t-shirts, essential oils, note cards and much more. While the fair has been hosted in downtown Phoenix at the Arizona Center for the past few years, this marked the first time the event took place in Arcadia, offering a unique opportunity for local children. Arcadia resident Aaron Klusman organized the event with the help of sponsor Acton Academy, his friends, neighbors and the local community. Klusman said that a lot of business owners and entrepreneurs wanted to help young kids learn the basic principles of economics and the business world, including providing a product with value and presenting pitches confidently. While the AZ Children’s Business Fair will return to downtown Phoenix in the spring, the plan is to hold an annual event in Arcadia in the future. While over sixty children participated this year, Klusman is hoping to expand the event, and would like to make it an annual occurrence. While the event would not be possible without the help and support of Arcadia parents who oversee the logistics of their child’s booth, the kids are encouraged to take the reins and be responsible for their business. “At the end of the day, it’s the kid’s booth, so there is as little parental involvement as possible,” Klusman said. “We give kids the chance to do it on their own, that’s the goal.” A few weeks prior to the big event, all the participants were invited to attend a pitch night, where they learned the basics of economics, including how to make a profit, set a price, and provide value to their customers. They then got to practice their pitch with adults and other students. “With kids it’s fun to watch because they are super shy and nervous the first time, and once they realize they can do it they open up and start sharing more,” Klusman said. “It’s just great to see kids develop these skills of talking to adults and feeling confident in their ideas.” “They teach them an economics lesson about the cost of materials, profit and figuring out the perfect price,” said Sarah Cole, mother of 13-year-old participant Ian. “If they sold too low, yes, they sold everything, but they could have made a little more money if they sold it for a dollar more.” This introduction to economics was rewarding for Noelle Foote, a nine-year-old homeschool student, who participated in the event for the first time and sold a selection of bracelets, rings and accessories made of multicolored rubber bands called a rainbow loom. “I think it went really well and I think it’s really fun,” said Foote. “I like to sell my product and make rainbow looms for my customers.” Ruby Dessaules, an eleven- year-old student at Madison No.1 Middle School, is a veteran of the Business Fair, having participated a total of three times. With the help of her friend, Ruby had a booth with a variety of bath and beauty products, an idea she developed with the help of her grandma. “I just love this business fair,” Ruby said. “It’s engaging and it’s a way to get involved.” A panel of notable community members, many with business and entrepreneurship experience themselves, served as judges for the event. They faced the tough task of handing out awards for Most Original Business Idea, Best Presentation/Creativity, and Highest Business Potential, each for one of the three age groups. The judges, all notable community members in Arcadia, visited each booth, asking questions about the products, listening to the children’s pitches and watching them interact with their customers. Some of the winning ideas included orange peel candies, t-shirts and paper planes. “I think it’s awesome. It’s such a great opportunity for kids to be able to come together and be creative, and it gives them an outlet to show what they’ve been working on and their creativity,” said Coley Arnold, one of six judges. “I’m an entrepreneur, so I love supporting other ones. It’s really fun to see what they come up with and I’m impressed.” The children found inspiration for their business ideas from a variety of sources, including secret family recipes, favorite activities and much more. Tiffany Bowers, a thirteen-year-old student at the Arizona School for the Arts, sold her handmade necklaces and hair accessories. She began creating jewelry as a weekend hobby and it soon turned into a legitimate business idea. “She originally made a necklace because she went to the store, saw the price tag and how the necklaces were made, and thought she could do better herself,” said her proud father, Harold Bowers. “I think this AZ Children’s Business Fair lets local kids sell their own ideas It’s such a great opportunity for kids to be able to come together and be creative, and it gives them an outlet to show what they’ve been working on and their creativity.” ‘‘

Page 31 December 2016 You’ll never make a bigger choice. HonorHealth.com/cancercare opportunity helps her because she wants to go to Harvard and all the money she earns is saved in the bank. It gives her hope that if she can sell at the fair, she can sell somewhere else.” Tiffany said her experience at the Business Fair has helped her strengthen her presentation skills and gain confidence. “I know how to talk to people and I am comfortable with public speaking,” she said. “I’ve grown very used to sales pitches.” Original ChopShop Co. co-founder and judge Ryan Jocque said that one of the best parts of his role as a judge was seeing the excitement on the kids’ faces as they presented their hard work. “The children are really getting out there and pitching themselves and standing behind their product,” Jocque said. “It’s a confidence builder for them. I’ve seen that they really believe in their product. You can tell the kids picked out what they wanted to do and it was something they were passionate about.” PHOTO BY JONATHAN AMMON