NANAIMO — Around 100 budding entrepreneurs are ready to put their business development lessons to the test.
The first ever Kidovate market day in Nanaimo is Saturday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Nanaimo North Town Centre, with around 80 tables registered for the event, which has grown considerably in Victoria over the last six years.
Co-organizer Brock Smith said expansion of the program was designed to allow more youth to participate, which is being reflected in registrations from students in Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Duncan, Courtenay, Campbell River, Port Alberni, and more.
“We started off by offering them a graphic novel workbook, it’s about 25 pages long, and it helps them think through some of the key business decisions that they would need to make with their micro business. If they have further questions, we connect them with a UVic business student to be a mentor, so somebody who was in their shoes a few years ago but now has some business courses under their belt.”
All entrepreneurs are in grades six to 12 and will be offering a wide array of goods for sale on Saturday.
While some booths will have electronic payment methods, cash is recommended, with participants keeping all the money they make.
Registration in Kidovate for participants was free.
Co-organizer Claudia Smith said the program has grown exponentially over the years, and the opportunity to bring it to Nanaimo and connect with youth up Island was too good to pass up.
“Our real expansion hopes for Kidovate…was to make that opportunity available mid-Island, and we’re just thrilled to see the interest, participation, and work that these young entrepreneurs have put into being ready for Saturday’s market day.”
Nanaimo’s market day comes one week after the annual Victoria event, which drew around 230 youth across 150 different tables to the Bay Centre on Saturday, April 11.
Brock said they had more customers than any year previous.
He added getting young business owners off to the right start is imperative to their long term success.
“We realized through our own research that if we want to create more entrepreneurs as adults, we need to plant the seed early and give young entrepreneurs a positive early entrepreneurial experience. We really encourage people to come out and support these young entrepreneurs, even if they don’t end up buying anything, talking to them, asking them about what they did, and their thinking process and engaging them goes a long way to help them feel like they’ve had a successful experience.”
Financial support for the program comes from Community Futures Alberni-Clayoquot, who selected Nanaimo as a central location for all Island students north of the Malahat.
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