The Orlando Children's Business Fair (OCBF) was a one-day marketplace, where children debuted their innovative products and inventions and built marketing strategies at the Orlando Public Library. Staff interviewed the category winners to learn more about their business and experiences at the OCBF.
Sophia A. received a $50 award for Best Presentation/Creativity for her business SophiArt345 which sells custom artwork both hand and digitally drawn. Sophia is 12 years old and in middle school.
How did you come up with your business idea?
I wanted to save up for a computer so I decided to sell my artwork. By purchasing a computer, I will be investing in my company because I’ll be able to create digital artwork.
What products did you sell?
I sold greeting cards, prints, magnets, coasters and custom artwork which I designed on my iPad.
How long did it take you to build up your inventory for the Orlando Children’s Business Fair?
A month and a half. It took a lot of hard work but I think it was worth it.
How much money did you make?
I think it was about $200. It was definitely more than I expected!
What careers are you considering?
I definitely want to have a career involving art but I also love to animate so that would be another of my career options.
Celeste Kuri runs Super Soaps. She is also 12 years old and received a $50 award for Highest Business Potential.
How did you come up with your business idea?
I started making soap as a hobby when I was about 9 years old. I made them for fun and I didn’t think I would get anywhere with them. I gave them to my family. When I heard about the fair, I thought that I could make soaps because I love making soaps. One of my cousins is allergic to a lot of things. So I decided to color and scent them with natural products. I have colored my soaps with turmeric and beet root and scented them with essential oils. My parents helped me a lot along the way.
How long did it take you to make the inventory for the fair?
It just took me about four or five days to make all of the soap.
How much of it did you sell?
I sold about 25%. I haven’t made a profit on it yet, so I’m going to keep selling the rest of the soap, and I hope to make a profit soon.
What careers are you considering?
I want to stay with Super Soaps even when I grow up and I want my children to inherit it, but it will just be one of the things I want to do. I want to be a movie maker and write books and stories and be an animator.
What do you like about the library?
I go to the library all of the time and the staff is really great and everything is awesome.
How can people support your business?
My website is supersoapsusa.com and I have a Facebook page.
Nathan Eule is an 8-year old who started Happy Earth Soap Company. He makes soaps and uses the profit to support good causes. He won the award for Most Original Business Idea.
How did you come up with your business idea?
We were making creams for Christmas, and I thought it was really fun. Then one day my mom took us to Feeding Children Everywhere and I decided I wanted to do a project at my school and I came up with my business. We have special occasions at my school like Family Fun Night and a carnival where I’ve sold my soap. I’ve been doing it for about a year now.
How much did you sell at the Orlando Children’s Business Fair?
$167.50
What was the hardest thing about having your own business?
The hardest thing is probably worrying about if the soaps will actually be good. Sometimes I worry that they get moisture crystals in them, and we can’t sell those.
What did you learn from your experience at the fair?
It was fun to see what scents people liked at the different places. At my school, they liked Aruba Coconut, Eucalyptus Spearmint and Fruity Fusion. At the Business Fair, people liked Lemon Tea Cake, Aruba Coconut and Strawberry.
How do you come up with the scents and names?
We buy from Bramble Berry and they already have the names. We look at the scent and if it looks really good we’ll try it.
What careers are you considering?
I want to be a botanist.
