Students in 1st through 12th grades are invited to participate in the Young Entrepreneur Fair at the Cleburne Chamber Business Expo on October 5th, 2019, 9am-3pm. This event will take place at the Cleburne Conference Center and admission is free to the public. 

Check out these photos from the 2018 Fair.

Overview 

• This is an opportunity for students to launch their own startup business and showcase/sell to the public at Cleburne’s premier community event, Business Expo.
• Open to local students in grades 1-12.
• Businesses must be operated by the student. Parental guidance is permissible (particularly in the younger grades), but the bulk of the business must be done by the Young Entrepreneur.
• Registration includes submitting an application no later than September 18 and paying the registration fee once notified of acceptance.  Cost to participate is a $10 booth fee.  Electricity is an additional $5, limited availability. Payment will be required by October 1.
• To prevent over-duplication of any one product or service, all applications will be reviewed before selection. A minimum of 20 students will then be invited to participate in the Young Entrepreneur Fair.  All applicants will be notified by September 20.

Launch Party 

The Cleburne Chamber will host a Launch Party for all Young Entrepreneur Fair participants and their parents on Tuesday, September 24, 5:00-6:30pm at the Cleburne Conference Center.  The Launch Party will be in the theater, same venue the Young Entrepreneur Fair will take place during the Business Expo, October 5.  Pizza will be provided during the information session from 5:00-5:30pm.  Starting at 5:30pm the students will have the opportunity to give a short (three minutes or less) verbal presentation about their business to guest & judges present.  This is optional, but points will be awarded for participating. 

Resources

Free logo creator online https://hatchful.shopify.com/

10 Steps to Start Your Business – Small Business Administration https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/

POINTS AND PRIZES

Students can earn points for promoting their business and the Young Entrepreneur Fair. Prizes will be awarded for 50, 75, and 100 points. Additionally, point totals will be used to determine Judges’ Choice awards near the close of the Young Entrepreneur Fair.

How To Earn Points

• [10 points]  Design your own logo.
• [10 points]  Create your own business sign featuring your logo.
• [10 points]  Participant or parent share the Young Entrepreneur Fair event on Facebook and tag Cleburne Chamber of Commerce.  If social media is not an option, other forms of promotion will be accepted as long as a copy is provided to Cleburne Chamber.
• [15 points]  Create an advertising sign (max size 16×20 inches) to be posted around the Conference Center during the expo. Something like this: “Come see the [Name of your business] booth, part of the Young Entrepreneur Fair in the Conference Center Theater!”
• [20 points]  Give back! Designate a non-profit to whom you will donate a portion of your proceeds or donate a prize to the Business Expo Silent Auction (value of $10-25).
• [25 points]  Attend the Launch Party on Tuesday, September 24^th at the Conference Center Theater.
• [35 points]  Give a short verbal presentation about your business to our judges at the Launch Party.

Awards

• Judges’ Choice* Grades 1-4
• Judges’ Choice* Grades 4-8
• Judges’ Choice* Grades 9-12
• Most creative
• Best verbal presentation (from the Launch Party on September 24)
• People’s Choice (voted on by the public at the Young Entrepreneur Fair/Business Expo on October 5)

*For Judges’ Choice, the earned points will be combined with the judges’ scores to determine final award.

Awards will be held at 2pm in the theater at the Young Entrepreneur Fair on October 5. Anyone is welcome to attend!

FAQ

Are non-profit businesses allowed?   Absolutely.

Was this at Business Expo last year? Yes! Last year it was called the Children’s Business Fair, but we felt Young Entrepreneur Fair better described the concept.