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be a child entrepreneur
Nothing beats real-life experience of being an entrepreneur. There’s only so much we can teach children in the confined space surrounded by four walls. We can drill in the importance of pitching, the art of negotiation, or the technicals of making the financials work — but until we hit the ground running and actually start a business, all these would only be a blurry appreciation.
In Chinese, we have a saying, 纸上谈兵, the literal translation means discussing warfare on paper; there’s still a big gap between discussing strategy and practically fighting a war. The actual experience of working on a business gives you the skill to negotiate and tweak your pitch according to your style and delivery, and not according to the textbook best practices, the unpredictability of customers’ responses and situations challenges your ability to be flexible, think out-of-the-box, have grit and resilience.
FAQ
How do I start?
- Form a team of 2 or 3 children with ages 5 - 16
- Decide your business name and what you want to sell
- Apply for a booth by filling in the registration form
- Pay for the booth rental & you are now an entrepreneur!
How long is the fair?
It is 2 hours long. Please be prepared to come in 30min before the fair to set up your booth and 30mins to pack up.
How much is the booth rental?
It is $10 per booth.
Who can apply for the booth?
Any child between ages 5 and 16. There is a minimum of 2 business partners and maximum of 3 business partners in each booth.
When can I apply?
You can apply as soon as you are ready!
How many booths are there?
We are targeting 20 to 30 booths, of which 15 booths will be available for public to apply. The remaining booths are reserved for parents who are members of the Self-directed Life Community and students who are enrolled in NEW SCHOOL Learning Dojo’s entrepreneurship courses. Self-directed Life and NEW SCHOOL Learning Dojo are the organisers of the Fair.
What happens when the booths for public are all taken up?
We expect booths to be taken up quickly, so do register as soon as you’re ready. Should they no longer be available, you’re encouraged to sign up as members of Self-directed Life or enroll in NEW SCHOOL’s entrepreneurship course to get priority to register the booths.
What can I sell?
Pretty much anything that involves some level of making and can fit into a space that’s about the size of a table. You may sell a product, or you may sell a service you provide. Selling that involves trading is NOT allowed (taking finished products bought from somewhere else and sell in the fair). Also, no selling of second-hand items. Of course, no selling of things that are prohibited by Authorities and potentially dangerous items – Do your own research to check if what you want to sell is allowed by the Government!
Do I have to find a business partner in order to set up a booth?
Yes! Having a business partner means you will have someone to bounce ideas off with. You will also have more help to market your business and get it off the ground. And it's more fun with friends! In real life, many people also start businesses with partners as there are many things to do when running a business. Note: we are willing to consider a solopreneur on special circumstances, especially for sensory/ special needs.
Why can’t I have more than 3 business partners?
Have you heard ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’? It is hard to come up with an agreement that will meet everyone’s needs when too many people are involved. Also, we want everyone to be actively involved in managing the business. No sleeping partners!
Can my siblings younger than 5 years old join?
We know how much fun this is, and you naturally want to involve as many of your family and friends as possible, including the little ones! However, we want our young entrepreneur to have unhindered experience to fully take charge of their business, and sometimes having an adult to mind your younger sibling may hinder this experience. (See our Terms #5 - 8.) Nevertheless, we know each child and each family is different. Speak with us if you think you have an independent <5 year old, and we'll decide on a case-by-case basis!
What is the Startup Pitch Competition?
Booth owners have the option to participate in the Startup Pitch Competition to win prize money to further expand their businesses outside of the Fair. Judges will visit participating booths during the Fair, children will have 1.5 minutes to pitch their product and business, and another 1.5 minutes to answer some questions. There will be an Award Ceremony at the end of the Fair. Joining this competition is completely optional and it's free to join once you are accepted as a booth owner.
What is the Entrepreneurship Course and is it compulsory?
The Entrepreneurship Course is an optional course offered by NEW SCHOOL Learning Dojo, the organisers of the Children's Entrepreneurship Fair. If you are unsure what to sell or need more guidance to improve your marketing skills, you’re welcome to sign up for the course at an additional fee. More details at the bottom.
Who are the organisers of Children’s Entrepreneurship Fair?
The Children’s Entrepreneurship Fair (CEF) is organised by Self-directed Life (under legal entity Eyan Partners Pte Ltd), NEW SCHOOL Learning Dojo, and a group of dedicated volunteers. Self-directed Life supports a community of likeminded parents and educators in their parenting and education journey. We believe that there are many alternative paths to educating our children in an interest-led, self-directed manner… and running a business is one! Self-directed Life organises monthly guest speaker events and community connect sessions. Join a community of parents, educators, and invested forward thinkers who believe in transforming education for our future generation.
NEW SCHOOL is a microschool that offers weekly alternative education programmes to children below the ages of 12. Our signature programmes are Fairy Storytellers, Guided Projects and Guided Nature Walks.
Register a booth 👇
TERMS
- The CEF committee will take care to limit the number of businesses in specific categories to avoid having businesses with similar concepts. If a new applicant’s business idea is similar to entries that were accepted before the applicant’s submission, the committee will notify the applicant and provide the opportunity to resubmit a new application.
- Applicants must be between the ages of 5 and 16 on the date of the Children’s Business Fair (3rd Dec 2023). Age Group: Primary 5 - 12 Secondary 13 - 16 For mixed ages, the category will be based on the oldest participant.
- There must be a minimum of 2 children and maximum of 3 children in each business.
- This Fair is designed to give children entrepreneurs a taste of selling and owning their business. Please let them have this experience by supporting their wacky ideas and letting them work out any difficulties (other than health and safety issues)
- Children entrepreneurs are responsible for the setup, sales, and interaction with the customers. Parents assisting with transporting products and set up materials are highly encouraged to leave immediately to let the children complete their set up, and to return at the official start time of the Fair.
- Parents whose children are young, or require accessibility or allied assistance, may sit in their booth, but the children entrepreneurs are responsible for all aspects of their business. The children have gotten so far to produce their businesses and put up a decorated table, they have more tenacity than you think to deal with customers and difficulties along the way.
- All parents are highly discouraged from helping children sell or promote to the customers at the Fair, although parents may coach their children how to pitch and market before the start of the Fair
- Should there be mistakes or further room for improvement observed during the Fair, we strongly suggest adopting the “Hands Behind, Lips Sealed” strategy and let our children entrepreneurs reflect upon and discuss this with you post Fair.
- Permission is granted for me and/ or my child to be photographed, recorded, and/or videotaped in any form of media for the purposes of assessment, planning, evaluation, documentation in blogs/ newsletters, public or private events, and for publicity. Such photograph(s), video recording(s) shall remain the property of the Self-Directed Life.
Not sure what to sell yet? Join the Start Your Own Business Entrepreneurship Course
The Start Your Own Business Entrepreneurship Course will help children ideate, plan, and prepare for the fair. Children go through a series of videos and discussions and then get a step-by-step real-life walkthrough of setting up their very own business. By the end of the course, they will be fully prepared to sell their products and services at the fair. Areas of practice include packaging & marketing, role-playing pitching & negotiation, and financial management. As this course is a hands-on course, children may be required to bring materials they need for the fair to class. This course works best (and is the most fun) when enrolled together with their business partners (children participating in the same fair booth).
Even if you already know what you want to sell, attending this course will help you sharpen your selling skills. Kids, (even adults!) have found this course very useful!
This entrepreneurship course is jointly designed by NEW SCHOOL learning dojo and Kubrio (previously known as GalileoXP). For ages 6 to 16.