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Little bosses, big business
Photos by Alphonso Abbott Jr.
BRIDGET ELAM
THE CHRONICLE
What are kids doing
while out of school this
summer? Video games?
Endless social media in
teraction? Maybe for some
kids, but there’s a group of
kids who are busy being
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CEOs of their own compa
nies. And they showcased
their talents and products
on Saturday, Aug. 9, at a
youth vendor fair hosted
by Pop Events Studio.
Saliah Rice, the owner
of Pop Events Smdio and
Pop Balloons Decor Ga
lore, hosted the Kiddiepre-
neur Pop-up Shop event at
her smdio located in the
Marketplace Mall in suite
9B.
“I’m always seeing
pop-up shops for adults.
I wanted to shine light on
some young entrepreneurs.
It’s amazing what these
young people have accom
plished and how knowl
edgeable they are about
www.wschronicle.com
their products.”
Rice is using the youth
pop-up shop as an introduc
tion to the Young Business
Entrepreneur Academy, a
comprehensive business
school for young business
owners. The academy will
start accepting enrollment
applications later this year.
She said it would place
emphasis on money-sav
ing practices and brand de
velopment.
On Saturday, there
were 27 youth-led busi
nesses represented. The
young entrepreneurs, who
ranged from ages three to
16, displayed an array of
products from books to lip
gloss to clothing lines.
Jamaica Gainey, the
16-year-old author of “You
Are What You Think,” was
the keynote speaker of the
event. She launched her
book with a book signing
during the pop-up shop
and reportedly sold out.
Also at the event was
Blair Noelle, a 4-year-old
author, who presented her
book, “A Trip to Blair’s
Closet.” She also owns an
online boutique and is cur
rently selling her clothes
in a beauty supply store in
Greensboro.
Kenyota Crocket, who
assisted Rice with the
event, and whose 7-year-
old daughter, Leiah Crock
et, owns LCLOVE, a lip
gloss and accessory busi
ness, said she saw how
proud the vendors were
to advertise their items to
their consumers.
“It was our main goal
to build confidence by
giving them the oppor-
tunity to lead through
their sales,” said Kenyota
Crocket. “Leiah was able
to display her sparkle glit
ter lip gloss with matching
handbags. She also had an
opportunity to launch her
very own make-up play set
at this wonderful event.”
Rice plans to have an
other Kiddiepreneur Pop-
Up’ Shop in November,
as well as a vision board
party for young entrepre
neurs.
“The vision board par
ty will help me understand
what the kids want to do,
to see where their passions
lie. From there, I hope to
link them to Black busi
ness owners who are doing
it.”
For more informa
tion about the Kiddiepre
neur Pop Up Shop or the
Young Business Entrepre
neur Academy, Rice can
be reached at 336-893-
8707 or 336-497-8943.
Also, you may email her
at info@popballoondecor.
com.