“This is a passion project for me,” says Dustin Williams, Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce president. “When I started at the Chamber, I thought, we have got to have an entrepreneur day. These kids have talent that needs to be highlighted and given a platform.”
Two years into Dustin’s tenure, the Chamber parking lot is full of vendor tables manned by up-and-coming entrepreneurs ages 7 to 17 at the Next-Gen Entrepreneur Day.
“This event is just a way for these guys and girls to get out there and promote themselves and give them that platform.”
Crochet flowers by Madison Chai
The inaugural Next-Gen Entrepreneur Day attracted 34 participants, many encouraged by parents, teachers, and other Chamber members.
“We wanted everybody to be out here. We reached out to different schools: public, private and home school,” says Dustin. “Thirty-four is our baseline now; every year we want to grow from there.”
Crochet artist Madison Chai registered for the Next-Gen day on a recommendation from a teacher at Fuquay-Varina Middle School. Her display table featured plushies, key chains, and — the literal centerpiece — a bouquet of flowers, all created by her practiced hand.
“I wanted to pick up a new craft,” says Madison, an eighth grader who has been crocheting for three years. “It was hard in the beginning but got easier over time. I started with the plushies, then started searching for patterns for other things. That’s how I saw the flowers. I thought, that’s really pretty; I bet I could do that.”
Next to Madison, sisters Saniya and Shea Woodard display custom T-shirts they designed for their brand Simply Me = Positive You.
Saniya and Shea Woodard, Simply Me = Positive You T-shirts
“There was a period of time where I was experiencing a lot of drama with girls, a lot going on at school. (Designing shirts) was an outlet and a creative way to spread positivity to people, and to lift our spirits as well. Pouring into something that’s good, that can better the world, lifts the spirits,” says Saniya, a high school junior.
“We all design on our own, then bring it together to create a shirt,” says Shea, adding that their brother, Steven, is also part of the team.
One of the trio’s designs, entitled “Movement Is The Gas For Learning,” is inspired by their mother’s own small business, Dropping Seeds in Motion.
“It teaches kids science through movement,” says Sesha Woodard, mom to Saniya, Shea, and Steven. “There’s so much research showing a direct link between physical activity and academic success. That’s what I do, and I train teachers to do the same.”
Sesha helped the girls channel those early negative school experiences into a positive result.
“I’m a mom. I wanted to know what happened at school, but I hear a lot of negative. Do you think there is something you can do to circumvent that? So they started thinking about it and decided to make T-shirts,” she recalls.
Olivia Jordan, Lynne & Ink hand-drawn cards
Other budding businesses present included The Pet Palace, selling dog treats and toys, Baker’s Banners, offering custom hand-painted celebration banners, and Lynne & Ink, displaying hand-drawn greeting cards.
“I love to draw, and I love mushrooms,” says Olivia Jordan, the artist behind Lynne & Ink, showing off her one-of-a-kind cards. OIivia’s table also displays a picture book titled Watch the Birds with Me that she illustrated.
Hand-drawn cards by
Olivia Jordan
“My mom wrote the book to honor her grandmother,” says Olivia.
“It was great to work with her,” says Toshia Jordan, mom to Olivia. “She does the drawings so quickly. There’s so much skill there.”
“Olivia draws for herself mostly, so this is a great opportunity to spread and share and learn some skills. I have a small business, so I love her having those core skills, to be able to learn to make sure you count your money and pricing strategy.”
“I coached them on relationships,” says Dustin of the young entrepreneurs. “You can be the smartest kid or teen at your school, but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know how to build relationships, if you don’t know how to talk to people.”
“These kids were interacting with (Chamber) board members, business owners, political figures, people that run companies — you will never get that at school.”
Follow the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce on social media for information about other opportunities and next year’s event.
Emma Baker, creator of Baker’s Banners, chats with Dustin Williams, president of the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce.
