Young Entrepreneurs Learn Business at Sunset Mall

The Candy Store

Jacob’s Candy Parlor was founded in 2014 by fourth-grader Jacob Flint, son of John and Ami Mizzell-Flint. In front of him is a table displaying a wide assortment of candy for sale, set up in the middle of Sunset Mall this weekend. There were 16 stores that were a part of Sunset Mall’s “Kid’s Inc.” where contestants are invited to set up shop for a day to sell their wares, said Sabrina Tatsch, Sunset Mall’s marketing manager. The event is open to kids from elementary school through age 18 and this is the second annual event.

For young Jacob Flint, the event taught him about merchandising. Having a candy selection that will attract a brisk business is no easy feat, he said.

“We went to Sam’s and picked stuff that sells good and has appeal to the kids.”

M&Ms were a staple. Jacob doesn’t care much for peanut M&Ms, but he made sure to include them because he said he knows many people like that peanut inside their M&M.  And then there’s Starburst chewable candy. “Starburst… I just love Starburst,” Jacob said. But he only selected the regular flavors of Starburst. Why? “The market would be equal, no matter what kind of Starburst.” Besides, when Jacob and mom were shopping for inventory, “I didn’t see the wild colors,” Jacob said.

Jacob packaged different candies into palm-sized gift packages based upon keen market insight. “I picked what was the most delicious. Girls and boys will buy them equally.”

Did he hire a marketing consultant to figure out what candy to inventory?

“My mom and I figured it all out,” he said.

Jacob will be in fourth grade at Bowie Elementary School next month. He wants to be a professional quarterback. “This year is going to be my rookie year [in the YMCA Youth Football league],” he said. “I actually want to play for the San Angelo Bandits.”

Clothing Accessories

Abigail Wright, a fifth-grader who is in a San Angelo home school group, owns Mae's Cute and Quirky Clothing and Accessories.

“When we decided to do clothing accessories, we tried everything,” Abigail said. What she focused on are two primary products: Bottle cap necklaces and necklaces made of different-flavored Tootsie Rolls. The bottle cap line was the most successful, she said. Inside the bottle cap affixed to a string loop is a unique design made from clippings of Origami paper. “We came up with the idea at the Hobby Lobby,” she said. “Because every design is different and everyone found them very appealing. We definitely had a lot of designs,” Abigail said.

And then there were the candy necklaces. “We picked the candy necklace because we thought it would be a big seller to kids in the mall,” she said. “We selected Tootsie Rolls because Tootsie Rolls are the most popular thing to put on a candy necklace,” she said.

What did she learn? “To be a very social entrepreneur. And to advertise!”

Overcoming Regulatory Obstacles

Willow Joyce will be a sixth-grader at Glenn Middle School this year. She was selling rubber band bracelets. There were three varieties: fishtails or chevrons, triple link chain (requires more bands and are bigger), and miscellaneous designs.

“At first, I made these for myself. And then I started selling them at school until they started shooting the bands at people’s faces,” she said. But Willow isn’t taking all of the responsibility for her peers’ breaking apart the bracelets and using the rubber bands to wage rubber band wars across the cafeteria.

Other people started selling unbranded knockoffs, she alleges. “I was the first one selling them, and then everyone started selling them,” Willow said. “People are buying them from other people, taking them apart and shooting them (rubber bands) at others,” Willow said.

“I was able to sell them almost the whole year until they banned them in March. They brought everyone into the cafeteria and talked to us," she said.

How did Willow deal with government regulatory powers?

“I stopped doing it for a little bit, and then this summer there is really nothing to do, so I started making them again,” she said.

When school starts next month, she said she’ll try to re-introduce the bracelets with the caveat that her bracelets are for wearing, not shooting.

“Business is fun. It’s not just all business. You can be creative!” Willow said.

Healthy Pet Food

Damien Camelbeck thinks pet dogs and cats should be able to eat healthy. That’s why he created a line of organic, all natural and healthy dog and cat snacks. He even had a line of home-baked dog cake pops for sale.

His company is Paws and Claws. “They’re homemade animal treats. They have no added flavors or coloring,” Damien said.

“These snacks are good for your cat, and your cat should like them very much,” Damien said, pointing to a package of snacks called Kitty Nams. Damien has three cats and all of them love the Nams.

“Kiss Me Cookies” are for dogs with bad breath. “They really work!” Damien said.

Damien said that he has friends who have dogs who eat the unhealthy store-bought dog food. He noticed that when he changed his own dogs’ food to the healthier ingredients, the dogs just seemed to be happier and healthier.

Damien has been selling the organic pet food for two years now. He learned from the experience at the same event last year. Most important, he said, was merchandising and packaging. This year, he has labeled, appealing packaging inside a pet store theme, complete with attractive dog bowl displays his booth. He has also invested in plant and equipment. He bought a larger oven so he can create more products, faster.

Damien will be in the sixth grade at Lincoln Middle School. Looking forward, he wants to be an entrepreneur after he gets his degree from Angelo State University.

Mall spokesman Tatsch said that this is an annual event. The ASU Small Business Development Center partnered with the mall to provide technical support and teach one class on entrepreneurship to all participants.