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More than 40 young entrepreneurs, ages 7 to 17, participated in Dripping Springs’ first Children's Entrepreneur Market at Red Arena on Sunday, Oct. 28. The market serves as a hands-on learning environment where children experience entrepreneurship by creating or sourcing a product, pricing it, promoting it, and aiming to make a sale.
Andria Dowie, the local market manager, called the program's first event in Dripping Springs a “huge success,” estimating that at least 500 people visited. Launched with just three locations in Utah in 2017, the Children’s Entrepreneur Market has since grown and hosted 304 markets, in 170 cities with more than 40,000 youth vendors participating. With demand growing, the market will operate in 24 states by the end of this year, providing young entrepreneurs with real-world business experience.
By providing children with high volumes of authentic interactions, the markets create an environment where participants learn and earn in a competitive setting. The program also offers support resources, including video lessons, curriculum, and a blog series.
For many young entrepreneurs, the market introduces them to production and planning skills to ensure they have a product ready to sell. Christopher Machado, 12, a homeschooled student from South Austin, showcased a selection of 3-D printed plastic animals, key chains and fidget toys. “It was a lot of fun, but I did it because I like making money,” Machado said, adding that each piece required hours of work and careful preparation to build his inventory.
Jackie Monroy Carillo chose to make dog treats for her booth, including liver treats, dried chicken treats, and dog biscuits. Her friendly engagement with shoppers drew visitors in, and she also offered “human treats” for customers not shopping for pets. The market featured a wide range of products, including handmade jewelry, art, toys, live plants, and food. One vendor created an original board game and had it for sale.
The Children’s Entrepreneur Market encourages creativity and business thinking by challenging participants to start a business idea and see it through, even if initial results are mixed. “Those who can creatively engage customers get the most sales,” Dowie said. “Attending multiple events gives kids a chance to try different approaches, learn from other young entrepreneurs, and find what works for them and their products.”
Participants pay a $25 registration fee, which covers market promotion and a copy of the entrepreneur curriculum. The organization also offers resources on its website and social media. “Hands-on experience is the best teacher, especially in a free-enterprise environment like our markets,” Dowie said.
Returning vendors receive a discount for their next market, and each participant gets a T-shirt that says, “I’m an Entrepreneur.” Volunteers, mainly parents, assist with market day logistics, including registration, setup, and teardown. “Parents always step up, which is a big part of why our events are so successful,” Dowie said.
The energy was high as shoppers browsed the booths. Dowie expressed gratitude for the support from Red Arena, where volunteers helped with parking, setup, and organization. “Many parents told us how grateful they were for such a well-organized event,” she said.
One parent shared, “Thank you so much. The market was organized, and the volunteers were helpful. I felt supported, and it was great to see the kids enjoy this experi-ence.” Comments on the market’s Facebook page were also positive, with Red Arena saying, “We loved seeing all of the amazing entrepreneurs today,” and one attendee adding, “These kids are talented, polite, knowledgeable, and great at what they do. Kudos to this program!”
The event was supported by sponsors including Alpha School, Angel Studios, The Draper Foundation, Food Truck League, Redmond, Yan Mou, the Dan & Heidi Hartle Foundation, 1-800 Contacts, and the Miner Foundation. Red Arena provided the venue.
In September, the program awarded over $65,000 in scholarships to support children’s businesses across the country, funded by donors.
The Children’s Entrepreneur Market will return to Dripping Springs on Feb. 8, 2025, at Red Arena, located at 2435 W. Fitzhugh Rd. Interested vendors should register early as spaces fill quickly. For more information, visit childrensentrepreneurmar-ket. com.
