Cultivating the next generation of small business owners

Heather Graves

Staff

July 26, 2023

GREEN BAY – Each Wednesday from May through October – give or take a day due to weather – 10,000-15,000 folks from throughout Northeast Wisconsin and beyond head downtown to attend the Farmers’ Market on Broadway.

Now in its 20th season, the market offers entrepreneurs of all varieties – from bakers and chefs to farmers and crafters – a chance to sell their creations to customers. 

Thanks to On Broadway, Inc. – the organization that hosts the market – the next generation of entrepreneurs now have a chance to get in on the action through the nonprofit’s recently launched Mini Boss program.

“It gives them a sense of what it means to own a business,” Allie Thut, director of special events, On Broadway, Inc., said. “This is a fun way to start cultivating our future small business owners.”

The pilot program, Thut said, aims to provide young, budding entrepreneurs a chance to see what being a vendor at the On Broadway Farmers Market is like, while sharing their product(s) with the public – most likely for the first time.

“This exposure to a large crowd is a valuable teaching opportunity for children who are trying to experiment with their skills and creativity,” she said. “The market draws between 10,000 and 15,000 people each week, and this is another chance for our market-goers to find unique products while encouraging our youth.”

Six Mini Boss On Broadway spots will be occupied by young entrepreneurs at the Farmers’ Market on Broadway each Wednesday from Aug. 2-23. Photo Courtesy of On Broadway

The Mini Boss program – which highlights entrepreneurs 15 years old and younger – will run Wednesdays during the Farmers’ Market on Broadway from Aug. 2-23.

Kid entrepreneur businesses selected to participate in the Mini Boss program were notified July 24.

Each week, Thut said On Broadway will announce which young entrepreneurs will be featured at the market that week.

The response, she said, has been very positive.

“Four days after we opened registration, we already had nearly 25 submissions,” she said. “The program allows kids to tap into their creativity to make products they’re proud of.”

A jump start
Thut said those who participate in On Broadway’s Mini Boss program will gain foundational business skills, financial literacy and responsibility – with the overall goal being to empower them to be future entrepreneurs.

She said there is no defined path to entrepreneurship and for some, it can start at a younger age – and could even start through the Mini Boss program.

“I think part of it is the responsibility of holding a kid accountable at a young age as they start thinking about their future,” she said. “They can start getting that business sense and learn how to handle money, which, I think, is probably one of the biggest things to give kids at an earlier age – the understanding of saving and spending wisely.”

As part of the program, Thut said each participant will receive a packet outlining the market process.

She said each participant varies in age, skillset and business plan.

Allie Thut

“We’ll educate them a little bit on maybe how they want to do their booth setup and display their items to promote success,” she said.

Thut said during this first year of the program, kid entrepreneurs will likely also utilize guidance and support from their parents.

“I think it will be a bit of teaching from parents as well, especially with the transaction of money that will be happening,” she said. “There will be a supervisor of some kind there – whether that is an On Broadway staff, volunteer or parent – that will watch over them at the market.”

Beyond 2023
Thut said this first attempt at the Mini Boss concept will aid On Broadway in planning for the future of the program.

“I hope we can continue the program for years to come,” she said. “If we get enough interest, who knows, maybe we can even expand and have more than six kids at each market doing it.”

In the future, Thut said the program could also potentially offer mentoring from current farmers market tenants – and “become even more of a process.” 

“This first year is about piloting the idea and gauging interest,” she said. “Hopefully, we can grow it more in the future.”