Young entrepreneurs get a chance in the business world on Small Business Saturday

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) – As more young people explore entrepreneurship, one local program is helping them take their first steps in the business world.

November 30th marks Small Business Saturday, celebrating its 10th year. It also marks the second year of the pop-up retail event, where young business owners showcase their talents.

These young entrepreneurs are learning what it takes to run a business, from creating marketing materials and handling customer interactions to fully understanding their products.

We spoke with Jim Spencer, Executive Director of the Bluefield, West Virginia Economic Development Authority.

He explains how this program fits into a larger initiative called economic gardening, designed to foster the growth of the next generation of entrepreneurs in the region.

He said, “The business that they’re doing Saturday is not the permanent business, but they’re learning a lot of the basics of entrepreneurship and then ultimately, they’ll figure out what their niche is and what the product they want to sell. We’re hoping to stay in contact with these young entrepreneurs and help them through the process. And we have other resources. We have an entrepreneur’s boot camp they could participate in and other things, but the goal is to grow that next generation of entrepreneurs.”

The youth pop-up retail sale takes place at Craft Memorial Library from 10 AM to 3 PM.

This event is open to all aspiring young entrepreneurs across the state not just those in the Bluefield area.

A few spots remain, and you can apply by emailing to jspencer@bluewv.org or dpuckett@bluewv.org.

Copyright 2024 WVVA. All rights reserved.