Lehi People
Teen entrepreneurs showcase innovation at Christmas market
Megan Wallgren | Lehi Free Press
Young entrepreneurs filled the gym at Skyridge High School on Dec. 10 to sell products and pitch ideas at a semi-annual teen entrepreneur market. The event is part of a collaborative entrepreneurship program run by teachers across local high schools.
For many students, it was the first time turning an idea into a real product and learning firsthand what it takes to attract customers, adjust pricing and make sales. Products ranged from crafts to food to tech.
American Fork students Chloe Sharp and Brinley McCain debuted Custom Coze, offering personalized hoodies with custom appliqué designs. The event was their first-ever sales opportunity, and they took a few orders.
“This is our first sale because we created the business for our entrepreneurship class,” Sharp said. “We want to support creativity and comfort with unique designs.” The pair gathered contact information from several interested customers and left with valuable feedback about pricing and demand.
Skyridge’s Liberty McMillan sold “Adventure Belts,” a lightweight webbing belt inspired by her father’s forgotten belt on a trip to New Zealand. “I’ve sold two tonight,” she said, proud of her 70% profit margin. “They’re great for pickleball, hiking and Christmas gifts.”
AF student Thomas Eaves created an app to connect contractors and real estate agents. “Agents can submit a request and a contractor can submit a bid back. It can get contractors deals and make it easier for real estate agents to close their deals,” Eaves said.
Though there was only a little interest in his app at the market, Eaves still enjoyed the experience. “I thought it was fun to come up with the idea, then see where it would take me,” he said.
At another booth, Lehi High School student Chase Reese displayed handmade leather goods. Reese and his father started “Stone Green Leather” in 2014. Reese appreciated the chance to participate through his entrepreneurship class. “It helps teens understand they can start their own business,” he said. “It’s not just for adults.”
The teen market was a showcase of students from entrepreneur classes across Utah County.
“We’ve been doing this about five or six years now,” said American Fork teacher Calvin Barnum. “We outgrew our first venue at University Mall. Now we sometimes have up to 200 booths, each with two or three students. That’s around 600 students actually being entrepreneurs for a day.”
The teaching philosophy behind the expo is simple: let students do business, not just learn about it.
“My students love it even though they don’t all sell a ton of stuff. Some of them come and lose money. But the experience is actual, real world. They get to keep the profits, they get to incur the costs,” said Skyridge High School teacher Tyler Plewe. “It’s a perfect model for what it’s like to be an entrepreneur. The disappointments, the triumphs, the challenges, the fun, being your own boss. It’s a little microcosm of all of it, all wrapped into one.”
The program also extends far beyond a single class. The teachers have launched a nonprofit, the Teen Entrepreneur Support Center, designed to connect young business owners with mentors and community support. Students from any Utah school are welcome. Colleges and organizations attended the event as well, hoping to recruit the kind of innovative, self-motivated students who thrive in entrepreneurship.
“This is really the best of the best,” Barnum said. “More universities and employers are looking at portfolios and things students built from scratch, not just GPA.” The teen entrepreneurs market is held twice a year, before Christmas and before Mother’s Day. For more information about Teen Entrepreneur Support Center, visit teenentrepreneurship.org
