Young traders show off their business skills on Small Business Saturday in Horsham
10 Dec 2019
On Saturday 7 December, alongside the hardened Horsham Market stallholders, students from five Sussex schools demonstrated their entrepreneurial skills by selling products from new businesses they have set up for this year’s Young Enterprise competition.
Appropriately, it was Small Business Saturday and two companies from Millais Girls School and one from Collyer’s College in Horsham, joined Hurstpierpoint College and Imberhorne and Sackville schools from Mid Sussex in competing for Best Trade Stand, as part of the Young Enterprise competition for this area.
The Small Business Saturday event and Young Enterprise’s involvement was co-ordinated and supported by Horsham District Council.
A dry, calm day meant the rookie traders from Young Enterprise were able to make some significant sales, with some very appropriate Christmas products for around the tree and stocking fillers on offer.
Each company, which runs for one whole academic year and has to set up as a proper business, receives mentoring from local business people. They learn how to manage finances, write a business plan, market their products and in most cases manufacture them as well.
The Horsham Christmas trade fair is an annual event which gives the companies their first real taste of selling to the public and the students gain a mass of experience from the day. The products on offer ranged from hand-made dolls made from recycled material, a gym in a bag, hair scrunchies and charms and key rings.
The student companies were judged by local businessman, Steve Fowler, who asked lots of probing questions but also offered advice and feedback about their stall displays and customer service skills. There was a £50 prize up for grabs for the Best Trade Stand. On the day the prize went to the Hurstpierpoint College company: ‘Reco’, who manufactured recycled material dolls with a strong environmental message.
The next part of the competition sees all companies taking part in a Dragon’s Den style Boardroom session at the beginning of February, when they get to present their business ideas, performance data, successes and challenges.
The final showcase and awards event takes place at the end of April where the area’s Young Enterprise Company of the Year winner will be crowned. The winner and runner up go on to the County Finals in May and potentially all the way to National and European Finals later in the year.