Washougal entrepreneurs plan inaugural Children’s Business Fair

As the owners of Ashwood Taps and Trucks in Washougal, Megan and Tyler Davis know how challenging it can be to run a business.

“It’s not easy to have to put in that hard work and spend countless hours grinding,” Megan Davis said, “but it comes with its rewards.”

Now, the Davises want to help the next generation of entrepreneurs experience those challenges and rewards in a safe, positive environment.

Ashwood Taps and Trucks will host Washougal’s first Children’s Business Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 22.

The event will give children the opportunity to develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy and open for business at the one-day marketplace.

“We’re beyond excited to host this event,” Megan Davis said. “It’s a really great opportunity for kids to hone their entrepreneurial skill sets and do something in a safe environment where they get to learn from their own challenges and mistakes and opportunities. It should be fun.”

The event is free to attend and open to 20 applicants ages 6 to 14.

“It’ll be such an amazing feeling,” Megan Davis said. “Our journey as entrepreneurs has been challenging, but also incredibly rewarding, so to see that through the eyes of a child is going to be really fun.”

Megan Davis said she got the idea from a podcast that talked about the Acton Academy, a private school based in Austin, Texas, with more than 300 locations worldwide.

“The founders of that private school franchise started their journey with these children’s business fairs as an opportunity to give kids a way to just experience entrepreneurship firsthand, giving them the freedom to do it on their own,” Megan Davis said. “Since we have Ashwood available to host events, I thought, ‘Wow, what a cool opportunity.’ ”

The founders of the academy, Jeff and Laura Sandefer, held the first children’s business fair in Austin in 2007. Today, the Acton Children’s Business Fair nonprofit coordinates hundreds of entrepreneurial events for youth in cities around the world.

“Whether an entrepreneur is famous like Steve Jobs or Sara Blakely, or they are one of the thousands of unsung business owners across this country, these are the people who make sacrifices to innovate, create jobs and serve their communities,” the Acton Children’s Business Fair’s website states. “We all believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role models for the next generation.”

Each participant will be given a 6-foot indoor space to set up their business, but are encouraged to bring their own tables. Parents of younger children may help their child fill out the application and sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set-up, customer interaction and sales, according to Acton’s website.

“The children are in charge,” Megan Davis said. “From beginning to end, they are empowered to take care of the whole process on their own. That’s what I really like … some other business fairs might not be quite as ‘strict’ as this one.”

The event at Ashwood Taps and Trucks, 1535 E St. in Washougal, will feature a competition with third-party judges selecting the three top businesses to receive cash prizes.

“It is very open-ended,” Megan Davis said. “Kids are so creative when it comes to these types of things, if you just step out of their way and let them be. I’m really excited to see what everyone’s going to come up with.”

Megan Davis said she hopes the participants feel encouraged that they can perform a difficult task on their own, and see that their work can yield rewards.

“I feel like all those things are applicable to me and my husband as business owners,” she said.

The Davises are already planning to hold the event again in future years.

“I definitely think we’ll do it annually, if not semi-annually,” Megan Davis said. “I have no doubt that it’s going to be successful, and that the kids are going to have fun … I already have a big wave of kids that already know they want to do it next year, so it’ll be fun to keep it going.”

To apply, visit childrens businessfair.org/20309/booth_applications/new.

Doug Flanagan: 360-735-4669; [email protected]