Vaughan Mills showcases child entrepreneurs with Kidpreneur Market program

Market features 50 young business owners under the age of 17 from across GTA

Yorkregion.com
Aug. 16, 2022
Brian Capitao

The next generation of entrepreneurs is upon us.

Kidpreneur Market, a program highlighting child entrepreneurs is happening in Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre until Aug. 21. The Kidpreneur pop-up market has kids switch out throughout the program to allow different kids a chance each day to get their time to shine. The market features 50 young business owners under the age of 17 across the GTA.

On Thursday, Aug. 11, a panel discussion with entrepreneurs was held at the mall where the young entrepreneurs could ask seasoned entrepreneurs the secrets to their success.

Ten-year-old Lyla Hill and her mom, Sonia Porretta, were in attendance. They run a DIY custom slime kit operation called Slime Time.

“I started the company when I was eight. July of 2020,” said Lyla.

“I don't think that this business would have started unless she had the free time that COVID gave us,” said Porretta.

“I'm a teacher, so I was sent home and didn't go back for a while. So we had time on our hands, and instead of them on their phones all day long -- and there was very limited school work being done at that point -- we thought ... Yeah ... Maybe ... She wanted to start a slime business, and I thought, ‘Well, I don't think anybody's going to buy your slime during a pandemic, right?’” said Porretta.

But Lyla kept persisting. Now, Lyla runs a successful business with the help of her mom with around 400 followers on Instagram, rebuilding after her first account that amassed 900 followers was hacked.

But sometimes success has its own challenges.

“New level, new devil,” said Julie Cole, owner of Mabel’s Label and one of guest speakers, during the panel discussion.

That's a reality that even budding entrepreneurs are faced with.

“Well, there's some days where I get like a lot of orders, like, let's say for holidays and stuff. I remember there was one time on Mother's Day, I had like a lot of orders and I was struggling to kind of keep up with everything. But yeah, it wasn't really that bad because my family and my friends and stuff helped to prepare the stuff and to deliver orders and everything,” said 14-year-old Khya Osmond, owner of Kaboom Sweets and Treats.

A portion of the profits from the individual businesses are donated to various charities they believe in.

“I wanted to make a goal for myself to try to also make some money and as well send some to the Epilepsy Foundation,” said 16-year-old high school student and entrepreneur Gabriella Cruz.

“I have epilepsy. I was diagnosed at the age of nine,” said Gabriella.

For budding entrepreneurs, a key lesson is remembering their reasoning behind the business.

“Sometimes a challenge may be getting back up ... remembering my ‘why,’” said Marlene Spence, panel speaker and creator of Reward’um, a company that gives parents visual schedules to make sense of their busy lives.

“You have to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” added Cole.