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Budding JA entrepreneurs pitch their tents to pitch their products
Chatham This Week
Emily Paige
Wednesday February 13, 2008
A new generation of entrepreneurs filled the Downtown Chatham Centre last Saturday.
Three Junior Achievement companies pitched their products to shoppers, hoping to boost their sales before the end of their 22-week program.
Seventeen-year-old Katryna Wieringa has been involved in the JA program since Grade 9. The business adventure has given her many skills that she said will help carry her into the future.
"It's a really good learning experience in general," Wieringa said, adding that people skills become the top priority.
"You start a company from nothing basically."
Wieringa -- who is acting as vice president of human resources for her company, Flame Frame -- said she and her team got a slow start, but they've since built some momentum.
Last year, she was a member of the company Tab-It, which brought national recognition to Chatham-Kent's JA program for the first time. That company created bracelets out of pop tabs and strips of leather. They were named best product of the year by JA's national parent.
Another company that's trying to cater to customers is the Baskets R Us company.
Dustin Austin, 16, said he and his team have created baskets for anyone of any age and for any occasion. He said they are also offering a two-for-one deal for baskets they prepared for Christmas.
The baskets include activity pads, crayons, finger paints and other extras for kids, and adult baskets contain items such as candles and oven gloves.
JA's most original idea this year was designed by Jazzy Prints.
The environmentally-aware company is selling T-shirts depicting different designs. The T-shirts are silk screens with home-made materials.
Jazzy Prints will be donating its profits to The New Beginnings Clubhouse, which in turn will plant trees within the community.
Program manager Charles Dulong said Jazzy Prints came up with an idea he hasn't seen used for a long time.
"It took a lot of creativity to come up with this," he said.
Dulong credited all the companies for their dedicated and hard work to create and sell their products.
The companies meet once a week for three hours, during which time they produce their product, and then hit the streets for door to door selling.
He said it's difficult to say which team will turn the largest profit. That won't be known for another nine weeks.
Dulong said companies decided amongst themselves how their profits are shared, although JA encourages them to give back to the community.
For more information on our Tree Planting Initiative, click here
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