Young entrepreneurs showcased at Atascadero Plaza
Atascadero Jr. CEO Program teaches youth about business, entrepreneurship
– Two dozen Jr. CEOs set up booths at the Atascadero Plaza in the culmination of the five week “Jr. CEO Program.” The children and youth attended five zoom meetings during which they were coached by business leaders about marketing, bookkeeping and other aspects of operating a small business.
On Saturday, the Jr. CEOs set up booths and sold their products and services to the general public. The goods and services included pies, cup cakes, lemon bars, bird houses, jewelry, art work and services like art and logo development, and recycling services.
Jonah Mosher is a 7th grader at Flamson Middle School in Paso Robles. He sold pies that he baked. He said he learned baking at the Culinary Arts Academy last summer. His grandmother said, “He’s an excellent cook. He prepared a steak dinner for me recently, and it was doggone good. I told him, ‘You can cook dinner for your grandmother, anytime.’”
Jonah said he learned in the Jr. CEO Program about “Food safety, marketing, and stuff like that.”
Ayden Kneeskern of Atascadero sold a recyclable pick-up service to North County Residents. Although his booth offered information about his business, he approached pedestrians and pitched his service to those who visited the Plaza on Saturday. He said he learned customer service working at his grandmother’s Gatherings Thrift and Collectibles Store in Atascadero.
Atascadero Chamber of Commerce CEO Josh Cross purchased products at each booth for a gift basket to be given away or auctioned off at the chamber’s gala dinner. He also sampled pies, lemon bars, cupcakes and other food which was perishable. He said, “This has been a very successful program and a lot of fun. We hope to do it again.”