Entrepreneurship and the Farmers Market
The time had come!
They’d been preparing for this for weeks. Our Eagles had taken time to get a deep understanding of their customers’ needs and prototyped different solutions that would meet those needs. They’d practiced critical personal selling skills and created a sales script for potential customers. Then, they built a sales plan that included what price they would charge, which market segments they would target, and the steps in the sales funnel that they would use to get them. They’d practiced, tested, and refined each skill. Then, they put all of this to test in the final exhibition—where they would find, attract, and close actual customers at the Kingwood Farmers Market.
They’d been preparing for this for weeks. Our Eagles had taken time to get a deep understanding of their customers’ needs and prototyped different solutions that would meet those needs. They’d practiced critical personal selling skills and created a sales script for potential customers. Then, they built a sales plan that included what price they would charge, which market segments they would target, and the steps in the sales funnel that they would use to get them. They’d practiced, tested, and refined each skill. Then, they put all of this to test in the final exhibition—where they would find, attract, and close actual customers at the Kingwood Farmers Market.
Each learner participated in selling their items at the Farmers Market. For most, it was their first time ever selling anything, for others, they offered constructive criticism to help their fellow learners improve their selling techniques.
While at the Farmers Market, learners took the time to walk around to the other booths to hear other entrepreneurs’ selling pitches, see their displays, and ask them questions about their business. Some even purchased from the other booths, and in return, the other booth owners returned the favor and purchased from theirs.
By the end of the day, our budding entrepreneurs discovered and learned many new skills that only this experience would have taught them. Here’s what some of the learners reported they learned from this experience in their own words:
- I like buying more than selling.
- Being an entrepreneur is like being part of a club. Everyone wants to help each other.
- I don’t like selling...at all!
- I liked talking to the other entrepreneurs [at the Farmers Market]. They were very nice and I got some great ideas from them.
- I’m glad I did this quest because I learned that I can do hard things like talk to strangers.
