PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs Showcase Products at Simon Fraser University
Student participants and winners at the PowerPlay Showcase
On Wednesday, January 25th, SFU’s Chang Institute of Entrepreneurship hosted a PowerPlay Showcase for over 20 students. The PowerPlay Showcase is an exciting market-style event where students are invited to present their business ideas and products to a group of mentors from the local business community who provide them with support and positive feedback.
The students all participated in the PowerPlay in-school program and had the opportunity to extend their projects by reflecting on the process and their products. They then have the opportunity to make changes to their existing product and/or create and sell a larger product line in the market. Those of us who were a part of the evening had a chance to see educational transformation in action. We saw the result of reflection in a real-world setting and it was impactful for all who attended.
Upon walking into the event, I felt the pride the students (and their parents!) were feeling. The students were dressed like professionals and had set up their displays with signage, business plans, and products. There was an air of professionalism and a sense that the students rose to the occasion. The evening was structured such that the mentors made their way around the room interviewing and engaging with each of the students. They asked about the process of bringing their products to market, changes the students made along the way and the charities to which they chose to donate 10% of their profits.
The conversations between the mentors and students were fascinating. The students were articulate and confident when explaining their products, how they conducted market research, decided upon a price and all the iterations that went into their final products. I was blown away by some of the family support and mentorship. One of the students made signs with messages hand carved into wood. He told me, “I made these in my grandpa’s shed. We woke up early every day and worked side by side. Now I know all of his secrets so I can do it by myself.” His grandpa was at the event beaming with pride listening to his grandson speak. I asked another student which charity he was donating to. He told me, “I have muscular dystrophy and I am trying to raise money for the kids who need the same kind of help I need.”
Guests were provided with 10 PowerPlay dollars to spend on student products and the students were reimbursed at the end of the event with the equivalent of the dollars they received in cash. It was a tough decision for me to decide what products to buy, but fortunately for me most of the products were sold out so I didn’t have to make the tough choice! I left with a stuffed dog toy and a customized (to look like me!) lego key chain complete with a coffee cup in hand! One of the mothers mistook me for a mentor and thanked me on the way out exclaiming that “the PowerPlay program has given my son confidence at school in front of his peers and in our home with friends as he is always talking about his small business and that he’s going keep being an entrepreneur when he grows up!”