Mini Market Youth Program (In-Person)
Description
The Mini Market Youth Program is back bigger, bolder, and live with the support of the City of Foster City and Visa. After a successful digital pilot last spring, the program is launching as a fully in-person, hands-on experience designed to take young marketeers from idea to execution with real-world guidance every step of the way.
This six-week Saturday morning program runs from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and blends structured instruction with interactive learning, guest speakers, and peer collaboration. Each participant receives a comprehensive printed workbook that serves as both a guide and a keepsake, covering business fundamentals they’ll use well beyond the program.
Over the course of six weeks, marketeers will learn everything included in the original Mini Market Youth Program, and then some. Topics include budgeting, pricing, branding, marketing, customer service, cost models, and money management, along with expanded lessons on real-world decision making, problem-solving, and adapting on the fly.
A key enhancement of the in-person program is direct access to local program graduates and business owners, who will share honest insights, lessons learned, mistakes made, and practical tips that only come from experience. These conversations help demystify entrepreneurship and show participants that success is built through learning, adjusting, and trying again.
The program culminates in a live vending opportunity at the Mother’s Day Weekend Market, where participants will launch and test their businesses with real customers in a high-energy community setting. Marketeers who complete the program will also have an additional opportunity to participate in a holiday market in the fall, giving them a second chance to refine their concept, improve their approach, and grow their confidence.
Graduates of the Mini Market Youth Program are also eligible to vend at Chamber-supported community events such as the Foster City 5K Festival, reinforcing the program’s focus on repetition, growth, and real-world application.
This program isn’t about creating perfect businesses—it’s about building confident young entrepreneurs who know how to think critically, communicate clearly, manage money, and show up with courage. The Mini Market Youth Program gives participants the tools, the platform, and the support to try, learn, and succeed—one market at a time.
Event Date:
02-28-26 - 04-04-26
Event Time:
11:00 AM - 01:00 PM PST
Location:
Supplied after registration
Foster City, CA 94404
Details:
Mini Market registration cost of $100.00 covers all 6 two-hour classes, the booklets, apparel, and a 5x5ft space in a canopy at the market if they choose to participate.
Students will need funds to start their business (think supplies to make the product, etc.). How to find these funds is covered in the class.
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