Already a seasoned entrepreneur at age 10, Merri Suzuki’s daughter Emi is eager to bring her slime business, Gummy Drops, back to the Belmont Farmers’ Market on Oct. 1, for the second-annual Mini Market Makers (MMM) Day.
Suzuki, the food assistance manager at the Belmont Farmers’ Market, said that 10 kid vendors (including her daughter) ages 8 through 12, will be selling their goods for the second year in a row as part of MMM.
The goal of the program “is to help children learn what it’s like to be in business. They’ll develop an idea, decide what to charge, think about what to do with the money they earn, and (optionally) develop a business plan with [the] MMM committee,” according to the Farmers’ Market website.
Emi said she learned to make slime with her babysitter. Last year, she and her friend created a business plan, marketed the containers of handmade goo as sensory toys and sold the concoction for $5 each.
After selling out at last year’s event, Emi admitted, “I was pretty surprised.”
She was eager to donate her earnings, while other children kept their hard-earned profits. This year she once more intends to donate funds.
“It was kind of exciting” to give the money away last year, Emi said.
Suzuki said the two children made $230, which they split. Half of her daughter’s earnings went to the Carroll School in Waltham and half of her friend’s money went to the Chenery Upper Elementary School in Belmont.
Last year, “there was a lot of positive energy around the event,” said Suzuki. In fact, people lined up to shop with each of the six vendors, she recalled.
“The kids really stepped up,” said Suzuki. Those who sold out “pivoted quickly” and offered to take special orders.
Afterward, there were “a lot of smiles. I think a lot of them were proud of themselves,” she said.
This year, Steve Savarese of Senné Real Estate volunteered as the MMM business consultant and will work one-on-one with the children, “helping them develop their business plans, answer questions, and offer personalized advice to prepare for market day,” according to the website.
This year, the Farmers’ Market announced applications were open for MMM around August. Next year, Suzuki said they may consider raising the age limit for sellers and will see if it’s possible to find room for more than 10 young vendors.
This year’s MMM businesses are:
- Happy Bros. – 3D printed products and squishy toys
- Ryan’s 3D Factory – 3D creations for household use
- Underwater Creations – jewelry, bookmarks, crochet, squishies, keychains
- Gummy Drops – slime
- Izzy’s Bead Marke – fidget animals made of beads
- Canvas & Color – Handmade watercolor cards
- Cute Creature Keychains – original 3D printed keychains
- LiNoA Soap Co. – handmade soaps, some with toys inside, some that light up
- Helping Hands Stands – Fiber Art Crafts
- Folds for Kids (and Everyone!) – a variety of origami
The Belmont Farmers’ Market’s Mini Market Makers Day is Oct. 1, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. (although the larger market runs from 2 through 6 p.m.). For more information, visit belmontfarmersmarket.org/mini-market-makers
