An incredible day was had at the recent Kids Workshop and Pop-Up Market in Ōtaki. The event was buzzing with excitement, brimming with talented young entrepreneurs eager to learn, share, and shine.
Workshop highlights included:
- Branding Magic with Rebecca from Nature Fix: Rebecca Davis from Nature Fix took a fantastic session on branding and customers. She shared some amazing tips that got everyone thinking creatively about their businesses.
- On the Mic Coast Access Radio: We can’t thank Coast Access Radio and Catherine Scullin enough for their awesome media training session. Five brave young stars—Hester, Lana, Erin, Tahlia, Indie, and Harper—took the spotlight, handling live interviews like pros and even fielding questions from the audience. Talk about confidence boosters!
- Media Smarts with Mayor Janet: Mayor Janet’s session on media training was a hit. She taught our young entrepreneurs how to smile for the camera and present themselves with flair. Her advice was invaluable, and we were all grateful for her support.
- Inspiring Keynotes from young entrepreneurs: We were thrilled to have two amazing keynote speakers—14-year-old Tal Sloman from Paraparaumu and 11-year-old Lana Reeves from Levin. Sharing their journey of being stall holders and providing some fantastic top tips for the audience.
- Dragons’ Den Style Fun: A massive thank you to the local businesses who made the Dragons’ Den style pitching session so exciting. Ōtaki New World, Ōtaki Hunting and Fishing, My Walk in Wardrobe, NatureLab, Elemental Cider, The Traffic Fox, Books & Co, Caravan and Co, GameFroot, local author Di Buchan, Ōtaki Market organiser Chrissy Anderson and Ōtaki Women’s Community Club Member Pat Bloxham were on hand to listen, critique, and encourage our young pitchers. It was an incredible experience for all!
- Merchandising Magic with Tracey: Thanks to Tracey Kurta from the Ōtaki Women’s Community Club for her insightful merchandising session. She taught the kids how to display their products in the best possible way, making selling a breeze.
Pop-Up Market Fun: The day wrapped up with a fabulous pop-up market. Our young entrepreneurs got to show off their products and sell to the community. The creativity and hard work of these tamariki and rangatahi were on full display, and the community loved it.
A special round of applause to 11-year-old Harper from Harper’s Gourmet Cupcakes. She catered her delicious cupcakes, which added a sweet touch to our lunch, and they were an absolute hit with everyone!
Maureen Wallace, President, Ōtaki Women’s Community Club says “We are very proud of all the young people who took part in the workshop today, fantastic energy in the room and they learnt so much from everyone who helped, from local business owners, to community leaders and volunteers. Well done to everyone.”
We couldn’t have done it without the amazing support from local businesses, community members, and our dedicated organisers. Thank you all for making the Kids Workshop and Pop-Up Market a memorable and impactful event. Keep an eye out for more fun events and workshops as we continue to celebrate and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit of our fantastic young community.
