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Young entrepreneur has big ideas

Young entrepreneur has big ideas

By Matt Leclercq / Business editor fayobserver.com
Published: 12:00 AM, Sun Nov 29, 2009
Jenna Shackelford had one of those business ideas that you wish you had thought of yourself.

Since she has a knack for planning her own birthday parties - and those of a few of her friends - she has come up with a plan to be a professional birthday party-thrower. And Cumberland County would be the perfect market to cater to families with young children, based on her research of demographics.

Did we mention that Jenna is just 12 years old?

Her idea won first place in the first Youth Entrepreneurship Conference last weekend. She took home a $1,000 prize.

The remarkable part is that Jenna's idea - the business would be called Party Pro - won over 16 others pitched by students as old as 25. "There are students who presented fancy ideas," said conference organizer Dr. Mohammed Bhuiyan of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Fayetteville State University. "The key question is, can she do it herself? ... Everyone agreed she can do it by herself."

Bhuiyan said the event was a success, with about 300 people participating in the conference at the Doubletree Hotel. He already has plans for next year, on Nov. 13, and is looking for sponsors, participants, presenters and new ideas. (Interested? Call him at 672-2410).

"It exceeded all my expectations, and it exceeded the entire committee's expectations," Bhuiyan said.

Jenna, who is home-schooled, said she was "really surprised" when she was named the winner. But listening to her describe her plan, it's not surprising that judges deemed her most deserving after she gave a one-minute presentation.

Her business plan sounds more solid than those of many adults.

"I plan birthday parties for myself, and every year we struggle to find new ideas. I always come up with it and plan it," Jenna said. "I think it would be so easy to set (Party Pro) up. And I think it's a great idea, because a lot of parents don't have time to throw parties with all the errands they have to run."

Second place in the contest went to Monque Young and third place to Michael Becker. Both are students at FSU.

As for Jenna's prize money, she intends to put half in the bank for when she starts Party Pro. She will tithe 10 percent to her church, "and the rest of it I'll probably spend on Christmas presents."