Team Sweet Dreams absolutely nailed it at July 2019’s Guildford Children’s Business Fair. With a simple mission – “make sleeping fun for kids”, the CBF judges were so impressed, they awarded Annie (8), Cleo (11) and Ruby (13) with the Best Stand prize. Here’s how they did it.
How did you start your business?
We hate bad dreams! Dream catchers bring good dreams and get rid of the bad ones. We wanted to give other kids a way to get rid of bad dreams too. We made dream wands, stones and bracelets as well and it grew from there. We wanted to use bright colours and gems to make our stand eye-catching.
Why do you think you won the Best Stand category?
We definitely had the most sparkly and colourful stand. We hung the dream catchers high up. We think that caught people’s eye from a distance and drew them to the stall.
How much revenue did you make at the fair? What were your costs and what was your profit?
We spent £30 on all our materials like bamboo sticks and a sparkly tablecloth. The decorations for the stall cost nothing as we already had everything from around the house. We made £70 in total, which means we made a profit of £40.
Did you have any moments where you wanted to give up? Tell us how you got over it?
There were times that we felt we were doing too many things. Also, it was difficult to know how many things to make. What we did make was time-consuming – we had to have lots of breaks! But we kept thinking how good the fair would be and that pushed us on.
What did you learn from the fair and how did you improve your business?
We learnt that we had made too many different products to sell properly. It was too complicated. It was also great to see everyone else’s ideas and products and what prices they were selling for.
What do you think it takes to be an entrepreneur?
You need to be competitive, focused and really believe in your product. You need to know about what you are selling and why. Also don’t be shy to sell!
What advice would you give other young entrepreneurs?
Choose something that isn’t too time-consuming to make. To make a big profit make sure your products costs as little as possible! Make sure your stall sells your product by drawing attention to buyers.
What does the future hold for Team Sweet Dreams?
We had so much fun making Sweet Dreams but we have decided to think of another business for the next fair. Watch this space! Thank you for having us and giving us an awesome experience!
