By Carl Fauver | [email protected]

With yet another successful Taylorsville Dayzz now behind us, it’s time to look ahead to what the rest of our summer has to offer. To that end, city officials have arranged for something new in a couple of weeks as part of their “Starry Nights @ the Plaza” series of Saturday night activities.

But this first-ever event in the city – to be held on the sidewalk and lawn outside the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center – will force those who attend to do some serious soul searching… and to ask that age-old philosophical question: Exactly how hard are you allowed to haggle with an 8-year-old?

“These kids operate their own small businesses. Parents are allowed to be nearby – but our young entrepreneurs are the only ones who are supposed to talk with customers.”

That’s how Herriman resident Lynée Fife describes the series of events she’s been scheduling and coordinating for several years now around the Salt Lake Valley: The Children’s Entrepreneur Market.

“The market began in 2017 here in Utah, at three different locations,” Fife explained. “COVID-19 threw us off for a couple of years. But this summer we will have 24 different markets in 20 locations.”

Back in that first Utah year for the markets, Fife’s daughters operated a sales booth. That’s part of why she became involved working with the organization – to help see other children get similar opportunities.

The Taylorsville Children’s Entrepreneur Market will be held July 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. Because that is a Saturday night, food trucks will be parked outside City Hall at the same time.

“Each child’s marketing space is limited to ten feet by ten feet,” Fife added. “They sell all kinds of things. One year a child sold fidget spinners. Another kid made and sold homemade ‘slime.’ Other young entrepreneurs market homemade jewelry, baked goods, painted art, you name it.”

Fife’s daughters got their marketing bug five years ago through the children’s market and now operate their own gourmet caramel apple store out of their home. Details about their operation are at annmarieapples.com.

“Capri (15) and Annika (18) make and sell caramel apples for big events like weddings and lots of holidays.” Fife added. “They are really, really busy at Christmas. And they developed a lot of their marketing skills through the Children’s Entrepreneur Market.”

“Annika and I have always gotten along really well, so it's made working together easy and fun,” Capri Fife said. “Operating a business has taught me how to manage my time and money and to talk to adults at a young age.”

Operating their business may soon prove to be more challenging for the Fife sisters, now that Annika has just graduated from Mountain Ridge High School and will move on to attend BYU.

“We’ve been making about 700 to 1,000 caramel apples per year,” Annika added. “The Children’s Entrepreneur Market really helped us get started. It lets you see what works, what sells and what doesn’t. I would recommend it to any kid who thinks they want to run their own business someday.”

Lynée Fife has actually been in contact with Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson’s Executive Assistant Jennifer Andrus since 2019, trying to get the city added to their list of locations.

“We’ve been excited to have them; but coronavirus and construction of the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center threw us off for a couple of years,” Andrus explained. “So we are thrilled they will be here July 16. I was at one of their markets at Gardner Village a couple of years ago. I bought canned peaches, jam, homemade bracelets. I could have gone crazy (spending money). The kids are so outgoing, very confident. They are proud of the products they make and sell.”

There’s no room left for additional kids in the Taylorsville market since it is only a couple of weeks away now. But you can learn more about other market locations ahead this summer at childrensentrepreneurmarket.com