Young Millionaires ready to earn
There are 26 francophone youth selling variety of products in P.E.I.
Twenty-six Island youth from across P.E.I. have established summer businesses through the fancophone edition of the Young Millionaires program.
Their 19 businesses offer tourists and Islanders a wide variety of products: treats and snacks, toys, arts and crafts, scented bath bombs, bar clams, tie-dyed T-shirts, fire starters, dog clothing and accessories, herbs, lipstick, stress balls, hotdogs and hamburgers, pastries, plaques for hanging medals, decorations and chickens.
Again this year, RDÉE Prince Edward Island is delivering the provincial Jeunes millionnaires program, managed provincially by the Central Development Corporation. The program is funded through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Innovation P.E.I.
The participating bilingual youth attend three workshops to learn the basics of entrepreneurship, including business plans, market studies, customer service, quality control, budgets and other related topics. They then have to present their business plan during an individual interview.
Each participant receives a grant (up to $100 for individuals and $150 for partnerships) to help establish his or her business and to purchase production materials. Look for youth selling their products at various festivals across the province, as well as the Acadian Musical Village and at the Bottle Houses over the course of the summer.
“Last year, our 26 Young Millionaires attained record sales of $15,000 and record profits of $8,000. We’re hoping this year’s participants will have as much, if not more, success,” said Stéphane Blanchard, youth economic development officer with RDÉE P.E.I. “We’re welcoming several new young entrepreneurs into the fold this summer, but quite a few of our participants are back for a second, third or even fourth year.”