Branch Area Careers Center students learn the ropes of business ventures

Rosalie Currier, The Daily Reporter
·2 min read

More than 30 young entrepreneurs were open for business at "Mogul Palooza" Saturday at Branch Area Careers Center.

Business students offered a variety of goods and services, including speciality food, personal care, gift items, outdoors activities, photography and home-care services.

Outside, the one-and-only FFA Agriscience fundraiser was underway at the greenhouse: a plant sale.

As shoppers walked among the booths, some students actively engaged browsers. Some were too busy to do anything but wait on customers, as was the case for Ashlee Becker and Natalie Patino of Sweet Treats. They were nearly sold-out of chocoflan, a Mexican dessert.

Patino said they came up with the idea because there aren’t enough cultural bakeries in the area.

Some products took more of a capital outlay, such as Rosie’s Rings. Hailey Mahoney, proprietor, invested about $200 into the business and has not yet made back her investment. But it led her to an idea for another business that seems more profitable and long-term.

At Aj’s Froth Creations, Jaiden Gutherie was selling creative stuffed animals which her friend, Abigail McFadden makes. McFadden is in construction trades at BACC. Gutherie sold out of the least expensive of the merchandise, but still had others.

Clean and Fair Home Care by Ashten Zimmer and Connor Kline offered power wash services at a more competitive price than others in the area. They invested about $500 into equipment and supplies and expect to get their money back this summer.

Eco Friends, Mishelle Mata and Aiden Gay, were selling personalized drink cups made of glass, a wooden lid and stainless straw. They easily made back the $200 of their cost of goods, they said.

Lexie Vaughn, of Lisa Marie’s Creations, and her mother, Lisa, made personalized bags and accessories. Her mother also had a booth of their products at the car show.

To prepare for "Mogul Palooza," students, under the direction of Joe Sobeske, walked through the entire process of starting a business. Several students learned opening a business isn’t as easy as it might seem.

That is the point of the BACC program and this event. To help students interested in business learn ways to be successful. Sobeske, from his years of experience with small businesses before coming on staff at BACC, saw ventures come and go and likes to steer his students into the more profitable options.

Roselyn Ramos and Mariza Patlan were actively engaging shoppers to consider Cutie Pops as Mother's Day gifts.
Roselyn Ramos and Mariza Patlan were actively engaging shoppers to consider Cutie Pops as Mother's Day gifts.
After shopping, customers lined up to pay for the goods and services they purchased at Mogul Palooza.
After shopping, customers lined up to pay for the goods and services they purchased at Mogul Palooza.
A steady stream of customers visited the FFA-Agriscience greenhouse. The plant sale is the group's only fundraiser to provide funds for students attending conferences and events.
A steady stream of customers visited the FFA-Agriscience greenhouse. The plant sale is the group's only fundraiser to provide funds for students attending conferences and events.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Reporter: Mogul Palooza: BACC students learning the ropes of business ventures