Jack Bonneau, young Broomfield lemonade seller who was on 'Shark Tank,' to host entrepreneur fair
Entrepreneur Jack Bonneau, seen earlier this year when he partnered with Santa Cruz Organic, is hosting an entrepreneurial fair next Saturday aimed at youth. (Alexander Stein / Courtesy Photo)
If you go
What: Jack's Stands & Marketplaces Summer Event
When: Sept. 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Orchard Town Center, 14697 Delaware St.
Cost: Prices vary per booth
More info: Visit jacksstands.com
As the summer draws to an end, one of Broomfield's youngest entrepreneurs still is negotiating deals, developing an educational podcast, and launching an e-commerce website.
Jack Bonneau, 11, also is hosting Jack's Stands & Marketplaces Summer Event, an entrepreneur fair for the youth he works with, complete with his own talk about going from a single lemonade stand to snagging a deal on ABC's Shark Tank and inking a lemonade deal with Santa Cruz Organic. The event also will feature live entertainment from young, local entertainers.
"What I'm going to have is dozens of young entrepreneurs up on the street where they can sell their products and customers can shop," Bonneau said. "We're also going to have youth bands and entertainment there to play music."
Bonneau is the founder and CEO of Jack's Stands & Marketplaces, a business where he operates his own lemonade stands, teaches other children the beverage business, and gives them an opportunity to sell their own wares.
The Summer Event will be open on Town Center Drive at The Orchard Town Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9. Some of the vendors will include Sweet Bee Sisters, Bakeology, and Metal Mission.
Kylan Bain, of Westminster, began Metal Mission to raise money for his pen pal in Uganda and for the boy's village by collecting scrap metal.
Bonneau is the founder/CEO of Jack's Stands & Marketplaces, a Denver-based company that provides kids the opportunity to run beverage or marketplace stands in malls or at farmers' markets, and learn the values of entrepreneurship, financial literacy and the ins and outs of running their own business.
Children of all ages are invited to attend with their parents, and learn what true entrepreneurship is all about, Orchard Town Center's Marketing Director Renee Bochnovich said in a news release.
"In between the entertainment, everyone will have the chance to hear kids of all ages pitch their business to the public," she said.
The free event will be open to the public, and while youth are encouraged to attend, the event is valuable for anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset, Bochnovich said.
Rain Adams, who founded Bakeology, met Bonneau this spring at a youth market fair when he approached her table and began talking to her about her business.
Adams, 14, has been baking since she was 9 years old. Initially, the goal was to make vegan dog treats for her pet, which grew into Pawsitively Amazing Vegan Pet Treats. For several years, she sold the pet treats at her home in the Kansas City area and raised about $6,000 which she donated to animal shelters.
When her family moved to Denver three years ago, she started Bakeology. In addition to dog treats, now makes sweets for human consumption.
"It is important for kids to get the experience of pitching their business and concept to an audience," Bonneau said. "One of the most valuable experiences I had as a business owner was pitching on Shark Tank. I look forward to hearing other kids pitch their business ideas, and give them tips on starting and running a successful business for themselves."
This summer, Bonneau has worked with Santa Cruz Organic, selling its products and otherwise promoting its brand, as well as selling honey peanut butter from Boulder-based Good Spread, a company that sends a fortified, peanut butter-based medicine to malnourished children.
Steve Bonneau, Jack's dad, said the two are in talks with Good Spread CEO Robbie Vitrano about creating Jack's own label.
At the end of the day, Bonneau still sees the main mission as teaching other youth about business and encouraging them to follow what they're passionate about. His own stands will be at the Summer Event, but will be manned by other youth.
"I'm going to be the manager walking around seeing how people are doing," he said. "At the end I'm going to check everyone out with profit and loss statements."
Jennifer Rios: 303-473-1361, riosj@broomfieldenterprise.com or Twitter.com/Jennifer_Rios
Source: Jack Bonneau, young Broomfield lemonade seller who was on 'Shark Tank,' to host entrepreneur fair
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