Riya Parikha proudly introduced herself as the CEO of 20 Pencils, a company that sells packs of everyday pencils with the mission to spark the imagination of kids.Riya is only 7 years old, but she recited the mission of her company as easily as saying the ABC’s. The Encinitas Country Day student started her business back in July — plenty of time to practice and print business cards packaged with her merchandise.
Garvin said many of the participants were students from her school, which serves kids ages 4 to 11, where they have been learning about entrepreneurship — from how to analyze finances on a spreadsheet to getting a loan to start a business. They also connected with local businesses, including Cardiff’s Seaside Market and Dixie Pops ice cream shop in Hillcrest, to learn about the ups and downs of starting a business.
Down the promenade, there were iced cookies with animal faces, homemade flower-shaped soap, digital artwork — you name it and these kids were selling it. Tvisha Bhardwaj, 11, and her brother, Vihaan Bhardwaj, 12, sell one of their hand-crafted resin artworks to Amanda Malicki at the San Diego Children’s Business Fair.a couple of months ago making serving boards out of reclaimed wood with resin designs that look like waves washing over the beach.