Written by Hannah Seibert
The Waldron Center for Entrepreneurship is hosting the HU Spring Market Saturday to showcase student entrepreneurs and small business owners.
The event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the front lawn and will feature a variety of student businesses, giving them an opportunity to showcase their work to the Harding and local community.
Senior Rachel Williams, owner of Bloom Clay Co., creates jewelry and home goods from polymer clay and other art mediums. She only creates one of each style, so clients know that the piece of jewelry they are getting is a one-of-a-kind purchase.
“These events hosted by the Waldron Center always create a lot of traction for my business,” Williams said. “My target customer demographic is young women my age, and I price my products in a range that is affordable for college students and young professionals.”
There will be 30 student booths, including vendors that offer several types of products, from jewelry, photography, clothing and art, to fitness training or desserts.
Senior Celeste Parker, who owns “Celeste Graphic Designs,” said this is a good way to show prior work to gain potential clients. Parker also sells prints, T-shirts and stickers with her designs on them.
“I chose to be involved because I always get asked where people can purchase my artwork, and I figured this was a great opportunity,” Parker said. “It is also a way to [get] my contact info out to people if they were to find themselves or anyone they know [that] needed something designed.”
Parker said she is confident this event will bring a lot of traction to her design Instagram account, along with people seeing physical examples of what she can do for them.
Junior Hallie Carger, who owns Hallie Sarah Photography, said she is excited to be participating in this event because it is her first time to be involved, and she knows the potential these events can have for student-owned businesses.
“I am really pumped to be participating in this event,” Carger said. “My friend, Allie Booth, who will also be set up with her work at the market, decided we are going to do a drawing for someone to win a photoshoot by me and a drawing of hers to encourage people to come out and support the student businesses.”
Carger said another thing she loves about this event is that donations and proceeds go to Women for Harding.
“It is a really beautiful thing to be surrounded by so many talented people who are encouraging each other in pursuing their
dreams,” Carger said.
“I am very thankful for the role the Waldron Center [and how it] has helped my business grow from all the opportunities they create for student-owned businesses,” Williams said.
