KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
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High school entrepreneurs in Blue Springs got a taste of the business world Monday when they pitched their handmade creations to a panel of judges in a "Shark Tank"-style competition called "Bee Tank."
The Queen Bee Boutique and Vintage Bee in Blue Springs partnered with the Blue Springs School District to give young entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn about pitching business ideas while competing for free vendor space in the store.
"We are hosting Bee Tank with the Blue Springs School District, and we have 11 participants that are going to be presenting to our panel of judges," said Casie Bateman, co-owner of Queen Bee Boutique and The Vintage Bee with her husband David.
The competition showcased the talent of aspiring young business owners in Blue Springs. Students were encouraged to bring in their items and make their best pitch in 20 minutes or less — all while facing real-world entrepreneurs.
"So I'm looking for something new, exciting. You know, this world is so full of technology, so it'd be nice to like see something just that kind of changes the way people think about things, or maybe even, I don't know, just something new to spark interest in young kids," said Shawna Mitchell, a Bee Tank judge and owner of New Day Massage.
The high school students presented their handmade creations, ranging from stuffed animals and flowers to clothing and accessories, for a chance to become vendor partners.
Tandoe Saquee, a fashion designer who took first place, brought items from multiple collections to showcase his unique style. For example, Saquee presented a pair of pants out of old curtains and two hoodies together to create one abstract garment.
"I brought my most unique items, like I brought things from my women's summer collection. I brought things from like all my collections, and I mainly brought items that, like, whenever I present to them, like, people are like, Oh, I've never seen something like that before," Saquee said.
Olivia Crews, who designs polymer clay and resin earrings, placed second in the competition. She has been running her custom earring business for 5 years.
"I was honestly more excited than nervous, because if this is a business I've had for five years, so I was ready to, like, show people the things that I've created. Of course, I was a little nervous, but I was more excited," Crews said.
Ava Curp, who creates handmade custom bags, earned third place in the competition.
"I first made lots of my products and I kind of figured out who my target audience would be and made my speech," Curp said.
The students experienced all the nerves and pressure of a real business pitch during the competition.
In addition to the individual winners, Queen Bee Boutique will establish a dedicated Blue Springs School District booth area, allowing other students to continue learning about the business side of creating while showcasing their products.
The store owners plan to make this an annual event.
The goal is to have all winners up and running by December 1, just in time for the holiday season.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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