Prince George’s County police hosted a real-life 鈥淪hark Tank鈥� event Friday that gave young student entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to community leaders.
This year鈥檚 was the third annual meeting held in the county, as crowds gathered at the Tanger Outlets courtyard in National Harbor to cheer on the leaders of tomorrow.
鈥淭hey are doing well, and I already know it鈥檚 going to be a challenge to figure out who comes in first, second, and third, but they are all winners just for being out here,鈥� police Cpl. Nashawn Taylor said.
Taylor is the director of the department鈥檚 Young Entrepreneurs Program, and a business owner herself outside of her long-standing job with the county.
鈥淚 own a yacht business,鈥� she told 海角社区app, 鈥渂ut early on I struggled because I didn鈥檛 have the education to make a proper business plan.鈥�
She says that鈥檚 part of what inspired her to become the director of the Young Entrepreneurs Program.
鈥淚 decided it would be a great idea to have young people learn how to create an develop their own businesses,鈥� Taylor said.
She also says she knows there are many negative influences out there in 2023, so programs like this offer a safe haven for young people to channel their energy into a productive arena.
鈥淚 am so happy to be able to have another outlet and another option for them to be successful in their future,鈥� said Taylor.
At Friday鈥檚 鈥淪hark Tank鈥� event, a select group of hand-picked students 鈥� like fourth grader Paxton Bowden 鈥� pitched ideas to other community members and a guest panel of business owners who acted as the 鈥渟harks.鈥�
鈥淪o I was telling my judges about my business: meat-free on-the-go!鈥� Paxton told 海角社区app enthusiastically. 鈥淚 have, like, Lunchables, and I put healthier options in them,鈥� he explained.
鈥淚t meant everything to me,鈥� 10-year-old Paxton said of being able to share his business idea with people he looks up to in the community. 鈥淚 just wanted to get it out there.鈥�
The young boy’s idea for healthy, meat-free, pre-packaged lunches for students in Prince George鈥檚 County was just one of several sparks that Taylor says will help propel the next generation of “business power players” into the future.
鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of them,鈥� she said.
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 out here,” Paxton added. “I鈥檓 getting recorded, and I get to have my business 鈥� shout it out!鈥�
