Student entrepreneurs and local vendors set up booths and spread their tables for hours of business on the Quadrangle of FAMU’s campus Monday. The event started at noon.
Student entrepreneur Joanna Ozia is the owner of Lovely Beads N Things. She sells waist beads, bracelets, anklets, purses and earrings. Monday, she also had body butters and face masks from her mother’s business.
Ozia says that the support she received from her peers was amazing.
“I definitely received a lot of support from my fellow rattlers. It was a successful event for me,” she said.
Robert Tucker, a student at FAMU, stopped by the event to network and left with bags filled with items. Tucker says that it was good to see his classmates flourish.
“I had to come and support my friends. Seeing young people like me running businesses and being their own boss is an inspiration. It feels good to show my support to them. I can’t wait to see more events like this in the future,” Tucker said.
Monday’s event was one of the first to kick off FAMU’s homecoming week. It was an opportunity for students to showcase their businesses and make sales. The announcements for vendors was posted on social media and students were able to apply and sign up for a space to set up.
London Averyhart, a student at FAMU, is the owner of Pretty Glow Essentials, an all-natural, cruelty-free skincare line. She offers facial cleansers, body scrubs, facial toners and her most reviewed product; Golden Radiance, an oil-based serum. As the event progressed, she flooded her Instagram story with photos of customers with her products. She even offered up to 30 percent off her products during the event.
At the end of the event, she posted a special thank you message for everyone that supported her business.
It read, “Thank you to everyone who came out to Market Monday and stopped by our table. So happy to see some familiar faces and meet some new people.”
With more than 20 customers, it is clear that she was pleased.
Ozia said Market Monday was great exposure for her business. She got the opportunity to meet more FAMU students.
“I enjoyed the event, I was able to get my products out there and sell them,” she said.
Other businesses like Kay Cases, a custom case business run by FAMU student Kamyah Pontiflet and Brier Share, a photography business, were also in attendance.