Autumn Harp teaches students business

Vermont Business Magazine, Aug 01, 1995 by Barna, Ed

Their sales effort involved making posters and t-shirts, and attending a "how to sell" clinic at Autumn Harp. The company's graphic designer, Mark Bokili of Design-X in Burlington, assisted the students in developing a logo.

Students said that originally they had counted on other students deciding it was cool to use lip balm and accounting for most of the sales. As it turned out, adults were the main buyers, and details like the SPF 18 sun protection factor were less significant than the Otter Valley connection.

They learned the last lesson when they went to malls in Rutland and Burlington, which donated them sales space. Un-petroleum or not, the balm basically bombed. Not discouraged -- they were aware that small businesses often go through initial periods when they must live off their capital -- the students expect sales to pick up in the fall and winter.

And if there is a profit? Possibly the money could go to a scholarship fund, King said. Possibly the students could have a party, like their June trip to the Great Escape amusement park in New York.

Or it could become a loan fund for other students to form small businesses. "That's the most cool, I think," said Gould.

Devlin said such an educational project is definitely a two-way street for the businesses that participate. "People see it in their interest in the long term to educate the young people who are coming up," she said.

Local superintendent William Mathis said the students had made impressive presentations on their experience to the school board and to the school faculty. "How many times do you see the faculty giving an ovation to the students for what they've done he asked.

"It's just a sweetheart of a project," Mathis said. "I was really impressed. These are the kinds of things we'd like to see."

Ed Barna is a freelance writer from Brandon.