Young Entrepreneurs Show Off Businesses at Longview Expo
About 20 vendors, many of them children as young as 8, took part in the KIDZ BIZNIZ Young Entrepreneur EXPO at the Longview Exhibit Center.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Special Interest
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The KIDZ BIZNIZ Young Entrepreneur EXPO was held Saturday at the Longview Exhibit Center, featuring about 20 vendors, roughly half of them children. The event concluded with a pitch contest in which Madison Apiyo, 13, of Madison Jewelry took first place.
Why it matters
The annual expo aims to teach children about money management and community participation through hands-on business experience. Organizers say the event gives young people a chance to market products and speak directly with the public.
About 20 vendors participated, with children as young as 8 among them and 13-year-old Madison Apiyo winning the pitch contest. Attendance totals and vendor sales were not reported.
The players
Madison Apiyo
A 13-year-old entrepreneur from Madison Jewelry who won first place in the expo's pitch contest.
Isaiah Haggerty
An 11-year-old author who has published two fiction books in the series "The Unstoppable Trio."
Stephanie Seaton
A Dallas-based author and Isaiah Haggerty's mother.
The details
Young entrepreneurs staffed their own tables and had to flag down passersby to promote their businesses. The expo ended with a pitch contest in which each young entrepreneur spoke before three judges, and a "Reality Day" activity let children learn about budgeting and adult living.
Timeline
Saturday, November 1, 2026: KIDZ BIZNIZ Young Entrepreneur EXPO held at the Longview Exhibit Center.
Special Interest
Hands-on youth entrepreneurship events like this one fall within the broader movement of community-run financial literacy programs that teach children budgeting and business skills outside the classroom.
The expo was open to the public at the Longview Exhibit Center, letting families see young vendors' products in person. Visitors could purchase from the child-run tables and attend the pitch contest.
The takeaway
Supporting young entrepreneurs by buying from their booths gives them real-world experience with customers and money. Parents can look for similar youth expos in their own communities to introduce children to business early.
Further reading
Explore more Special Interest coverage from across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Longview News-Journal.
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