Success in the sales: Streator Area CEO students encouraged by trade show results

Students studied entrepreneurship during semester, finally sold their products at trade show

Streator Area CEO student Kevin Rodriguez tells customers Wednesday, May 18, 2022, about his homemade, family taco recipe. Rodriguez created La Taqueria Saucedo as his business.

Streator Area CEO students were encouraged Wednesday.

Throughout the semester, the 10 students from both Streator and Woodland high schools have been visited by guest speakers from all walks of the business world and taken field trips to other successful businesses across the region, networked with leaders and collected their advice in preparation for Wednesday’s trade show.

The trade show, which was open to the public at The Eastwood, allowed students to give roughly 30-second pitches to sell products they created through building their own start-up business.

The success was measured in the sales.

The Streator Area CEO program hosted its second trade show Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at The Eastwood. Ten students from Streator and Woodland high schools pitched their products to the public.

Streator High School senior Cassie Perez, who created Soapure, said she started with half of the table full of her body and lip scrubs, and was down to just a handful of products by the end of the show.

Streator High School junior Murphy Wilkinson, creator of Harvey’s Biscuits, shared a similar anecdote about his homemade dog biscuits with wheat and peanut butter, noting his table was three quarters full of products and was depleted to less than a dozen items remaining near the end of the show.

Haley Mosqueda, senior at Streator High, showed off two pages of orders for her Fierce Jewels business. She assembles jewelry she orders for customers and donates some of the proceeds to Safe Journeys, which assists community members who have experienced domestic violence.

Woodland High School senior Thomas Yanek pitches his custom-made coasters Wednesday, May 18, 2022, during the Streator Area CEO program trade show at The Eastwood.

Thomas Yanek, senior at Woodland High School and creator of Yaneko Central, said the sales were affirmation for a year’s worth of work.

“It really feels great,” he said, also noting he is selling some of his custom-made coasters at Streator Liquors, 109 E. Main St. “It feels good interacting with people and seeing them really invested in your products.”

For Kevin Rodriguez, a Streator High junior who operates La Taqueria Saucedo, sharing his family’s homemade steak and chorizo tacos with customers was a matter of pride.

“This recipe, my mom’s recipe, was created by my grandmother years ago, it’s all unique,” he said. “My mom raised five kids making these tacos.”

Rodriguez was one of a few other students who said they are interested in continuing their businesses beyond the classroom. Rodriguez said he’s interested in starting a food truck with his mother.

Streator Mayor Tara Bedei was one of Kevin Rodriguez's customers at La Taqueria Saucedo on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, during the Streator Area CEO program's trade show at The Eastwood.

Perez said she’d like to set up a booth at farmers markets, selling her body and lip scrubs. And Yanek said he is letting the business take him as far as it remains a successful venture.

Brianna Monaghan, a senior at Streator High who created Brees Fine Art, commissions her art work for $25 up to $75, depending on the job. She said she has talked with the Streator Incubator about starting up a business there and her ultimate goal is to be an animator. She’s setting up her own YouTube channel to show off her work.

The Streator Area CEO program is in its second year. The program is propelled by local investors. Board members of the program have said the course teaches business and networking skills, as well as providing students a hands-on experience at what it takes to operate a business.

Other businesses included:

Sara Reed, senior, Streator High: Gaia Stationary, selling homemade flower pedal paint and coffee ink. She said she knows her product is for a niche art market.

Avary McCloskey, senior, Streator High: Splash of Colors, selling different varieties of customized tumblers.

Kristy Hoang, junior, Streator High: Berry Sweets, selling chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate breakable hearts and chocolate-covered pretzels.

Trevor Mitts, senior, Streator High: Trevor’s 3-D Lab, selling printed vases, tealight casings and bulldog cookie cutters.