This is first in a series of young entrepreneurs in the community. The series aims to highlight youth who are venturing out in their own businesses.

Please submit names of other recommended young entrepreneurs to be featured to [email protected]

Camren Lamb, 9, heard about entrepreneurship in January 2022, at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Dare to Dream program, an adult entrepreneurship event.

Camren is the son of Melanie and Larry Lamb, rural Fort Scott.

Melanie attended the event and Camren came also.

“I asked if I could make a picture, so I sold my first art,” Camren said.

He sells artwork and plays a newly purchased guitar as part of his business.

Dacia Clark, with the Small Business Development Center, taught him and others in a April 2022 childrens workshop about developing a business plan, and other marketing basics, Rachel Carpenter with the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team said. The SBDC is housed in the HBCAT office at 104 N. National Avenue.

“Acton Children’s Business Fair provided the curriculum, and HBCAT helped coordinate the efforts,” Carpenter said.

In addition to selling his artwork, he plays music requests on his guitar for passersby.

“I played ukelele first, then guitar,” he said. The guitar was purchased from money he earned at the Children’s Business Fair in April 2022.

He doesn’t charge for for playing, he said.

“I use it to draw people (in to look at his artwork),” he said. “I take requests  and tell them songs are free but I had a basket for artwork sales and people started putting money in for the music.”

He was selling at the Fort Scott Farmers Market for the first time on June 3. “This is my second time selling, the first time was at Buck Run Community Center at the Children’s Business Fair.”

 

Most recently he played guitar at the Shead Farm Festival, the Fort Scott Christian Heights Country Store and at the Friday Night Free Concert at the gazebo downtown.

He took ukelele lessons from Bob Solomonson and guitar lessons from Stephen Moses, he said.

Camren said this year his earnings will go to help the Show Me Christian Youth Home and he  is also saving money for church camp.