The Business of Building Young Entrepreneurs — Branding

One of the rewards of working with young entrepreneurs is that the potential for the company is without limits. We started, of course, with Poketti Plushies with a Pocket, stuffed animal pillows with a useful back pocket to hold your phone or notebook. But the vision has always been based on the model of Hello Kitty or Rilakumma, where we'd have accessories and other products under the Poketti brand. 

We have already created a pocket-sized notebook, stickers, greeting cards, and a brand-new activity book filled with coloring pages and puzzles. Everything we create is meant to extend the value of our brand experience....

We had a wonderful start to our summer. On July 9, Poketti received the honor for Branding at AmericasMart Atlanta's ICON HONORS, an annual event that celebrates innovation in the gift industry. It was a world-class event with 900 people in attendance, and an experience Poketti's young entrepreneurs will never forget. 

It started one day in April when I received an email from AmericasMart Atlanta, calling for entries for the 6th annual ICON HONORS. AmericasMart Atlanta is a thriving mecca for the gift and home industry, with three enormous buildings housing both permanent and temporary showrooms. It's also host...