ISBET Business Students Turn Rawson Square Into Innovative Marketplace

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Rawson Square was transformed into a student marketplace earlier this week as the International School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (ISBET) brought its annual Business Week Showcase to the public for the first time.

Dozens of booths featured pastries, pretzels, lemonade and service-based businesses, ran entirely by students.

ISBET’s Marketing and Communications Representative, Michaela Munnings, says the goal was to move business education beyond the classroom.

Michaela Munnings – Marketing and Communications Representative (ISBET)

“ Times are changing, technology is becoming a bit more advanced, and then you have AI and you have all sorts of other facets that are making waves today. So we don’t want them to just think of business and commerce as a class. You need to bring them into the market. They need to understand…”

The week-long initiative counted for 20% of students’ trimester grades, and included leadership sessions and field visits to local companies before the marketplace showcase.

Executive Director and Principal of ISBET, Precious Fortune-Thompson, says the experience was designed to build real-world skills.

Precious Fortune-Thompson – Principal, ISBET

“ They have to be in the field and they have to understand like, what is it to get sales? You know, they have all these stalls, so they’re, they’re probably like, why, why? I haven’t sold out as yet. “

” [We want to show them]what it looks like to manage their money, what it looks like to market themselves, so all of this is a part of the experience that’s gonna help them learn.”

This year marked the first time the event was held in Rawson Square, exposing students to tourists and locals, which added a new level of real-world pressure.

Students say the experience gave them a chance to test their entrepreneurial skills and learn directly from customers.

12th grade student entrepreneur, Temario Hanna, sold pastries during the event.

Temario Hanna – 12th Grade Student, ISBET

“ I expect to gain probably more followers…more customers. I wanna try to see if I can gain more customers. I want to be able to gain more people in the business.”

Another student business, Crown Pretzels, offered sweet and savory treats to customers passing through the square.

12th grade student, Timothy King says the competition helped him learn how to navigate the market.

Timothy King – 12th Grade Student, ISBET

“ To learn more about how to be a successful entrepreneur and to see how how I could work the market and what I could gain, and what I could learn from people who are buying.”