March 2008 Issue

MARCH 2008 $2.50 US

In This Issue

Singing Praises of Entrepreneurship 7

Volumes of Success NFIB

14

Scuba Diving in Kansas YEK

23

Marketplace For Kids

2

Future CEO Stars

March 2008

March 2008 In This Issue…

Celebrating Future CEO Stars!

4 Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour

The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education has been providing leadership for over 25 years. Our primary focus has been assisting instructors, which has been quite successful, but we still felt something was missing…and that something was direct communication with the students.

Sheena Lindahl

6 An A-mazing Future Utah State Office of Education

7 Singing Praises of Entrepreneurship Marketplace for Kids

9 Stanley Chiang National Museum of Education

10 Social Entrepreneurship Sprouting in Québec Réseau des CJE du Québec

11 Lavoro

Knowing that “experience is the best teacher”, we decided that who better to communicate with potential young entrepreneurs than young entrepreneurs themselves! Thus, Future CEO Stars was born. Our mission is to create a monthly publication that features successful young entrepreneurs from Consortium member organizations…designed to generate the entrepreneurial mind-set! Each issue has feature articles dedicated to stories written by students that tell the secrets of their entrepreneurial success. Our hope is that this magazine will motivate, educate, and stimulate young people to follow their examples and chase their own dream.

Prominent Youth, Inc.

13 Ask GoVenture MediaSpark Inc

14 Volumes of Success NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation

15 A Letter From President Bush 16 National Entrepreneurship Week Across the Nation 18 Designing Her Own Future NY REAL

20 Big Kahuna National Council on Economic Education

22 Scuba Diving in Kansas? Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas

24 Be the Change You Want to See University of Florida

26 The Business of Construction Home Builders Institute

28 Expressing the Art of Entrepreneurship IL Institute for Entrepreneurship Education

30 Our Sponsors

Founder of National Entrepreneurship Week, the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education is a non-profit collaborative representing 90+ member organizations from national, state and local levels. Together we represent over 40,000 teachers and more than two million students. Our common bond is the philosophy that “to be successful in the emergence of a new global marketplace, entrepreneurship education should be a critical component of the overall education experience as a lifelong learning process.” We invite readers to meet the Consortium members at: www.entre-ed.org/_contact Learn about the Young Inventors Hub at: www.younginventorshub.com

Join us!

To Subscribe go to www.futureceostars.com

Published by The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education 1601 W Fifth Ave. #199 Columbus, OH 43212 www.entre-ed.org [email protected] Publisher: Dr. Cathy Ashmore Editor: Michael Ashmore Graphic Design: MediaSpark Inc. Graphic Artist: Jeff MacNeil Publishing Advisors: Soorena Salari, Young Inventors Hub Al Abney, Consortium Advisory Council Annual Subscription Available - $25.00 Contact: [email protected]

The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour BY SHEENA LINDAHL The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour Bus

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f you were in Washington, DC on February 25th, you saw the kick off of National Entrepreneurship Week in a big way! A red tour bus started traveling about the city to begin the 2008 Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour (www.extremetour.org), visiting campuses across the country this spring to spread the entrepreneurial mindset among students. For NEW Week they were sponsored by the US Small Business Administration (SBA) to spend the day in the capital city and provide workshops for the students at Howard and George Washington Universities. Launched in 2006 by recent New York University graduates Michael Simmons and Sheena Lindahl, the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour will have hosted 47 events in 25 states by the end of spring. With the support of organizations like VenturePort.org, Inc. Magazine, the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization and Oppenheimer Funds, the Tour brings together the country’s top young entrepreneurs to share their stories and lessons learned in a half-day event. By the end of the event, attendees understand … • Entrepreneurship is a mindset that can be applied to starting a business and/or taking a job.

the two realized that the strategies Michael was using to be successful with his current business were very similar to the strategies that Sheena was using to pay for her own college education – strategies like capitalizing on limited resources, building a network, developing a personal brand, and stepping outside their comfort zones. This led to the concept of Extreme Entrepreneurship and, by the way, marriage as well. Michael started writing about these ideas and the result was the self-published Student Success Manifesto: How to Create a Life of Passion, Purpose and Prosperity. It was a great hit, becoming a #1 Amazon Bestseller. After speaking to high school and college students across the country about the concepts in his book, Sheena and Michael realized that there was a great need for students to hear about other young people who were taking action and getting results at a young age. They pulled together a great network of young entrepreneurs and started touring around the country as the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour.

Q&A with Michael and Sheena

• This mindset is a powerful vehicle for creating wealth, improving the world, and pursuing one’s passion.

What is it like driving in this big tour bus to campuses cross country?

• Now is the time to start taking action!

It’s really amazing to see so many pockets of different cultures across America. When you’re traveling by plane, you get a certain view of the country that often involves its biggest cities. We’re seeing parts of the country that people don’t often visit if they don’t have ties there somehow. It is really a great way to get a true sense of “real America”.

Attendees are invited to join JourneyPage (www.journeypage.com), a post-event goal support system, where they can access articles, take advantage of accountability tools and receive support through practical step-by-step articles on launching their business idea.

Do you ever get sick of being on the road together?

How it All Began Michael Simmons and Sheena Lindahl met their third day of college at New York University. Through daily conversations,

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We’re still seeing so many new places that it hasn’t quite happened yet! Plus, we’re married and have lived in New York apartments together. As every New Yorker knows, those aren’t much bigger in size than the tour bus!!

Future CEO Stars

March 2008

Sheena Lindahl with husband, Michael Simmons

Will Melo (Assistant Tour Manager), Hank Kopcial of the NFIB yef, and Sheena Lindahl at the Capitol

When is the best time for someone to start a business? Contrary to conventional wisdom, the best time to start a business is when students are in college because: • Often, they don’t have to worry about health care, children, mortgages, etc. • There are many resources that support youth entrepreneurship endeavors.

The speakers you have are incredible. How is it possible for all of them to be so successful? Dream + Action = Success! These people all have found something they’re willing to work harder, longer, and smarter than usual to achieve. And they didn’t stop at dreaming about how it would be really great if they did it. They took action and kept going, despite their mistakes and challenges and setbacks.

• Many students have an existing passive secondary stream of income – their parents.

This is all great, but most students I see seem to only care about partying and doing well in school. Why do you think students should care about entrepreneurship?

Students seem like pretty busy people. How can students navigate running a business while they are working to get degrees?

• Entrepreneurship allows them to marry these two things – passion and prosperity, because it’s a way to have a job and making money doing something you love!

Actually, the two can go hand-in-hand very well. Students who are in the process of launching or running a business will have a lot more real-world experience they can immediately apply to what they’re learning in school – not just their business classes, but their psychology and communications courses as well. It can help them to ask more informed questions and gain more knowledge. Plus, there is an opportunity to build relationships with professors who can provide ideas and support on how to apply what they’re learning to their venture.

• Even if they’re not interested in entrepreneurship in the long haul, it’s a unique experience that will help them stand out to future employers.

Why does this trend around entrepreneurship exist on college campuses? • Great foundations such as the Coleman Foundation support it. • Organizations like The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, NFTE and CEO promote it.

• There’s little to lose as a student entrepreneur, and a lot to gain – especially those leadership and out-of-the box thinking skills employers desire so greatly. • Two-thirds of all millionaires are entrepreneurs. • In addition to the many skills you develop from working on different parts of your business, there is a maturity and personal growth that develops from launching a business, because you have to take responsibility for your actions. You can’t blame others when something goes wrong and you have to come to terms with the fact that you don’t know everything.

• It has never been easier to start a business. • Not all entrepreneurs are in business school. Many schools are realizing this and are promoting entrepreneurship campus wide.

Future CEO Stars

March 2008

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©iStockphoto.com, Rampersad Ramautar

An A-mazing Future BY CHALEESA WARREN

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hat do you get when you combine a passion for agriculture and a young entrepreneur? You get C&C Ag. Hi, I’m Chaleesa Warren, a sophomore FFA member in Spanish Fork Utah, and the owner/operator of this agribusiness venture. C&C Ag has two main enterprises; C&C Pumpkins, and registered Suffolk sheep. By combining good customer service with marketing skills, I am fortunate enough to be my own boss, set my own hours, and am well on my way to paying for my college education. My most profitable enterprise is a “pick your own” pumpkin patch and corn maze that I run on 5 acres of leased land. By developing a niche market and unique way to sell my pumpkins, I am able to make more than 4 times their market value. My business practices for this enterprise require me to use a good combination of advertising, customer service, and “value-added” for my products. Each fall, approximately 1000 people come through my corn maze. After looking at other corn mazes in my area, I decided that I would have more success if I designed a small maze and tailored it to the families in our area with small children. My small corn maze is decorated with items that are interesting to children, and the small size of the maze allows families to take in their younger children without getting them tired. By attaching the corn maze to the pumpkin patch, my company can serve as an entertainment destination. I have had to learn how to balance labor and employees, as my

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pumpkin patch has grown too large for me to handle on my own. Through trial and error, I have learned how to interview and select good employees, how to create a workable schedule, and how to calculate wages. I currently hire 5–7 people to work for me in October as well as in May when we plant.

Chaleesa Warren

By listening to my customers’ needs, I have been able to bring in other products that have helped increase my profits. Based on demand, I also sell decorative straw bales and corn stalks. I bale 2 sizes of straw bales. One is a regular size bale while the other is about half that size. Many people that buy the smaller ones find them more convenient to fit on their porch. I have additionally diversified this enterprise by delivering decorations to businesses around town.

some stereotypes that young people are not intelligent with their money, or that their parents do all the work for them, but through the challenges come some amazing benefits that make it all worth while.

The second part of C&C Ag is my registered Suffolk sheep flock. I have always been interested in sheep, and growing up with our family Suffolk flock, I decided that I wanted to branch out on my own. At the ripe old age of 5, my dad told me that if I would bottle feed two orphan lambs, he would let me keep them. I did, and since that time have raised all of my own lambs. I market my lambs through sales and have been able to make almost $10,000 from them in the last 5 years.

This Article Sponsored by the Utah State Office of Education

This business allows me to be my own boss, have the freedom to have extra spending money, and combine agriculture and making people happy, two things I truly enjoy. I have definitely benefited from my agribusiness ventures, and look forward to continuing expansion in the future.

If I didn’t run this business, I would find it hard to believe that a sophomore in high school could be their own boss, and have a plan for the future. There are definitely challenges to being a young entrepreneur. I have had to overcome Future CEO Stars

March 2008

Singing Praises of Entrepreneurship BY ANGELA THOMPSON

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Angela Thompson performing at the Marketplace Talent Search

’m Angela Thompson from Thompson, ND and I won the Marketplace Talent Search! Winning this competition felt wonderful! I wanted to jump for joy, hopping and skipping around on that stage like a little kid. Darn it! I held it in. Maybe some other time and place. However, that night gave me a true shining moment to really use my talent. It was a huge stepping stone that could possibly lead to bigger things. It was just what I needed! The competing part — I’m not a huge fan of that. But, hey, if there’s a huge reward in the end I’ll go for it!

I started creating music at a very young age. Melodies out of thin air in my head, or worked out on any instrument I came across. I picked up the guitar at age 14, taught myself, and a few months later I was singing my own songs and playing the guitar at the same time. I have nearly 100 completed songs, and a few dozen started and uncompleted. Yes, I was the girl who sat home on Friday and Saturday nights in my bedroom making music. I felt like a “loser” at the time, but all that faded, especially on the Talent Search night.

For the show, I performed my original song titled, “Kiss My Worries Goodbye.” The second verse says: “All around the world people put themselves down… All around the world people forget what they know and their will to change.” What we are forgetting is that we have all we need to know already there within us. We have just stopped listening. I’ve been learning to go within, because that is where true change and power starts.

Since the talent show, I’ve continued to pursue music. I’ve just started voice lessons. Sounds kind of weird to just start now, but better late than never and there’s always room for improvement. For me, it’s about learning proper voice placement and techniques, as well as bringing awareness to what your voice and body are doing while you are singing. Staying on pitch is a piece of cake!

The music director, Richard Torrance, and the band did a wonderful job. To sing with a band, especially one that is backing me up on my song, is an experience I will never forget. Practice time was only on the day of the event. Wow! It all came together so fast, but none of the eight contestants missed a beat! It was fun and exciting!

Where do I go from here? Reach for the stars! Music is supposed to make you feel good. If I can feel good, sound good and draw a crowd (hopefully, a growing one!), I’ll just keep doing it! Music has been an inspiration for me since before I could read or write. Why would I ever just stop? That would be silly. Besides, life is an upward climb…when you listen to your heart.

Future CEO Stars

March 2008

Thank you to the sponsors, United States Senator Kent Conrad, North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson and everyone involved in bringing about the North Dakota Marketplace Talent Search! It’s a great experience that brings hope and encouragement to future home state artists and talent. The Marketplace Talent Search is held in conjunction with Marketplace for Entrepreneurs, North Dakota’s premier economic development conference. For more information on Marketplace for Entrepreneurs, visit www.MarketplaceForEntrepreneurs.org

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©iStockphoto.com, Kativ

Social Entrepreneurship Sprouting in Québec BY JOSÉE-ANN CLOUTIER

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outh social entrepreneurship is an increasingly common approach to engaging young people in solving social problems. Youth organizations and programs promote these efforts through a variety of incentives.

Venture-GenV, the RCJEQ is promoting the program, presenting workshops, assisting youth in their action plans and participating in the jury panel.

to commercializing existing products, the store will develop products and services that will bring real positive impact to both local and international communities. There

Rather than leaving societal needs for the government or business sectors to address, social entrepreneurs are creating innovative solutions, delivering extraordinary results and improving the lives of millions of people. Québec has been experiencing an unprecedented level of entrepreneurial activity in the last few years due to partners collaborating together on a common strategy to promote entrepreneurship among youth in order to create a culture that is active, engaged, concerned and vibrant. Social entrepreneurship is a seed being introduced to the Québec landscape and we are beginning to witness the sprouting of innovative social seeds while continuing to spread the seedlings to take root.

From left to right: Marijulie Cantin, MariePier Côté, Laurent Bédard, Mylène Ménard, Julie Brien, Alexandre Beaudoin, Émilie Lefebvre, Suzor Hardy-Houle, Julie Langlois, Judith Rancourt - Leading the team : Nicholas Imonti and Jessica Grenier

The Réseau des carrefours jeunesses-emploi du Québec (RCJEQ) is working with Ashoka — an international organization present in over 70 countries worldwide building communities of innovators who work collectively to transform society and design new ways for the social sector to become more productive, entrepreneurial and globally integrated. The Youth Venture-GenV Canada program inspires and invests in teams of young people between 12–24 to create and launch their own lasting social ventures affecting a positive impact in the community. Youth Venture then connects them to a global movement of young changemakers, who are together redefining the youth years as a time of leadership and positive social change. In collaborating with Youth

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Another initiative currently underway on the south shore of Montréal is the ENTREPRENEURIAT SOCIAL SOLIDARITÉ INTERNATIONALE, a social entrepreneurship incubator created by Entrepreneurship Awareness and Promotion Officer, Jessica Grenier. It is designed to support initiatives with innovative approaches to social issues related to health, education, the environment, poverty, homelessness, arts and culture, at-risk youth and more.

are ten young people from the community involved in writing the action plan, while promoting and leading the project. They are also planning a mission for three weeks in Peru to meet the suppliers and learn first-hand the social realities in countries down south.

The first project born out of the incubator is the Boutique du Monde, a store meant to attract people interested in fair trade and environmentally friendly products while gathering those who share similar values to meet and network. In addition

Future CEO Stars

March 2008

©iStockphoto.com, Kutay Tanir

Lavoro BY SAMANTHA VANPOOL

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n Italian, Lavoro means work or business professional. I may only be 19 years-old, but that’s not too early to start a business and present myself in a professional manner. My retail store is called Lavoro. My name is Samantha Vanpool and I am the Vice President of Business Operations for Prominent Youth, Inc. (PY). PY is a non-profit organization that pays students to start their own businesses, based on their passions. The organization began in 2005. In December 2007, the organization officially opened Lavoro.

pletely different businesses running under Lavoro, I keep customers interested in what will be showcased next. Bella Dress Rental & Boutique is a place for girls to sell their used dance dresses or rent them. AHHA! is a discounted designer handbag store and Once Upon A Gift creates one-of-a-kind gift baskets. We’ve been around for almost two months and have a very successful open house under our belt,

With a style for all, our target market is male and female ages 15–40. It’s really up to what the customer likes. We conduct surveys in local high schools, as well as local businesses in Kansas City, to see what kinds of clothing the majority of the city wears. With a hip target market, I make sure that all of our photography is up-to-date and stylish to attract customers. If the pictures are not eye-catching, you won’t have a steady amount of traffic in and out of the business. It’s something small, but very important for success. Currently, I am designing the Lavoro website, which will house Bella Dress Rental & Boutique items, AHHA! Designer Discount items and Once Upon A Gift basket items. This will make it easier for customers to see and purchase in a timely manner.

Lavoro contains three separate stores called Bella Dress Rental & Boutique, AHHA! Designer Discounts, and Once Upon A Gift. With three com-

gs andba H r e n esig ount D c s i D ! AHHA

Samantha Vanpool at work coordinating Lavoro. Future CEO Stars

March 2008

With only two months of operation, I can already tell that Lavoro will bring Kansas City a new perspective on how they view fashion boutiques.

with a grand opening soon to follow. Our mission is to ensure our customers receive a high quality purchase, whether it be clothing, a custom gift basket, or a designer handbag. There’s something for everyone.

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The GoVenture Entrepreneur board game combines the best of your favorite board games into a business context where you run your own business and compete, collaborate, and negotiate with other players. Game play is expertly designed to recreate the real-life thrills and challenges of entrepreneurship in a fun and educational social learning experience. Ages 12 to adult. For 2-6 players each with their own business, or up to 12 players in teams.

Activities include • Buying, Pricing, and Selling Products (called “Gwidgets”) • Managing Employees • Paying Expenses • Managing Cash Flow • Investing in Product Quality and Marketing

• Interacting with other players through question and answer, drawing, charades, trivia, word puzzles, and more! • Evaluating success by calculating Equity • Preparation of Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss statements (optional)

• Negotiating with other players

• Accounting General Journal and General Ledger (optional)

• Balancing work and life

• and much more!

Award-Winning GoVenture Educational Games and Simulations Software, mobile, board games, card games, and more!

Home Version

$49 Education Version with teacher resources

$129

Call toll-free 1-800-331-2282

www.goventure.net

Ask GoVenture

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FAST FACTS

What should I consider when building a website for my business?

Objectives — Know your business objectives for the website before you spend any time or money. View the website as an extension of your business activities. Domain Name — The Domain Name should mirror your company name as closely as possible. The shorter the better, but avoid using acronyms, dashes, and words that are easy to misspell. A .com address is usually preferred. Web Server — A “website” is a collection of “web pages” that are basically just files stored on a Web Server. You could set up your own Web Server, but usually it is much more cost effective and reliable to rent space with a Web Hosting company. Beware that many Web

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Hosting companies provide poor service, so it’s important to shop wisely. Design — A poorly designed website can hurt your company – not only in the funds invested to design it, but in lost opportunity when visitors have a negative experience. A good web designer can work with you to select the look, feel, and features most advantageous to your business. Budget — A good website design company will select the most cost-effective technology to meet your objectives. Don’t Wait — Every day that your website is not up, you are losing opportunities, so get started with something simple today and build on it as you go.

GoVenture Activity Word Search – Human Resources Directions: Circle these words in the puzzle below. Words may be in any direction and backwards or forwards.

BENEFITS CONTRACT EMPLOYEE FIRE HIRE INTERVIEW LAYOFF MORALE PERFORMANCE RELIABILITY

Birth story of Jell-O In 1845, Peter Cooper, inventor and founder of Cooper Union, obtained the first patent for a gelatin dessert. In 1897, Pearl Wait, a cough medicine maker from Leroy, New York obtained the patent and added fruit flavoring to the gelatin, calling it Jell-o. The business was sold two years later for $450 to Orator F. Woodward. Today, 158 products are made under the Jell-O brand name and 300 million boxes are sold annually. Source: “The Branding of America.” Library of Congress American Memory Collection

About GoVenture GoVenture is a line of award-winning educational games and simulations, including software, board games, mobile games, website, books, and more. GoVenture educational games and simulations offer the fastest, most effective and fun learning experiences ever! Similar to how pilots train using flight simulators, highly visual and realistic GoVenture programs enable youth and adults to gain years of business, money and life experience in minutes. Become the CEO of a virtual business, a stockbroker trading on a virtual exchange, or navigate your way through the next 50 virtual years of your financial future. More than just fun and learning, GoVenture provides an experience that enables you to realize your potential, both in terms of what is possible and the wisdom of how to make it happen. GoVenture is used in homes, schools, universities, and businesses throughout North America and around the world. Visit the GoVenture website for many more free resources!

SICKTIME SKILLS RESUME SALARY

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www.goventure.net

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rg don Laufenbe o.com, Bran ©iStockphot

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y writing business began with my first self-published book, which sold 900 copies. Not a bad debut effort, right? What if I told you I was just ten years old? Nearly a decade later, I’m still reaping the benefits. How did it begin? With one little idea – and a little naiveté too. In fifth grade, I received a $100 school grant to write and self-publish a children’s book of short stories and poems titled There’s a Huge Pimple On My Nose.

Volumes of Success BY DALLAS NICOLE WOODBURN

One of the perks to publishing a book at such a young age is I didn’t understand how difficult the project should be. I plunged into the business world with excitement instead of fear. Furthermore, I used my young age as an advantage when marketing my book. “What better way to promote youth literacy,” I wrote in my cover letters, “than a book written for kids by a kid?” I scored reviews in not only my local Ventura (California) newspaper, but also in the national magazines Girl’s Life and CosmoGIRL. A book review in The Los Angeles Times praised: “If you simply want some remarkable writing, it would be hard to find a book more satisfying.” I did radio interviews, gave talks at schools, and spoke at book fairs and writing conferences across California. The Santa Barbara Book Fair even held a “Dallas Woodburn Day” in my honor!

What I Learned I used a portion of the proceeds from my book sales to create a non-profit foundation “Write On!” to encourage kids to read and write. I hold an annual Holiday Book Drive that has collected and distributed 9,147 new books to underprivileged kids. This in turn generates publicity for my writing. I learned that often by doing something for others, you are also helping yourself and your business. My second book of short stories, 3 a.m., was featured on the nationally syndicated PBS book talk show “Between the Lines.” I continue to use my young age as an advantage when pitching stories to magazines and books. As a result, I have sold numerous articles, to magazines including Family Circle, Justine and Writer’s Digest. I also received a scholarship from the National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Foundation in recognition of my achievements as a young writer and businesswoman.

Advice

Dallas Woodburn

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As legendary basketball coach John Wooden says, “You’ll never succeed if you’re afraid to fail.” So take chances. Be bold, because opportunities have a way of snowballing to create more opportunities. Turn “disadvantages” into advantages. Above all else, approach your business like a child would: with wide-eyed excitement and passion! Future CEO Stars

March 2008

National Entrepreneurship

National Entrepreneurship Week on an Electronic Billboard High over the Streets of Columbus OH

Hanna Thompsett of NY REAL with a portrait made of 37,568 Staples

©iStockphoto.com, Rafal Zdeb

Mayor of Indianapolis at NEW Student Expo

Becky Cassidy, Mike Ashmore, and Dave Baldwin at the CEE booth with Lt Govenor Lee Fisher of Ohio Interviewing local entrepreneurs, Coldwater, MI

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Future CEO Stars

March 2008

p Week Across the Nation!

ND Governor John Hoeven, 5th grade students from St. Joseph Elementary, representatives from DECA, CTE and Marketplace for Kids signing the Proclamation declaring NEW

Michigan Proclamation — Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

Entrepreneurship Empowering High School Students at Burton Morgan Foundation of Ohio event

Brandy Thompson and Kellie Goughnour of Buchholz High outside Gainesville FL City Hall

For more photos visit NationalEWeek.com Future CEO Stars

March 2008

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hen a dream begins, it helps to have others join with you to turn it into reality. Madalyn, a 10 year-old young lady, needed to find a way to see her dreams come true. She looked to her father, Tom Simon, the principal of Scio Central School. Tom found her a mentor, Mrs. Dunham, the home economics teacher. Madalyn’s dream to become a chic fashion designer and to make a huge contribution to that field is lofty for a young girl living in a rural western New York community. There are few models and few opportunities to help in the pursuit of that vision. Her greatest help and inspiration came from a doll…a BRATZ doll ®. Madalyn loves Bratz dolls® and admires the clothing they wear. When looking around stores to find clothing that she could wear similar to that of the dolls, she found very little.

Designing Her Own Future

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With her love of fashion and her entrepreneurial spirit she discovered that she could design and create the clothing line she was seeking for herself and her friends. Her mentor, Mrs. Dunham, taught her how to sew and reproduce her ideas on patterns and on paper. She makes changes to some of the clothes and adds touches that allow her to express who she is. Madalyn says that her clothing tells the world about her personality and character in a way that words cannot express. She feels this is true of everyone. There are few hours in a day that Madalyn is not thinking about her dream. She spends time learning and studying the vocabulary associated with sewing and design. She is constantly thinking about where she will go for an education. (Currently she is partial to the idea of Los Angeles. She feels she could make the biggest impact, although New York City is also a thought.) But above all else she wants to make a business and spend her life designing and selling an aspect of herself through the clothes that she creates.

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Madalyn, hard at work on her clothing line.

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Big Kahuna BY ZACH CONERTY-MARIN

Zach Connerty-Marin and Evan Pryzant, founders of Big Kahuna Design

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ate summer in Maine is so pretty that everyone should visit. The trees and flowers are in bloom, the sky is blue, the water isn’t choppy and best of all, it’s warm (by Maine standards, anyway). What a perfect time to surround yourself with LCD monitors and CSS coding. This is where you will find me, Zach Connerty-Marin, and Evan Pryzant, my co-founder of Big Kahuna Design (www.bigkahunadesign.com). Big Kahuna Design is a web design and development firm based in greater Portland, Maine. The business got its successful start through my design experience and Evan’s skills in business management. I have been designing websites since I was 7, and wanted to start a business. I found a partner whose skill sets were complimentary to mine by adding valuable leadership and business acumen. An instant messenger conversation turned into a business as Big Kahuna Design June 27, 2007. We opened a joint business account, prepared a standard contract, and built a number of websites.

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We started the business with limited entrepreneurial knowledge. Evan contacted and received information from the State of Maine, but we still felt hindered by our lack of experience. I was given an opportunity to attend EntrePrep, an experimental economic entrepreneurship summer program at Hebron Academy aimed at giving young adults the tools they needed to start a business. I participated in seminars on economics, business management, and leadership training. I also spent time networking with seasoned entrepreneurs and educators to learn from their stories. Skills from EntrePrep added to our entrepreneurial passion. Our business continued to grow well after that week-long summer program. Our customers range from a pro-bono website developed for a girl with mermaid syndrome (a rare congenital deformity) to a website for a coalition promoting the new Massachusetts environmental bond bill. With 10 years of coding and design experience we use the latest technology to

develop websites and receive tremendous customer satisfaction feedback. With all start-ups there are challenges and Big Kahuna’s next one is marketing – we need more clientele! Initial customers were obtained by word of mouth and networking. We are now looking into other advertising methods, such as online display ads and print ads in newspapers. This will require some funding but is necessary to bring in customers. It seems the bigger our company grows the more we need to learn. I guess it is a never ending process. It’s not easy but it’s well worth the effort. If you need a quality website please contact us at www.bigkahunadesign.com

Future CEO Stars

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Scuba Diving in Kansas? BY JESSICA MILLER

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hen I signed up to take a Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas class last year, I was in it for the money. I had seen my friends participate in Market Day and they explained to me that YEK had given them a loan to fund their “business” for the day. Not only that, but the students were allowed to keep any profits they made. I thought, “That’s a sweet deal — getting paid to take a class!” The next year my own market day did pay off, but for me YEK was more than financially fulfilling. The interaction I had with real entrepreneurs and the experience I gained through their alumni programs made YEK one of the best classes I’ve ever taken.

©iStockphoto.com, Suprijono Suharjoto

The class itself certainly appealed to my competitive nature and eagerness to learn. Successful business owners and mentors frequently visited the class to share their experience in the “real world” of entrepreneurship. I was inspired by their vigorous ambition and enthusiasm about their businesses. All of these people were eager to relate to us their stories of rags to riches and give us advice for our futures. The speakers usually had one thing in common: they loved what they did and never stopped exploring opportunities. Because of this, many of them ended up doing something very different from what they had originally planned, and their personal success also exceeded their expectations. Each student in the class wrote a business plan, and mine was one of those chosen to compete at the regional level. I enjoy SCUBA diving, so my business plan was a dive shop located in the Hawaiian Islands. No one seemed to care that my plan was a bit far-fetched for a high school student living in Wichita, Kansas, but rather the mentors were eager to help me learn about the writing process. Their willingness to guide me through that time of preparation and their excellent advice helped me to win a scholarship! I’ve continued to learn from local entrepreneurs through YEK sponsored organizations like the Ambassador’s Association, the Business Breakfast Series, and Summer Partnerships. In particular, the Kansas World Trade Center partnership was an unforgettable opportunity. Working alongside professionals in the field of international business sparked my interest in that area, and I’m very excited to continue learning about it in college. YEK not only gave me a great foundation of knowledge in entrepreneurship, but connected me with successful business owners, fantastic teachers and interesting, knowledgeable mentors. My interaction with business professionals in many different fields, not just entrepreneurship, influenced my decision to study business in college. Even if I pursue a career outside of entrepreneurship, I have still gained priceless knowledge and experience through the YEK program. Nevertheless, I’m sure that the creative thinking and adventuresome spirit that makes entrepreneurship so unique and appealing will have a place in my future.

Jessica Miller, right, with fellow YEK student Nancy Tovar at the 2007 Kansas World Trade Center YEK Summer Partnership.

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Be the Change You Want to See BY KATHERINE ANDERSON

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his past summer, many of my fellow students chose to perfect their tans at local beaches. Instead, I had the privilege to attend the Young Entrepreneurs for Leadership and Change (YELC) program at the University of Florida. It was a well-designed program that taught me, challenged me, and ultimately forever changed me for the better. Our first course focused on each step involved in developing a business venture. The process ranged from recognizing the need or market for a creative idea all the way through the development and marketing phases. That said, no business could truly be successful without recognizing the social issues faced by the communities in which it provides services. The second course in the program analyzed social issues such as poverty, healthcare, the environment, and basic human rights. In actuality, a social problem affects an entire community to some degree. Dr. Kristin E. Joos, Ph.D., is the director of YELC and the professor for this class. Dr. Joos encouraged us to consider the human dimension of a business and told us to “Be the change we want to see.” I have embraced that challenge and have made that a goal. To that end, my participation in the YELC program has helped me to redefine my career goal of being a physical therapist. Rather than simply being a physical therapist as a means to earn a paycheck, I have broadened my focus. A more rewarding goal is to design a practice in which part of it is devoted to providing free or discounted services to the community’s less fortunate so they would not be denied access.

Katherine Anderson

In a society in which many students believe that the world revolves around them, the program taught me that we are intrinsically related to all the people in our community. I attribute this heightened social awareness to my experiences in the YELC program. It is that realization that will make us all successful entrepreneurs.

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©iStockphoto.com, Ole ksandr Koval

The Business of Construction Will You Be Ready?

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here are close to 16 million young people in your age range of 16 to 19 years old. You will find approximately 12.7 million, or 80%, are enrolled in school. That’s you! You have the great advantage of seeking career awareness and exploration opportunities through your high school’s Career & Technical Education classes. Not all young people your age have these options. As a matter of fact, some have selected to be a (not so good) statistic. There’s lots of data and it comes from many, many sources such as those used in this article… the United States Census Bureau, Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Report and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce. Let’s take a closer look at your particular age group. What’s being said? Of the more than 3 million individuals not enrolled in school, only a little more than 1.7 million are working. That leaves 1.4 million of the age group 16 to 19 that are unemployed. That’s hard to believe, but it’s true. In fact, over half of this unemployed group did not graduate from high school. These stats are real… approximately 6,000 students are dropping out of school each day. But, not you – you will be ready! Couple all of this with statistics at the other end of the age spectrum — the American workforce is aging, and 77 million baby boomers are set to retire over the next several decades. OK, in light of all these telling statistics, let’s take a look at the construction

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industry’s needs. With h 8.3 million total workers, construction ction is one of the nation’s largest industries. ndustries Think about everything you take for granted that requires construction, from your home to school to roads and the shopping mall you like to visit. The shortfall to fill current construction jobs requires 60,000-80,000 new people annually. By the year 2012 there will be a need for 1.1 million specialty trades contractors!. Yet this doesn’t even account for construction industry management positions that are also experiencing a shortfall! All of this shows that’s there plenty of room for you in the construction industry. Though contrary to popular belief, you will not be able to successfully start a construction business without first gaining skill sets specific to your area of interest. Now, while you are in high school, is the time to explore the varied number of options that may easily lead you to owning a thriving construction business. Give construction some thought… trades contractor, builder, developer… there’s potential for all kinds of lucrative businesses. From the industry perspective, it is important for students to know the significance of a good education including the education and training needs of the industry. For example, the industry: • values reading, writing, listening, viewing and speaking skills and how to relate them to a construction business;

edge on how to connect them to home building; • requires math skills in designing, constructing, selling and buying a home – nearly every piece that is assembled into a house must be measured to fit; and • covets the knowledge of scientific principles that are to the architect, landscaper and painter. To be successful in starting a business in the construction industry, become familiar with the dynamics of how the industry works and where you can make the most contributions with your knowledge and skills. Check out www.buildingcareers.org and start your knowledge gathering today! Now that you know some of these facts, will YOU be ready? Home Builders Institute is Cluster Leader for the Architecture & Construction Career Cluster. For additional information about the residential construction industry contact: C. Deanna Lewis Manager for Career Services Home Builders Institute [email protected] or 800-795-7955 ext. 8927

• appreciates problem-solving and critical thinking skills and knowlFuture CEO Stars

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Do You Want to See Your Story in Print? Well, if it works for our magazine, we will print it.

We want your story! S R A T S O E C E R FUTU

In This Issue

YOU

With the exception of cleaning up some grammar, spelling, and other technical stuff your English teacher wanted you to pay attention to, we’ll leave your message the way you send it to us. It is, after all, your message and this is your magazine. All we really need is one page (typed) with a picture or two (1500kb jpeg files or larger are best) about what you want to say. Of course, the articles and pictures you send become the property of the magazine and will not be returned. Also, they may be used for other promotional purposes by the magazine and its parent company, The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education. If we use your story, we will get your final approval of all edits before we print it. To make it easy we even have a writing

A you running a successful Are business, or hope to, and want to tell others about it? Do you want to give acknowledgement or thanks to those that have helped you along the way? Could other students gain from learning about your successes or warnings about your mistakes?

instruction sheet to give you some suggestions on how to put your story together. Just write us (at the address below) and we’ll be glad to send it to you. What have you got to lose? Here is a free chance (there is absolutely no charge for students to submit their story) to get no cost advertising for your product, web page or service. Opportunities like this don’t happen often. This is your magazine. It’s reaching thousands of classrooms each month. This is your chance to help yourself and help others in the process. Change has to begin somewhere and often the best way to pay something back is to pay it forward!

Sincerely,

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March 2008

Mike Ashmore Editor, Future CEO Stars Magazine [email protected]

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Expressing the Art of Entrepreneurship BY TIFFANY STALEY

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oung, ambitious students attending Cornerstone Academy received a first-hand experience last year on what it takes to start, and operate their own business through a program called Entrenuity. The class consisted of 13 high school students (sophomore-seniors) who were very enthusiastic to learn how they could earn profits through their own ventures. Nevertheless, they would need to start with the basics before they could become young successful business owners. After conducting market research, choosing their product (mosaic wall hangings and picture frames) and developing their business plan these Cornerstone students became Artistic Expressions and were now ready to tackle start-up challenges and operations. Reaching out to a number of business owners in the community they were able to acquire 400 dollars worth of loans as startup money. They then invested in Artistic Expressions by purchasing supplies needed for operation. In March, Artistic Expressions began preparing for the IIEE 2007 Youth Entrepreneurship Conference. During this big event they were able to compete in two different competitions in addition to attending entrepreneurship workshops. The students also participated in the Start-Up Business Plan competition. This provided them the opportunity to present their business plan in front of a panel of judges and other competing schools with student operated businesses.

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Although Artistic Expressions did not win, they did make it into the final round. This was a success in itself. In addition to the Start-Up Business Plan contest these students also participated in the Youth Expo where they had the opportunity to sell and advertise their products for the first time. This turned out to be a very beneficial experience. They received great feedback from potential customers on ways they could enhance their product. Overall, people loved the idea of having a custom made mosaic. Through this program the Cornerstone students actually had two opportunities to sell their mosaics before the end of the school year. The first was at the IIEE 2007 Youth Entrepreneurship Conference and the second was held at Entrenuity’s Spring Fundraiser. Between these two events, Artistic Expressions sold 15 out of 21 of their completed pieces. After signing their partnership agreement on May 16, 2007 Artistic Expressions became an official business. To date they has grossed over $1200 is sales, tripling their original investment.

Artistic Expression’s Kahari Kyles, Kanesha Hall with IIEE Board Member Phil Barreda.

The Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education (IIEE) invites young entrepreneurs and their instructors to register for the 2nd Annual IIEE Young Entrepreneurs Conference to be held May 1-3 of 2008 in the Chicagoland area. Students from around the country participate in: Business Workshops, Business Plan Competitions, The Young Entrepreneur Expo, The “E” College Tour, Networking with adult and young entrepreneurs, presentations from nationally known Keynote Speakers and more! For more information go to www.iiee.org or call IIEE at (312)587-9296.

Entrenuity also offers a Facilitator Training for those interested in running their own entrepreneurship program. To learn more about Entrenuity and how you can attend the Entrenuity Summer Business Camp 2008 please visit www.entrenuity.com or call toll free at 888.568.3350.

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Does your class need money? Is your teacher looking for an effective way to raise funding for a class project? ©iStockphoto.com, Scott Hancock

Are you tired of selling cookies or candy? Do you want to avoid the hassle of having to deliver what you sell?

We have your solution! For more information have your teacher contact The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education: [email protected]

The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education is a qualified 501(c3) non profit corporation and, therefore follows all rules, laws, and requirements pertaining to maintaining this status.

Our Sponsors W

e would like to thank the sponsors of Future CEO Stars whose forward thinking, support, and generous contributions made this publication possible. It is organizations like these that keep your education focused, moving forward, challenging, and potentially profitable. To learn more about what they have to offer please feel free to visit their websites listed below.

When an organization really cares,

it shows!!!

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Appalachian Regional Commission

www.arc.gov

Buchholz High School

www.bhs.sbac.edu

The Coleman Foundation

www.colemanfoundation.org

DECA Inc.

www.deca.org

E*TRADE Financial

www.etrade.com

Home Builders Institute

www.hbi.org

Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education

www.iiee.org

Marketplace for Kids

www.marketplaceforkids.org

MediaSpark

www.mediaspark.com

National Council on Economic Education

www.ncee.net

National Museum of Education

www.nmoe.org

NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation

www.nfib.com/yef

National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship

www.nfte.com

NY REAL

www.nyreal.org

Prominent Youth, Inc.

www.prominentyouth.com

Réseau des CJE du Quebec

www.cjereseau.org

University of Florida

www.cei.ufl.edu

Utah State Office of Education

www.schools.utah.gov

Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas

www.yeks.org

Yourhomework.com

www.yourhomework.com

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