May 2008 Issue

MAY 2008 $2.50 US

FUTURE CEO STARS 14

Bum-Wita Plan Marketplace for Kids

24

Opportunities Everywhere

Utah State Office of Education

In This Issue

Lemonade Shlemonade

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Bryan Sediqzad

Im

xtama oto.com, m ©iStockph

r e d n i m e portant R

Are you getting ready for summer vacation? Well, so are we. Future CEO Stars Magazine is not published during June or July but, never fear, we will be back in August. In the meantime go make lots of money, have fun, and be entrepreneurial in all you do!!

Have a GREAT SUMMER!!!

May 2008 In This Issue…

Celebrating Future CEO Stars!

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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.

Lights, Camera, Success! NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation

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6 9 11

The Québec Entrepreneurship Contest Réseau des CJE du Québec

Knowing that “experience is the best teacher”, we decided that who better to communicate with potential young entrepreneurs than young entrepreneurs themselves!

Lemonade Schlemonade

Thus, Future CEO Stars was born.

National Council on Economic Education

Our mission is to create a monthly publication that features successful young entrepreneurs from Consortium member organizations…designed to generate the entrepreneurial mind-set!

Summer Fun-damentals Ask GoVenture MediaSpark Inc

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My NFTE Experience National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship

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GrassMaster of My Own Destiny Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas

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Bum-Wita Plan Marketplace for Kids

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A Window of Opportunity Opens Mark Mahaffey

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Chicago IIEE Conference IL Institute for Entrepreneurship Education

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Entrepreneurship Everywhere Michael Pizer National Museum of Education

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Opportunities Everywhere Utah State Office of Education

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Students Teaching Students NY REAL

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Make It Happen in Residential Construction Home Builders Institute

29

Social Entrepreneurship University of Florida

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Our Sponsors

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. 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]

Lights, Camera, Success! BY ANDREW NAPIER

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have been involved in film production since the age of nine when I learned how to edit video on my home computer while living in the small town of Mauston, Wisconsin. My interests and expertise quickly expanded to include DVD encoding and authoring, digital video compositing, and web design. I offer these and other services through Napier Films LLC, a business I established in 2003. I remember my Mom having to drive me to the court house so that I could file my business papers because I didn’t have my license at the time. The funny thing is my Mom has said that she had no idea why we were going to the court house, but my parents have always supported and encouraged me. My primary passion remains filmmaking. I have produced numerous short films and over 250 projects for clients, including a training video for the company Body Scanning CRM, which reaches retail audiences throughout the United States and Canada. In 2005, I began working on the documentary “Keeping the Spirit” for the Panther Spirit Effigy Mound Project in Mauston. This 45-minute film highlights the

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unique story of how a small rural community brought together students, teachers, archaeologists and the Native American Ho-Chunk Nation to successfully restore and preserve a 1000 year-old Panther Effigy Mound in the heart of the town. During my senior year of high school, I created and taught a video production class at the Mauston High School. Now I am off attending school at the University of Wisconsin — Madison, but the class continues at MHS and is being taught by my friend and high school teacher Gil Saylor. Near the end of my senior year, I was honored with the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award. It is absolutely thrilling to have my efforts recognized by the NFIB and with this award I hope to encourage other young entrepreneurs to pursue their goals and dreams.

Andrew Napier

My “Secrets to Success” • Set goals and create a business plan to accomplish them. For example one of my goals was to produce a documentary before I graduated high school. I created a plan to make it happen, and if I hadn’t, I would still be talking about wanting to do it today. • Learn from your failures and have a support group. I have had many awful experiences when working on projects (like losing all the sound from a wedding video) and it would have been so easy to quit, but I’m real glad I didn’t. • Give your customers the best possible experience you can. When a customer likes you and the service you provide, there will definitely come back and tell their friends. I have never advertised my services. Word of mouth has kept me constantly busy.

Currently I am in the editing stage of my second documentary, which tells the story of an 89 year-old woman who competes in triathlons and an 82 yearold man who recently set the national high jump record in his age category. I hope to inspire people of all ages to become more active through this film. Future CEO Stars

May 2008

The Québec Entrepreneurship Contest BY JOSÉE-ANN CLOUTIER

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hat do you get when you mix an idea that meets a need in the community with students, teachers, Entrepreneurship Awareness and Promotion Officers (EAPO), motivation, a jury, and a monetary reward? Grand prize winners for the Quebec Entrepreneurship Contest (QEC)! The QEC, now in its tenth year is a unique approach to promote and sensitize young people to develop their entrepreneurial skills at a young age.

and some make it to the provincial level. In addition, to help support entrepreneurship in schools, the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) offers financial assistance to schools and colleges through the Introduction to Entrepreneurship Measure. In order to receive funding under the measure projects must be eligible for the QEC and meet specific criteria. For more information about the measure visit: www.inforoutefpt.org/mse Each year, students in elementary and secondary schools, colleges and university participate in academic or extracurricular projects in entrepreneurship and, in so doing, develop their entrepreneurial qualities and competencies.

Students competing in the QEC. The contest focuses on students and new entrepreneurs at the business planning stage. It offers financial rewards from $1000 up to $10,000 for grand prize winners. The contest is divided into two categories: a student entrepreneurship division and business creation division. The selection process is divided into local, regional

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

Estrie is a region in Quebec that won 5 prizes bringing in a total of $8,000 out of the 5,780 projects submitted in the student division in 2007. Andreanne Dubois, EAPO from the Carrefours jeunesseemplois supported several of the projects that won prizes. The winners for 2008 will be unveiled in May.

Custeau and Andreanne Dubois, sold the compost to help finance their class trips. In order to purchase the materials required for the project, they collected funds through bottle drives, made and sold chocolate and sought sponsors by writing letters to the community. They held weekly meetings to manage their tasks equally. To share what they learned and experiences gained they presented to the media and showcased themselves at conferences. The students were the little experts who could explain the specific details on how to construct and manage vermicompost with all its benefits. Andreanne Dubois, the EAPO, meets with teachers at the beginning of the school year to discuss the difference between an entrepreneurial project versus a pedagogical one. As an EAPO, she supports projects on an ongoing basis by meeting with the students and guiding them in preparing their action plans and working committees. She also continues to be available to answer questions and provide activities and tools to teachers interested in participating in the contest. To celebrate the winners for 2008, the gala will take place in June. For more information about the contest visit: www.concours-entrepreneur.org

A winning highlight out of the five projects is Si petits et si vaillants – vermicompostage (so little and so brave — vermicompost). A first grade primary class decided to integrate vermi compost to reduce waste at their school. Motivated to do their part for the environment, the 5 students from École primaire des Quatre-Vents, with the support from their teacher Melanie

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©iStockphoto.com, En Tien Ou

Lemonade Shlemonade How Hard Could It Be? BY BRYAN SEDIQZAD PARTNERS: MICHAEL TARDIF AND TODD HAMILTON LTO ON

Q: What’s a good way to practice starting up your own business? A: Open up a lemonade stand Q: What’s the easiest way to practice starting up your own business? A: Open up a lemonade stand Q: What’s the cheapest way to practice starting up your own business? A: Open up a lemonade stand

Three High School guys, each from different parts of the country, decided to open up a lemonade stand after meeting at EntrePrep Summer Institute to learn about entrepreneurship. EntrePrep Summer Institute, funded by the Kauffman Foundation, was designed for the sole purpose of teaching high school students more about entrepreneurship. This camp-like experience explained every detail of starting up a business, more specifically, business management, operating skills, and startup techniques. Our mission was to start up and run a ‘business-for-a-day’. We could choose any business we want, operate on our own or in teams. We decided to try a good old fashion lemonade stand.

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Our motive was to make a profit by buying snacks and beverages in bulk. This business idea proved to be more challenging than originally thought. One of the major mistakes we made was not figuring the start-up costs in the equation, which made a huge difference. We soon realized how important budgeting is for a business, especially during the start-up phase.

Questions we should’ve asked before opening:

Things I learned: • Importance of planning every aspect • How easy it is to not keep every minor detail in mind • Lemonade stand is a great representation of what its like to run a real business (key things involved are: marketing, planning, constructing the product, working as team member, selling real life products to consumers, copyright issues)

• How could we get the same lemonade mix: water ratio exact every time?

• Although we chose to do a lemonade stand, Ice Cold Inc., it was more of a learning experience to build upon and helped me answer some of the questions I had about starting a business It showed me some of the real aspects of business that not everyone learns until it happens to them (sunk costs, start-up costs, etc.)

• Would it help if we put signs up, or if we just had a good location to begin with?

• Making my own business, lemonade stand or not, took a lot more time and effort than previously believed.

• Should we have branched out into 3 lemonade stands with 1 group member at each station to maximize profits?

• I figured out that if I had another product that went along with the lemonade it would’ve been easier to sell, and could’ve made more profit.

• Will there be other beverage stands around our location?

• Location was more of a key factor than I had thought.

• How much does location matter? • How could we keep the beverages at a cold temperature for an extended period of time?

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

Bryan Sediqzad

Secret of making money at a Lemonade Stand: • Do it when you are 6 years old! • For a 6 year-old all they have to think about is making the lemonade and getting things ready to sell. They don’t have to worry about location, because their parents aren’t going to allow them to sell it anywhere other than their own street corner. Also they really don’t have any competition, which makes it a monopoly. Being a monopoly, they can have pretty profitable prices, without worrying about someone making a better deal and

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

stealing there customers. They don’t have to pay for the products because it comes straight from the pantry. They really don’t have to worry about advertising either, because people driving by will definitely see a couple 6 year-olds on the side of the road. All of these concepts were things we had to worry about, and were things that were setting us back, rather than pushing us forward and making our business profitable.

my eyes and showed me that creating a business is possible for anyone who is willing to accept the challenge. I now feel that I am far more educated with aspects of the business world than other peers my age. I now know that being an entrepreneur is something that I can pursue with confidence as I mature.

EntrePrep was very significant to me, and allowed for many new insights. Before I attended EntrePrep, I had little idea of career opportunities. This camp opened

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©iStockphoto.com, Cheryl Graham, Anton Brand

Summer Fun-damentals S

ummer is here! Time off from school, fewer responsibilities, nice weather, a chance to relax, right? Well, there is an old saying that goes “Rust never sleeps” and the same can be said for opportunity. You may be thinking “I’m young and I have all the time in the world.” Don’t worry, that will change and fast! Reality is, time has a tendency to slip by before you know it. It’s a valuable commodity and really should be invested whenever possible. Of course you should have fun, but there is no reason why you can’t have a good time bettering yourself. For some reason our society looks at the two concepts, work and play, as mutually exclusive, but entrepreneurs know that simply isn’t the case. So what can you do? Here are some suggestions…

Be A Social Entrepreneur – Being a Social Entrepreneur comes in many forms. It is basically applying your entrepreneurial mindset to help address social challenges. There are many opportunities to volunteer with organizations that are already addressing the needs of society. Good sources include houses of worship, community centers, and civic organizations. Find out what’s going on in your community and get involved. You will be amazed at the people you will meet and the networking opportunities you will find. You may even want to start your own initiative to address a local problem. This can be quite an undertaking and takes a lot of commitment on your part. It might be a good idea to get a real feel of what you are taking on through experience in an existing operation first.

Find a Mentor – Is there a business in your area that you think really has it together? Have you ever thought about approaching the owner and telling him your opinion? Many Entrepreneurs live for this type affirmation. You could possibly end up with a fantastic source for valuable real world experience and make a friend along the way. Timing is important when you do this. Many business owners are very busy most of the time. You need to check it out and find your opportunity. It might even be wise to make an appointment depending on the type of business it is. This may seem awkward, but reality is many entrepreneurs want to give back to society but don’t know where to start. By making the first move you give them the opportunity they’re looking for.

Take a Class – Yeah right…another class is just what I need! The truth is voluntary classes are distinctly different than those that many students are used to. The atmosphere found in many mandatory classes of “I have to be here but I would rather be anywhere else” is replaced with a positive energy of excitement created by like minded people that made the same choice that you did. Classes can be found at local colleges, community centers, and maybe even your own school. Take a chance; what do you have to lose? If you don’t like it there’s nothing that says you have to stay.

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

These are just a couple of suggestions. What you can do to better yourself is limited only by your own imagination. It is a very competitive world and it’s best to keep moving forward or you may find yourself left behind.

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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

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Ask GoVenture

“

What are vision and mission statements and are they important?

”

Every business needs a defining direction and objective to strive for. Whether you call this a vision or mission is not as important as having a clear picture of the end in mind.

A vision statement tends to be less measurable. Notice the term “leading” is not exactly defined. A mission statement is more specific and can be measured to track progress.

Vision and mission statements should clearly articulate why a business exists, and include a brief explanation of the desired future state of an organization. Let’s differentiate between them by saying that a vision statement identifies where you want to go and the mission statement describes how you plan to get there. For example:

Common mistakes:

Vision Statement: “To be North America’s leading manufacturer of widgets.” Mission Statement: “To develop the lightest and most reliable widgets in the automotive industry.”

• Not having a vision or mission statement. • Mission statements which are too vague. • Too much time spent on finding the perfect language (words) and not enough time determining what is realistically possible. • Insufficient effort in implementing the mission into day-to-day activities. • Never adjusting.

GoVenture Activity Word Search — Managing Change in Business Directions: Circle these words in the puzzle below. Words may be in any direction and backwards or forwards

COMPETITION ECONOMY INFLATION INSURANCE INTEREST LEGISLATION MARKETS MINIMUM WAGE POLITICS PUBLICITY

FAST FACTS Planning for retirement while you’re young The more time you have to save, the greater the returns you’ll earn through compound interest. Consider this scenario: Person A Invests $1,000 per year from age 20 to 30. 7% annual interest. Retirement income at age 65: $168,514 Person B Invests $1,000 per year from age 30 to 65. 7% annual interest. Retirement income at age 65: $147,913 Person A invested early and for only 10 years. Person B invested much later, so even with 35 years of investing still ends up with much less money. Source: .S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration

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!

TAXES TECHNOLOGY WORLD CONFLICT

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

www.goventure.net

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NFTE Founder Steve Mariotti and Juliun Kinsey

My NFTE Experience BY JULIUN KINSEY

“E

xtreme Entrepreneurs create wealth for themselves and others through mutually beneficial relationships.” These are the words of Michael Simmons, author of “The Student Success Manifesto” and fellow NFTE graduate. Similar to Michael and a great number of many other NFTE graduates, my dreams of achieving success derived from the time invested by Mr. Steve Mariotti, founder of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). For a vast majority of my life, I grew up in a single-parent household on a cropbearing field in a small country town by the name of La Crosse, FL. As a result, it had always been hard for me not only to find an opportunity, but to have adequate support in order to pursue that opportunity as well. The NFTE program at Loften High School became that support for me. As a sophomore I was fortunate to have Ms. Barbara Martin as my marketing education instructor. However, she did more than just teach me. Ms. Martin introduced me to the world of entrepreneurship skills from how to persuade a venture capitalist to how to determine salaries for employees. The NFTE program became the foundation for my future endeavors.

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While in the program, I created a business plan based around the growth and transition of my school. I named it “Eagle PRO Apparel,” a retail enterprise that would market the school’s uniforms and other spirit related clothing and accessories to Loften. Having been taught how to recognize opportunity, I submitted my business plan to NFTE and was chosen as one of 30 globally to be named a 2007 Young Entrepreneur of the Year. While attending the awards ceremony I did much more than meet the most promising future business leaders of the WORLD but had, by far, the greatest experience of my life in New York City. That night, after the awards ceremony, I asked Mr. Mariotti why he established NFTE. His response was that he was able to see the potential in inner-city youth that could have a lasting impact on the environments that we come from. A real-life example of this is a fellow ‘07 Young Entrepreneur of the Year named Marvin Lenzy from Maryland who founded an auto detailing business. Because of the skills he learned through NFTE, he hopes to become an executive of a Fortune 500 company.

education program became the Academy of Business Ownership. My instructor and mentor, Ms. Martin, can now boast that she is one of the few NFTE Certified Entrepreneurship Teachers who has had two consecutive winners of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award thanks to Kera King, my classmate and founder of Kera’s Kingdom, an accessory manufacturer. Personally, I’ve made some significant accomplishments. Last summer I participated in the University of Florida’s Young Entrepreneurs for Leadership & Change Program. This school year I was re-elected to a 2nd term as chapter president of the DECA marketing club, established another school-based enterprise, and was selected co-chairman of the NFTE Alumni Advisory Board alongside a very passionate and aspiring entrepreneur, Michael Cooper. My greatest accomplishment thus far has been being elected the state president of the Florida Future Educators of America club with the hope that someday I assist others in finding their entrepreneurial spirit in the classroom.

Today I am a junior at what is now known as the Professional Academies Magnet, no longer Loften High School. The marketing Future CEO Stars

May 2008

GrassMaster of My Own Destiny BY EVAN KAUFMAN ©iStockphoto.com, Giovanni Banfi

I

’m seventeen and responsible for a company with dozens of clients, thousands of dollars of sales and one employee. I also have an active student life, compete in varsity athletics, try to hang out with friends and family, and I am moving on to college. This is exactly the life I dreamed of. Hello, my name is Evan Kaufman, owner of GrassMasters, LLC, a lawn care and landscaping business in Newton, Kansas. I am a junior enrolled in the marketing and Entrepreneurial/YEK courses at my high school. In an area full of competition and an economy on the brink of recession, my company continues to expand as a result of my ability to keep the business “Reliable, Affordable and Personal.”

Evan Kaufman When I was twelve years old I got the idea that many other twelve year-olds have… make lots of money! Being twelve, I couldn’t apply for a job and I understood that even if I could, the money made would be something like five or

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

six dollars an hour. I quickly figured out that this wasn’t going to get me very far. I always loved the idea of creating and selling a product to make money and connections. Yet being young and very underfunded once again shot down the thought of manufacturing cars, computers or even pencils to meet my goals. One Saturday morning it hit me. I found a way to make good money at a young age. It took a few minutes, but once agreed I had sealed my first deal to mow a yard; fifteen dollars per week to cut my dad’s lawn. In the fall of 2006 I got really serious about my business. I used some of my savings and “collected” donated lawn mowers from my family to get started on my own. Since my early days I have added multiple lawn maintenance jobs, and have landscaped homes all over town for people I never would have imagined meeting. With some of my profits I have purchased more equipment for the business including landscaping tools, gas powered edgers, blowers and new lawn mowers. In addition, I have invested the rest of my profits in stocks and savings in order to increase my capital. In 2007 I registered the company GrassMasters, LLC with the state of Kansas as a limited liabilities company. I figured the name would help increase sales due to having a more professional image in addition to the protections a LLC would give me as a company.

have people come up and ask me if they can buy one! I didn’t know they’d go over that well. We wear the shirts when we work and when bidding jobs so that the company gains name recognition. Coupled with our new look, I’ve been able to increase sales through my competitive advantage — personal selling. My doorto-door approach with prospective clients is used by no other local lawn company. I’ve gained many new clients with a success rate of 15 percent. This personable approach has become GrassMasters, LLC’s niche in the lawn market. What is the best part about owning my own company? There is a direct connection between how hard I work and what I get out of it. There is also a networking aspect that can’t be experienced in the classroom. You have to get out there and get your feet wet. The entrepreneurial and YEK opportunities that I have gained have been vital in giving me the skills needed to be successful. Since starting my own business I have come to believe that to succeed you must step out of your comfort zone once in a while. Instead of just talking about what you’re going to do, or what you might do, you need to get out there and try it. Put your plans into action. And always remember to treat the customer like family. Paying attention to what they want will take you further than you ever imagined.

Then I decided to give my company a professional look by designing a logo and purchasing shirts, business cards, and signs -- everything to give the business the appearance that we are top professionals. I’ve been surprised by how popular the shirts have been. I chose bright yellow with a green logo so they would catch people’s attention. I actually

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Bum-Wita Plan

Ag Commissioner Roger Johnson and Wade Regier

BY WADE REGIER

O

ne of my goals in life was to become a young entrepreneur and own a sporting goods store. Achieving this goal through hard work and determination has been an incredible experience without limits. Although Bum-Wita-Board Clothing Company started out merely as an idea with my business partner Joel Antymniuk, we are now able to market our products in ways we only hoped for. The dream started one ordinary day with no major intentions. I suggested to Joel, who is a great artist, that he should make a couple of drawings that would look good as logos on a t-shirt. From this idea, we came up with various logos that would fit within our clothing line. Together we took out a small loan to get our business moving forward. The next step was to get a business license and register our logos to prevent any replication. After getting both our business and clothing line registered, Bum-Wita-Board Clothing Company was able to get off the ground. We then had to decide how and where we were going to market our products, and find which stores would accommodate us. We found suppliers who would produce our clothing line according to our standards. This proved to be a challenge, but after some negotiating and persevering we were able to land a deal with a local supplier for reasonable prices. Eventually, we signed two contracts allowing us to sell our clothing. Currently, I am in the process of attaining my Bachelor Degrees in Marketing and Management at Minot State University in Minot, ND. After graduation, I will further pursue my business ambition

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with Bum-Wita-Board Clothing Company. One of my goals is to develop an interactive website for Bum-Wita-Board Clothing Company that will allow the business to display and sell products world-wide. In order to succeed, we feel that we need to benefit from the global market. This is vitally important to get a competitive advantage in the clothing industry.

Bum-Wita-Board clothing line. I was born and raised in Saskatoon, SK Canada, and came to North Dakota four years ago to play hockey and attend Minot State University. While at Minot State University, I held various positions including President of the MSU Student Government Association and Director of Intramurals. Together my education and experience have taught me various aspects of the business world and how to achieve entrepreneurial success. In addition, I have recently accepted a position with Enrollment Services. One of my goals is to network with local businesses, while increasing the market for Bum-Wita-Board Clothing Company. Building relationships with retailers

is a great tactic for any business. It allows companies to diversify and increase their market. Conversing leads to networking which leads to outlets and openings. I am excited to live and work in the United States, which will give me an opportunity to expand the Bum-Wita-Board Clothing Company into additional regions. Although Bum-Wita-Board Clothing Company started out as simply an idea, it has grown into something I once only hoped for. I enjoyed having the opportunity to tell young people my story at the Marketplace for Kids Education Day held on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, in Minot, ND. Marketplace for Kids is sponsored by U.S. Senator Kent Conrad, ND Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, and ND Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Wayne Sanstead. Marketplace for Kids Education Days are held annually in the spring throughout ND. At these Education Days, grade school students are able to attend classes aimed at entrepreneurship, gain career awareness through local employers, and showcase their inventions and ideas. During my presentation, I was able to share my ideas with students and encourage them to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. With opportunities like these and stories like mine, I hope together we will make a difference for everyone.

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

A Window of Opportunity Opens BY MARK MAHAFFEY

I

was enjoying a Father’s Day cookout with my family when I was nine years old. My uncle, who lives by a river, was hosting the cookout. I rarely left the house without my camcorder and this day was no exception. As I videotaped family events in the backyard, we heard sirens, helicopters, and all kinds of commotion. There was a terrible boating accident on the river, and I captured the rescue and Life Flight evacuation on video. A local news station interviewed me and asked to use my video on the six o’clock news. We were all surprised when my interview and the video was the featured story on the evening news. The newscaster even laughed at how a “kid” captured the rescue. It’s funny how this passion for video would lead me to start my own company. I live in a great neighborhood in Dublin, Ohio. Neighbors, family, and friends noticed how much I enjoyed working with video. Eventually, they started asking me if they could pay me to video tape sporting events and make highlight DVDs of their children. One day, one of these customers explained that he had a box of family videos in his

basement collecting dust. He was concerned that the tapes were over ten years old and they might eventually go bad. He asked if I could convert the tapes to DVDs with scene selection for him. I did the job and he asked me how much. I was fifteen years old at the time, and I had no idea what to charge. He paid me ten dollars per tape and mtek Media, Inc. was born. This customer told a friend. That customer then told many friends, and eventually, my business grew by word of mouth alone. I asked one of my friends, Elliott Stanek, to help me fulfill the orders as the tapes began to stack up. We did some research and found that commercial services charge about $25 per tape and they only create one DVD for each tape. Plus, these services are hard to find. mtek Media puts as many tapes as we can on each DVD and only charge $10 per tape. Most customers have 10 to 30 tapes. When the order is filled they get their tapes back in a re-sealable plastic container to preserve them. We also label each DVD based on the video content. 100% satisfaction is guaranteed on every order.

As the business grew, I took some of the profits and had a family friend create a logo, brochures, and website (mtek-media.com). We also bought equipment to handle every common type of video tape. We then hired a salesperson to pass out brochures. He gets 20% of every deal. When we get an interested prospect, we make it easy for them to buy. We give them one of our re-sealable plastic containers and just tell them to fill it up with their tapes. We pick up the container and tell them in two weeks, they will get their tapes and a set of labeled DVDs. On a very sad note, many orders have one or two tapes that are ruined. Over time, the tapes get brittle and stick to the metal in the tape housing. This is a real bummer when the tape contains baby videos or special events. It feels good that we are helping people capture these memories before they lose them forever. In the future, I am thinking of franchising mtek Media, Inc. for a fee, I would send someone a package that would contain the equipment, brochures, order forms, and everything they need to get started in their city. This is a great way to make money, and it would be nice to pass on what I have learned to other entrepreneurs. I am now eighteen years old and plan on attending college to major in entrepreneurship. I am making my college visits now. Here is my secret to success: If you want to start your own business just start it, and learn on the way. We hit many roadblocks and we figured them out as we went along. You can’t worry about what won’t work. Just try different things, and have the confidence that you will adapt and let the business evolve. If you think too much, you will never get it going!

Mark Mahaffey, founder of mtek Media

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

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Chicago IIEE Conference O

n the first weekend in May, hundreds of Future CEO Stars from all over the Midwest converged in Chicago for the Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education’s young entrepreneur conference. They come planning to learn, network, and compete but they leave with more than they ever could have imagined. Bringing energetic minds together creates a synergistic effect that fosters inspiration, motivation, and increased passion. For many of the young participants this conference was a life altering experience. It started them on the path to future entrepreneurial success that can’t be matched in the classroom or their day-to-day lives.

Cindy Huynh and Claire He winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for their Wooden Roses.

As a representative for this magazine I attended the event. I was very impressed with the quality and variety of speakers, workshops, and activities that this conference offered. It is difficult to put in words the energy that was in the air. It really is something that has to be experienced to be believed. If at all possible, write this one in your 2009 calendar and next May experience it for yourself! Mentoring opportunities Mike Ashmore Editor Future CEO Stars

Denise Stafford and her students from Granby, MO with Michael Hennesy of The Coleman Foundation.

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Future CEO Stars

May 2008

©iStockphoto.com, Chris Pritchard

Jerry Gardner of JLG Collections

Two magazine editors, Brandon Griffin and Mike Ashmore, share their experiences.

Caprice Smith and Alexandria Ward of Secret Scents.

Multi-millionaire Ephren Taylor addressing the General Assembly.

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

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Pinky’s Proprietors

Networking, networking and more networking.

Staples Corporate Sponsors

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Future CEO Stars

May 2008

Entrepreneurship Everywhere! E

ast Newton High School is set on 100 started taking preorders for Christmas. acres of prairie and timberland in south- They ended up making 57 pounds of west Missouri. It’s not an area one would fudge to fill all the orders! With Christmas call a thriving metropolis or even an area being so successful they decided to take one would expect to find many young a shot at Easter. They simply changed entrepreneurs sharpening their skills. their fudge to pink and white and were a Nonetheless success once again! Where this will end teacher Denise no one knows Stafford put them but even Milton to the test to Hershey started make their entresomewhere. preneurship class “Sensational experiences Sensual Salts” more real. What owner Kariann ended up hapWardlaw origipening were four nally planned businesses being to make cookies created and a with a partner. small band of But, as often teenagers being happens in the turned on to being real world, the Kariann Wardlaw entrepreneurs in partner had a big way. other obligations “Simply Fudge” senior business owners, and she was left to come up with someAlaina Lawson and Ashley Brattin, loved thing on her own. After some thought and to make homemade candies. Their plan investigation she decided to create her own was modest at first. They simply wanted natural bath salts line. She researched recito earn enough money to pay their way pes on the Internet and after trying several to attend the Young Entrepreneurs Expo different ones without a clear winner, she in Lincolnshire, IL. They set their sites on came up with a plan. Why not offer three? Her product offerings include cucumber melon, sweet pea and lavender. With the help of her friend, Shae Willams, the two designed flyers, cards, and scent cards to match the beautifully fragranced salts she had created. Now she’s enjoying the sweet smell of success.

Alaina Lawson and Ashley Brattin faculty, staff, and students that loved fudge. A great idea because who doesn’t? They gift packaged their two flavors, double chocolate and peanut butter, and

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Owners of “Absolute Earth” didn’t start out trying to save the world! Partnered up in Entrepreneurship Class, the two were an unlikely pair. Devin is fast talking and energetic while JoAna is quiet, calm, and methodical. After several class discussions on global warming and social responsibility, Devin and JoAna decided they wanted to make a difference. After much research, they decided to publish a book of recipes

Devin McMillen and JoAna Sollenberger for “green cleaners” for the home. These Social Entrepreneurs want to make their generation more aware of the earth and effect a positive change. They feel that if everyone would just do one thing to help the environment it would be a huge improvement. They plan to continue to add new products to their book and develop an eco-friendly clothing line. Jon Reed has been an entrepreneur for over a year designing t-shirt art mainly for small bands in Missouri and the surrounding four-state area. His business venture has expanded to designing t-shirt art for individuals, schools, and businesses. Jon is a very creative individual with a love for music and art. He has been a band member for several years and has made quite a name for himself in the design business. Due to lack of capital, Jon advertises “Brutal Art and Designs” on his myspace page at myspace.com/xbrutaldesignsx This is a creative way to have people visit his site and keep expenses for advertising low.

Jon Reed Future CEO Stars

May 2008

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

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Opportunities Everywhere! BY KELSIE SWINDELLS

Kelsie Swindells

I

began my first business seven years ago when I was eight years old and a first year member of the Tree Farm Flyers 4-H Club in Salt Lake City, Utah. Learning about reducing waste and recycling in school, it made sense to improve the environment, help the school collect extra money for supplies and earn money for summer camp. That was the beginning of Kelsie’s Newspaper Recycling. We had 28 families in our neighborhood and only 3 were recycling anything at the time. Twenty four families took me up on the opportunity to recycle. Every Saturday morning I would grab my wagon and mom’s laundry basket and start my route around the neighborhood. I collected a weeks worth of papers and magazines for 50 cents per family. It usually took four or five trips in the wagon to finish the route. The family vehicle was then loaded and driven to the school to deposit all the recycled paper into a collection bin. The school collected extra money for supplies and playground equipment when returning the bin to the recycling company. Kelsie’s Newspaper Recycling continued for 2 ½ years regardless of rain, snow, blowing wind or freezing cold temperatures. Salt Lake City then started curb-side recycling and all 28 of my customers unfortunately signed up. My business opportunity vanished, but looking at the big picture I realized that I had make an impact and the whole neighborhood continued to recycle not just newspapers but all sorts of recyclables!

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Another opportunity presented itself at the age of 10 while making Christmas presents for family and friends. That year my brother and I made gift baskets with homemade pancake syrup and several types of gourmet pancake mixes. After receiving rave reviews and inquiries of where they could get more, Kelsie’s Creations became reality. I used the profit from my recycling business to apply for a business license, get a food handler’s permit and vender space at the local Farmers Market. A family friend with a marketing degree mentored me in designing a brochure and coming up with the logo, Pancakes with Personality. The first year I sold the pancakes at the Farmers Market and Christmas boutiques. The following year I was approached by the marketing director of the Race for the Cure Foundation in Salt Lake City. They had seen a beaded bookmark I had created and received first place for at the Utah State Fair. They wanted them for their charity. I agreed to make them for this worthy cause if they donated the profit in my great grandmother’s name — she was a breast cancer survivor. I added the beaded bookmarks to the inventory of Kelsie’s Creations and expanded to make custom bookmarks for all occasions. This last year the State 4-H department ordered 50 bookmarks for their awards banquet.

Kelsie’s Creations now offers all three products. I’ve learned a great deal about running a business and adapting it to meet the needs of my customers. I’ve also been able to give back to the community, whether by increasing awareness of recycling or fundraising for a great cause. Some may think I was just in the right place at the right time. I think I was able to recognize an opportunity and turn it into a successful business venture. This Article Sponsored by the Utah State Office of Education.

Kelsie and a friend selling Pancakes with Personality

The customers at the Christmas boutiques were looking for something new and different, so I expanded once more with Peanut Unbrittle, a softer peanut brittle that some claim is addicting. It is a family recipe already popular among extended family and friends. It has proved to be a huge hit with the boutiques crowd as well. Future CEO Stars

May 2008

Mr. Hopkins’ class

StudentsTeaching Students BY SARA-ANN BALDWIN

W

hen it comes to working with young learners, many high school students wouldn’t know where to begin. In March 2008, the Entrepreneurship Class at Genesee Valley Central School in Belmont, New York, was given the challenge of engaging fourth grade students in understanding some fundamentals of Entrepreneurship. The students were competing in an essay contest titled “Meet Emily/Ethan the Entrepreneur”. The event was sponsored by New York Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (NYREAL) of the Cattaraugus Allegany BOCES.

they would like to open. In the essay they had to include the location and type of business and why there is a need for that business in that geographic area. The tasks challenged us because we were still learning about entrepreneurship ourselves. We learned two important things: patience and that you can be an entrepreneur at any age no matter what kind of business you dream of opening. Hopefully, we were able to help the fourth graders learn those same fundamentals. It was especially meaningful for us as we were able to do this activity in conjunction with National Entrepreneurship Week.

We didn’t know where to begin with our challenge! Our EntrepreneurWith the help of ship teacher, Mr. our great teacher Matt Hopkins, and some awesome helped us to younger kids, we formulate some had the experience Sara-Ann and Tyler teaching questions that we of working together future entrepreneurs could ask the kids and making a in order to guide difference. What them. The challenges, however, were you teach a young student and what you just beginning. A major part would be can learn from that experience became to help the younger students develop the a very, powerful experience for our essay describing what kind of business Entrepreneurship Class.

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

Cassidy Mountain receives an award for her essay.

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Make It Happen in Residential Construction ©iStockphoto.com, Fuat Kose

onstruction offers more opportu-

C nities than most other industries

for individuals who want to own and run their own business. 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 a lucrative business. How do you get started? Consider these options: • Apprenticeship programs are commonly registered with the Federal Government. These are called “registered apprenticeship programs.” Registered apprenticeship programs meet federally approved and industry-endorsed standards relating to job duties, related classroom instruction, wages, and safety and health conditions. • The length of an apprenticeship program depends on the complexity of the occupation. Apprenticeship programs range from 1 year to 6 years, but the majority are 4 years in length. During the program, the apprentice receives both structured, on-the-job training (OJT) and

related classroom instruction. For each year of the apprenticeship, the apprentice will receive 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and a minimum of 144 hours of related classroom instruction. • Technical Certificate (TC) programs provide education and training in conceptual and technical skills for specific occupations. Each program contains a sequence of required courses in a recognized specialty. The length of the program typically varies from one to twelve months. • Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree programs prepare students for careers, career changes and career advancement. Completion of this program may preempt years of apprenticeship in the construction field. Typically, a two-year program. • Associate of Science (AS) degree programs prepare students for careers and for transfer to four-year institutions. At some schools AS curricula can be tailored to meet students’ specific transfer objectives. Typically, a two-year program. • Bachelor of Science (BS) degree curriculum in construction management prepares graduates

for employment in a variety of positions in the construction industry. Graduates are employed as construction planners, site supervisors, schedulers, and contractors. Typically, courses in the construction management program are a blend of practical courses with emphasis on handson experiences and classroom based courses which emphasize management principles, estimating and scheduling.

Resources American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) www.aacc.nche.edu American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) www.acce-hq.org U.S. Department of Labor Employment U Training Administration www.doleta.gov/OA/eta_default.cfm T IS FIND A CAREER PATH THA FIT YOUR UNIQUELY DESIGNED TO PED TO FIT NEEDS DISTINCTIVELY SHA YOUR PERSONALITY AND ATIONS HAS OPPORTUNITIES IN LOC STATES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED N: RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTIO RK! IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO WO N A BUSINESS! IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO OW

For details contact: C. Deanna Lewis via email at [email protected] or phone at 1-202-266-8927

Future CEO Stars

May 2008

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SELL 3 GET 1 FREE!!! Help promote Future CEO Stars magazine and earn cash in the process. Every fourth subscription you sell puts $25 in your pocket. Limited time offer so check it out now.

For more info go to

www.FutureCEOStars.com or write to [email protected] with subject line “3 + 1 offer”

©iStockphoto.com, Milorad Zaric

l Dönge Onur .com, ©iSto ckpho to

Social Entrepreneurship BY KELLY MEJIA

A

s I reflect ct on my journey thus far through high school school, I have experienced personal growth and maturity. Service, education, and progress are three elements that have enriched my life and will guide me in my future. I have been one of five student leaders through Florida Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) who have guided 13,000 members statewide in the support of State and National charities such as the March of Dimes and Ronald McDonald House, as well as assisting in business leadership development. I joined FBLA not knowing that this organization would be the key to my success. Five years ago I wouldn’t have imagined standing on stage presiding over conferences. My leadership skills and dedication allowed me to become State Vice President. During my tenure I learned that the most important trait of a true leader is the willingness to make sacrifices. Robert Kennedy once said “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” As leaders we make constant sacrifices in order to achieve our ultimate success. Passion is the driving force behind leaders with vision and ingenuity. As John Maxwell puts it “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way!” As a business leader it’s a matter of learning new skills from those with experience that gives you that helping hand and expedites your venture. This summer I had an extraordinary experience attending the Young Entrepreneurs for Leadership & Change summer program for high school students at the University of Florida. I learned about philanthropy at an entirely different level from the true social entrepreneurs that are helping people around the world. We even had an opportunity to get hands-on and change the world ourselves. Every experience was rewarding in its own unique way and helped to instill in me a passion for serving. Future CEO Stars

May 2008

Kelly Mejia

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

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!!!

Future CEO Stars

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 Inc

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

May 2008

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