September 2008 Issue

September 2008 $2.50 US

FUTURE U CEO STA TTARS ARS In This Issue Common Dreams

September 2008 In This Issue…

Celebrating Future CEO Stars!

5 Common Dreams National Museum of Education

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.

7 Budding Entrepreneurs Claire He 8 You Won’t Make it NFTE, Inc. 9 Planting Seeds of Success Marketplace for Kids 11 Ask GoVenture Media Spark 13 Not Yet? Not Likely! NFIB YEF 15 Up, Up and Away! IL Institute for Entrepreneurship Ed 16 The Green Dream The Ohio Depatment of Education 19 Alimento Rapido NCEE 21 From the Pharmacy to the Farm NY REAL 22 PA Govenor’s School..... PA Entre-Ed State Leadership Team 24 Training Youth Take Charge Réseau des CJE du Québec 25 Entrepreneur on the Move University of Florida 26 Standing With Hope Best of Future CEO Stars reprint 27 From Zero to a Million Ryan Allis 28 Honoring Veteran Entrpreneurs The Veteran’s Corporation 31 Our Sponsors

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. Future CEO Stars is 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. Founder of National Entrepreneurship Week, the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education is a non-profit collaborative representing 100+ 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: SPLASH Designs Publishing Advisors: Soorena Salari, Young Inventors Hub Al Abney, Consortium Advisory Council Annual Subscription Available - $25.00 Contact: [email protected]

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Future CEO Stars

August 2008 September

Common Dreams By Gay Evans young men, not so very far apart in Tbothwo many ways –both high school students, athletes, and both inventors—are determined to use their inventions to make a difference in the world. Adrian Lindsey is a 17 year-old high school junior at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. His product, “AllNet”, is a nylon backpack basketball carrier. The idea behind the carrier is to make it easier for players who are walking or bicycling, to carry a ball to the gym or park. Adrian holds a patent on his invention, and it is now being sold in a Cleveland, Ohio area Wal Mart. He will also be marketing his basketball carrier in the Cleveland Cavaliers Team Shop. Adrian is not only a young entrepreneur; he is a young man who believes completely in “giving back”. This summer he sold his “All-Net” ball carrier to earn $26,836 to help the Shaw High School band of East Cleveland earn the funds to play at the Beijing Olympics. Adrian’s social entrepreneurial spirit of “paying it forward” does not stop there. He, with the help of his mother, Cherrylyn Lampley, along with various Akron and Cleveland organizations and the National Museum of Education, will sponsor a two-week “Entrepreneur Camp” in the summer of 2009. This camp will be open to 44 Akron public high school students. They will learn to problem solve, innovate and eventually develop products which they will have help in marketing through music and media. The camp is only the beginning of an even greater venture for 2010, which will take entrepreneurship for youth to the next level—invent, produce and market in an “Invention Factory” for students, which will open in Akron, OH. Adrian’s plan for the future is to become a physician and work toward making Future CEO Stars August 2008 Future CEO Stars September 2008

artificial limbs more realistic. How unusual then, that another young inventor associated with the National Museum of Education, Grayson Rosenberger, is already working with prosthetic limbs. Grayson, who is now 16, invented his first covering for amputees when he was only 14. He used Bubble Wrap and packing tape, molded with a heat gun, to sheath an artificial limb. The covering feels so much like a real leg that it’s surprising. Grayson’s inspiration came from his family’s mission, “Standing With Hope”, which creates prosthetic limbs for amputees in Ghana, West Africa. Grayson said, “In the Third World, people are looked down on for being amputees.” His invention helps them blend into the community. This new leg covering costs less than $10 as opposed to the $1,000 that such a covering would cost in the U.S. Grayson traveled to Ghana this past June to create custommade coverings for amputees.

making it appear more realistic, and he knows that the earnings from the sale of his “All-Net” basketball carrier will help to provide the schooling that he needs to make his dream a reality. These two young men will meet in Akron, OH on October 25 at the National Gallery for America’s Young Inventors Induction Ceremony, when both of them are inducted into the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame and receive “Young Entrepreneur Awards for 2008”. Perhaps their creativity and the synergy that brought them together will also be the catalyst for the hundreds of students who may have dreams of inventing and are only looking for the inspiration. For more information about the Induction Ceremony, see www.nmoe.org.

Grayson, who won a $10,000 Savings Bond from the Sealed Air Corporation, inventors of Bubble Wrap, is already looking to the future. As a sophomore at Franklin Road Academy, Grayson plans to be an officer in the US Army and eventually to go into politics. Both Grayson and Adrian share a love of sports; Grayson plays varsity football and Adrian, of course, plays varsity basketball. Both young men have been inspired by important people in their lives. Grayson’s mom is a double-amputee who lost both legs in a car accident over 20 years ago. He also heard an inspiring story from his parents about a 15 year-old Ghanian boy, Daniel, who had an artificial leg without a cosmetic covering. The charity could only pay for the leg. It was Grayson’s goal to make the covering out of Bubble Wrap, but unfortunately, Daniel passed away before Grayson was able to deliver the covering.

For Grayson’s original story see page 26

Adrian’s dream of becoming a doctor who creates more realistic artificial limbs was inspired by one of his teachers who had a prosthetic hand. Adrian imagined

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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”

By Claire He imag

e lice

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m iS

fro nsed

E

ver heard of the Cereal City, or eaten Kellogg cereal for breakfast in the morning? Living in my hometown of Battle Creek Michigan, population 50,000, I’ve noticed that nothing ever happens here. What used to be uneventful in my life changed in the summer of 2007. What started out as one last trip before school started led me to a most promising friendship with a future business partner. In less than a year she became one of my closest friends and my fellow entrepreneur. Cindy Huynh and I did everything together: DECA International, IIEE, Generation E, GVSU, and even dropped out of our AP CAL exam together. It was a month before Valentine’s Day when we approached a plan to gain profit on Cupid’s holiday. We started by listing the basic fundamental ideas behind our business. Our main objective was to be innovative, ethical, profitable, and most importantly - a business with a cause. The well-being of our environment is very important to me; thus I made sure our product was eco-friendly. We also considered ourselves abolitionists. Although slavery is illegal, it still exists today and the numbers are growing. We were staggered to find that there are at least 2 million children who are sex slaves worldwide. Not only does this happen in the third world countries, it also within our own nation. Together, we donated 10% of our revenue to “NOT FOR SALE”. This organization ensures facilities to rehabilitate and rescue the forgotten children. With this vision in mind, together we formed FLC Wooden Roses. FLC stood for four leaf

Future CEO Stars Future CEO Stars

Cindy Huynh and Claire He

photo

September 2008 September 2008

clover, symbolizing the luck we wanted in accomplishing our purpose. It took us one week to find the perfect product to fit our vision. Our choice, the wooden rose, has a high profit margin (96%) with it being inexpensive, durable, eco-friendly, and memorable. Our roses are made from birch wood. They are made by gluing scrap wood shavings together. We took the risk of ordering 2,500 roses, but it was all worth it. In four days we sold 80% of them. After contacting our local Lakeview Square Mall, they agreed to have us sell our items there. We were able to set up in the center of the mall with their generous help (They reduced the normal rental fee by 75%.). Effective marketing played a large role in the selling of our roses. Instead of using traditional fliers, we relied mostly on promotion by word of mouth. Many of our customers came to us wondering if the roses were real or not, and brought with them family and friends. Eventually, the entire mall knew about our existence by the end of our first day selling. What happens too often is corporate thinkers become so involved with making more money that they forget about consumer satisfaction. Consumers are the golden key to each entrepreneur’s success. If we reach out to them, they will be the ones who come back time after time, and bring their family and friends. We understood that customer service is critical in creating stability in a business. So, instead of selling roses by the stem, we personalized these roses to their satisfaction. We customized each sale by offering unique scents and wrapping.

Although we had cut our profit by adding this service, all of our customers felt special. What little was spent was worth all the happy smiles we created. Our attention to our customers’ specific needs was the secret of our success. In our four days of trial business at the mall, we hit revenue of $2000, and broke even in the first 3 hours of operation. Running a business is not easy and not always successful. It was hard enough to be on top of our school work and operating a business. Many of our extra-curricular activities had to be canceled and we even had to distance ourselves from our other friends because of the lack of time. It was all worth it though. We gained a lot of valuable experience and met many new people. I would not have had it any other way. Our hard work paid off in May when we were given the chance to attend the IIEE and Generation E conference, where we presented our business plan in front of professional business people. We swept up several of its prizes including first place in the Generation E and named as the entrepreneurs of the year. We found endless inspiration all around us. Fred Deluca started Subway at the age of 17; John Rockefeller built the largest oil refinery at the age of 25; Fred Smith started FedEx at the age of 27. They were all young when they became billionaires, and it all started with an innovative idea. I am 18- still young, and I will strive to be even more than what they were. I am not dreamer; I am a realist. In the future, I hope my vision will be followed and improved upon by students everywhere.

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You Won’t Make It !!!! By Rahfeal Gordon

M

y name is Rahfeal Gordon, and I was born and ceptional business acumen raised in Newark, New Jersey. I discovered my and entrepreneurial spirit. passion for events and entertainment while attending Arts High School in Newark. Drawing on my passion In 2007, I wrote my first book entitled “You Won’t Make It,” a collection of motivational lessons which for music as a way to cope with the struggles of being encourage the reader along a homeless, I quickly recognized the influencing power path of self-inspiration. that music possessed for all people, regardless of Constantly develop your busi2008 began on a high note for their background, and me. Due to the overwhelming that entertainment is a ness skills and craft/talent/gift response generated from my means for people to es“Hip Hop Saved My Life” cape their daily stresses. Know when to stop and move Motivational Seminars, I Realizing a simple Frion to something new attracted the attention of day night escape could the New Jersey Star-Ledger become the catalyst for newspaper. A full-length saving one’s life or even a Surround yourself with people feature article was writhopeful bridge to another who are either where you want ten about my life and my day, I founded Infinite Proto be or just as focused as you motivation in the Sunday ductions when I was 15 Star-Ledger’s, “I am New years old. My mission beare to reach success Jersey” profile, entitled came to one day provide the “Motivated.” Further, a world with the release we all series of follow-up articles were sometimes need. written about my Motivational Seminars, including a In 2001, I brought the “release” to Montclair State multi-page spread in the Winter/Spring 2008 edition University, establishing a of InSpire Magazine. college organization entitled “Team Infinite,” on Continuing to ride on a high note in 2008, I was campus. In addition to the selected by The National Foundation for Teaching success of Team Infinite, in Entrepreneurship (NFTE) as a winner of the 2008 2005 I established the Rah- Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the feal C. Gordon Scholarship Oppenheimer Funds Social Entrepreneurship Award Fund, which is designed to category. benefit high school and college students with average grades, but who exhibit ex-

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Future CEO Stars

September 2008

Anne Carlson Center Planting Seeds of Success

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rom seeds of hope to fruits of compassion, one project at the Anne Carlsen Center in Jamestown, ND seems to be cultivating more and more interest each year. The Anne Carlsen Center was opened in 1941, and today offers a wide array of educational, therapeutic, vocational, communal and spiritual options for children and young adults with disabilities, as well as their families.

about addition on a chalkboard, teachers count out the numbers of seeds in a packet and add that total to another packet. An alternate reward for literacy is learning how to properly care for a plant, just one way in which education is kept fresh and fun. In another instance, by examining the life cycle of a plant, the creation of fossil fuels or how plant and animal cells differ can now be examined closely and easily explained.

A project that began as a small square of plowed dirt now includes multiple gardens, a solarium and established curriculum for the Center’s students and residents. The solarium now stands on the spot that had been the garden the first year, a bit of a reminder of what an idea can grow into with enough support. In 2004, teachers, including Mary Lewis and Corby Maddock, took their curriculum idea out of the classroom and saw their students, who might otherwise be limited due to disability, reap the benefits. “Corby Maddock got a sod cutter and we couldn’t tear it out of his hands,” said Lewis. “(Four years ago) a youth group of the Seventh-Day Adventists was here and helped us roll sod and carry it away. A lot of different people have helped and there have been a lot of people involved.” With a program that crosses into multiple concentrations of study, the potential for learning is only limited by how creative the teachers can be. For instance, instead of teaching a student Future CEO Stars

September 2008

“We’re doing reading, math and cooperative learning, among other things,” said Lewis. “A lot of basic school learning takes place here.” The benefits of having a gardening curriculum do not stop there.

gardless of sunlight, temperature, precipitation or even season. The enclosed space also allows many of the Center’s more medically fragile individuals to experience aspects of agriculture that might otherwise not be an option. “A lot of students come from restricted conditions because they are medically fragile or have physical restrictions or behavior needs,” added Lewis. “But now kids have lots of opportunities to experience getting outside and getting dirty. That is part of our mission statement: That every kid has the right to get their fingers or toes in dirt.” Students from the Anne Carlson Center have participated in Marketplace for Kids by showcasing their innovative business ideas and distributing wonderful gifts to all participating students. 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. More information is available on the web at www.annecenter.org.

Working in groups, students learn the value of teamwork when it comes to projects both large and small. Through the physical activity that accompanies the projects, students learn ways they can lead healthy, active lives. With the completion of the Center’s solarium this year, all of these benefits are now available on a daily basis, re-

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“NOT YET”? NOT LIKELY!!!! By Mike Greenberg

O

perating out of Gaithersburg, Maryland serving the greater Washington DC area, my business, Konspiracy Studios, specializes in video production/editing and motion graphics. We create videos that ultimately end up on TV, the web or DVDs. The strongest feature of the business is promo editing. We’ve cut several promos for clients to present to networks for funding. Along the same lines, we’re well suited for creating pilot episodes and documentaries. We also create corporate identity packages and marketing materials for several firms. My own business became a reality when, while working for someone else, I was informed that it would be several years before my manager would feel comfortable that I work directly with clients. I set out to invalidate the statement. Within 6 months I was working full time for myself. The notion of accepting anything “as is” never sat well with me. I began in the media industry as a post-production intern at age 15, rapidly absorbing information. Over time I began to develop expertise and took on some side projects thinking nothing of it. By my senior year, I was the “go-to” guy for video and graphic design. I applied for the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award thinking that I had zero chance of receiving it, I didn’t see my work as significant. I was wrong and I’m glad they saw otherwise – the lesson is follow your passion and people will notice.

All clients are not created equal. While a harsh statement, it is very true. Think about the 80-20 rule, the majority of your revenue will often come from a small number of clientele. As a young entrepreneur, many people will try to help by providing leads. After you’ve developed your skills, it is often wise to avoid trouble projects, which many local leads turn out to be. Seek serious clients, and show them you are serious about your work. Give Back. Not necessarily money– there are many ways to give. I do pro-bono work if I like the cause or it might enhance my skill set. Try volunteering; you’ll get back what you put in. Finally, mentor your peers. Develop an internship program that fast tracks success, everyone needs a start. Establish yourself as an expert. Spend money on a good website. Write a blog, submit articles and create tutorials. You want your name to be known and your information to be referenced. Use the Internet to your advantage; networking and learning has never been easier. For more information go to www.konspiracystudios.co www.konspiracystudios.com m

The future is very bright for the company. We will be moving to a true office space this fall whilst welcoming the addition of a part-time graphic designer. In the following years, I hope to shift to a strictly managerial role, so that I can pursue a career in feature films and commercial advertising either in NYC or LA. When starting my business I wish I had heard the following: Future CEO Stars

September 2008

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images licensed from iStock photo

Students from every state compete for the best ideas for a new entrepreneurial opportunity in the global economy. Learn what is happening in a country of your choice…..then tell us what unique product you would export or import as a creative marketing opportunity. In an effort to make this competition fun and reflective of 21 Century Technology we are utilizing a new social networking site called Lockerbay. com to receive your submissions. The site is easy to use and is modeled after popular social networking sites such as MySpace.com. Thanks to the Pennsylvania State Entrepreneurship Leadership Team for enabling the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education to provide this exciting new competition for students nationwide. Through the Internet Portal, Lockerbay.com, provided by DaWayne Cleckley of Stellar Beats in Erie PA, and the leadership of Carmen Dawson of ADvanz LLC, we are able to use the internet to manage the entries on videos….a very different way to have students show their skills and compete. This is a unique opportunity to manage the competition in each state through current technology. Students will submit their competing videos, and can also use the functionality of the site to interact with other students. Who can compete? We will provide awards for three different levels of students…Middle School, High School, and College. The final video and supporting material should be uploaded between September 1 and October 15, 2008, and awards will be announced November 9 at the 26th Annual Entrepreneurship Education FORUM in Austin, Texas.

Sign on to http://www.lockerbay.com to submit your entry

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Future CEO Stars

September 2008

By Ariel Buckingham

O

n May Ma 1, 2008, yellow school M bbuses usee arrived at the Marriott Hotel in in Lincolnshire, IL. As we were sitting on the grass waiting ittt it for our urr rooms to be prepared, you could oould ou uld l tell that everyone was excited ed tto be there. I had the most ba bbags and boxes because of the various competitions I was ari to participate in. There were two suitcases, one carry-on bag, and six full boxes of cupcakes. I had to get a lot of help. Did I mention that I was the CEO of Smile Entertainment, the finest party coordinators in Chicago? Since January 2008, I have served about 29 customers and made approximately $5,500. The day started off horribly when my signature balloon popped as I was coming off the bus. I was crying because I believed someone tried to ruin my display.

After I did a fantastic job on Young Entrepreneurs Conference. my speech about my business, many people came up to me and If you have the opportunity to acknowledged how well I did and attend this event I highly encourage you to do so. It is a great opportunity to expand your Ida Manning, Ariel Buckingham and Greg Sutton knowledge base, contacts, and overall real world experience. Also take it from me, if you are selected to present, don’t be nervous because everyone there wants you to succeed and they are all very supportive. IIEE’s conference was fantastic and in the end didn’t bust my “balloon” at all!

how excellent I performed. Students my age told me how much I inspired them to start their own business and they inspired me to keep up the good work and never give up. The rest of the two days were the best days of my life. Everyone who had something After the balloon accident, I was to sell had the opportunity to sell asked to be the keynote speaker their ideas or products at the Youth for dinner. I did not know what to Expo. speak about nor did I know which dinner I was supposed to speak at. There were business competitions All of my friends were trying to for everyone. You had the chance keep me calm as I panicked. After to win “cold hard cash” just for an our rooms were ready, we went into idea you had. IIEE gave us startthe ballroom for orientation and up capital for our businesses if you ice breakers. My eyes were set on won the competitions. The business the busy lady, Ms. Kandias Conda. conference ended as the young When she approached me, she told entrepreneurs exchanged email me to relax and just talk about what addresses and phone numbers. I already knew. Her warm smile and We learned networking and Ms. Ida Manning’s soft hugs made budgeting during the conference me realize that the room was filled and I can honestly say that I gained with others that wanted to hear my knowledge, new experiences, and new friends during the 2008 IIEE story.

Future CEO Stars

September 2008

images licensed from iStock photo

Up, Up, and AWAY!!

The Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education (IIEE) invites young entrepreneurs and their instructors to register for the 3rd Annual IIEE Young Entrepreneurs Conference to be held in May of 2009 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.

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The Green Dream N

ortheast Ohio is going green, if the students from Beachwood and surrounding high schools have anything to do with it. They call it the emerging three E’s: education, economics and the environment. Their tagline is “The Green Dream.” And their mission? “Creating a greener tomorrow, today. One decision, one person, one day at a time—a plan so simple, it starts with one.” That’s just a glimpse at a marketing project where 20 seniors planted the seeds of environmental consciousness that could blossom into a green movement across Ohio schools. Marketing students from Beachwood, Mayfield and Richmond Heights participated in a Junior Achievement program sponsored through the Mayfield Excel Technical Education Career Consortium. Greg Perry, marketing teacher at Beachwood High School, asked the students to identify a project that could make a difference. They chose to protect the environment and explore the possibility of “making a green living.” Perry then introduced the components of a successful marketing

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plan and challenged students to forge public and private partnerships to support the core concept of creating eco-friendly environments at work, home and school. Because successful marketing starts by raising awareness, students put together an eco-friendly expo. Nearly 70 companies showcased environmentally friendly products and services at the Beachwood Community Center, attracting 3,000 attendees from Ohio and beyond. The product of the Green Dream is a “green” classroom that will showcase eco-friendly products that maximize cost efficiency and learning outcomes. Through the expo, students generated an estimated $196,000 in funding and in-kind products to construct the classroom at Beachwood; it will be ready for the 2008-09 school year. On their own merits, these 20 students also generated $976,000 in college scholarships. How does this improve learning? “Research shows that ninth-graders drop out of school at high rates because they don’t see how education will benefit their lives. Many pursue illegal entrepreneurship activities that result in

By Dorothea Howe crime and incarceration,” says Eric Troy, associate director of 21st century skills at the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). Initiatives like the Green Dream connect learning to the students’ world. ODE and the Ohio Department of Development are teaming together to launch an entrepreneurial initiative for grades 6-12 to address dropout prevention. ”We’re trying to take the energy that goes into negative activities and put it into creative, entrepreneurial opportunities for students to be positive, contributing citizens in their communities,” Troy says. The Small Business Development Centers of Ohio network has a history of working with high school and college students throughout the state to mentor and connect them to business and community leaders, according to Michele Abraham, state director of the SBDC network. “It’s our youth who will build our future and ensure a robust economy for the state of Ohio,” Abraham says. “We applaud the students of Beachwood for their innovation and commitment to the Green Dream project, and we look forward to collaborating with the Ohio Department of Education on this project.” Future CEO Stars

September 2008

Selling Social Change Call it social entrepreneurship. Perhaps it’s marketing social change. Rich Markwardt, superintendent of Beachwood City Schools, agrees these students model the district’s mission “to develop intellectual entrepreneurs with a social conscience.” “We are showing people that kids like us can drive the whole nation,” says Andrew Bankhurst, a senior at Beachwood. He believes global warming, scarcity of natural resources and other environmental concerns can be addressed by today’s youth. Ethan Rush, a graduate of Mayfield High School who plans to major in finance at Kent State University this fall, says the project made his senior year productive and meaningful. “Our senioritis was the Green Dream,” he says. Rush spearheaded the marketing project with his classmates and hopes it will spread across Ohio.

says. “This is the point where the train is leaving the station, and we’re going to be on that train.” For example, collaborative Green Dream partners include aluminum recycling company Aleris International Inc., whose Chairman and CEO Steven J. Demetriou agreed to underwrite the expo; Chris Hixson of Incite Creative and Sean Higgins of the Bubble Process, who designed the logo, Web site and marketing tools; Herman Miller of Global Office Furniture and National Office Furniture, which are donating eco-friendly furniture to the classroom; Doty & Miller Architects, which assisted with the classroom design; and Technical Consumer Products Inc., which donated 4,500 compact fluorescent bulbs at the expo. An estimated 40 companies are donating products to the Green Dream project and Ultimate Green Classroom.

“The Ultimate Green Classroom will be an educational showcase. Plus, it’s going to be really cool, innovative and globally recognized. The Green Dream is not a one-shot deal. It’s become a very assertive business model to be replicated across the state, nation and the globe.” Perry says. For more information, go to www.thegreendream.org. Article Sponsored by the Ohio Department of Education

Reprinted with permission. This story originally appeared in “Green -- The Color of Ohio’s Future,” a supplement to the September 2008 issue of Columbus C.E.O. magazine, produced in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Development’s Small Business Development Centers.

Real-Life Learning Hub for Eco Products As part of the Green Dream marketing plan, students reached out to the local community. They garnered the support of the chamber of commerce, city officials, Beachwood Mayor Merle Gorden, local marketing and design experts, and eventually local, national and international companies. “We believe we could serve as a catalyst for economic revitalization for northeast Ohio,” Markwardt says. He says four factors converged to make this possible: the area’s industrial infrastructure, an educated workforce, an abundance of natural resources and a depressed economy. This led to theSisat Beachwood Chamber Igzao of Commerce’s involvement. Vince Adamus, the chamber’s CEO, plans to use the city’s 11,000-square-foot office space as an incubator for startup green companies. “With a focus on green technology and green energy, northeastern Ohio can be a center for sustainability and innovation,” Adamus Future CEO Stars

September 2008

“This is a great example of 21st century learning skills—integrating innovation, creativity, problem solving and collaboration,” Troy says. Markwardt believes the project demonstrates the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to learning, including foreign languages, humanities, social sciences, science, technology, mathematics, engineering and communications. “This project allows students to show creativity, innovation and global competence and empowers teachers to think outside the traditional curriculum,” he says. “This is a life-changing experience,” says senior Griffin Weisberg. Perry estimates at least 3.5 million people have seen or read about the Green Dream. Aside from garnering a televised spot on PBS, the team has been invited to appear on GreenEnergyTV.com and to present at the Global Youth Enterprise Conference, Great Lakes Bioneers, National Entrepreneurship Consortium and National School Board Association.

image licensed from iStock photo

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A Lesson in Entrepreneurship Finding Solutions to Problems Preparation: The graphic organizer for this lesson is available free for download at www.usatoday.com/educate/ceostars Introduction: This lesson will help you consider one career option that many people find risky, but appealing - becoming an entrepreneur. In this lesson you will: t Read about a problem that affects a lot of people. t Imagine a product or service that could help fix the problem. t Decide who might buy your new product or service and how you should market it. 1. As a class, define “entrepreneur.” 2. In groups of three, read aloud an article in USA TODAY that focuses on a problem many people are experiencing. s While you read, highlight the specifics of the problem. s Once you’re done reading about the problem, you’ll be finding a solution that you can sell. s The more people who experience the problem, the more likely it will be that you can make a profit on your solution. 3. On the graphic organizer, write the headline and a one-sentence summary of your article and fill in the problem column. 4. Imagine that the three of you are young entrepreneurs who are interested in solving the problem the article addresses. s Brainstorm a product or service that would fix the problem. s Make sure it is something that can be created and sold. s In the second column, write one sentence that describes the new product/service and gives a few details. 5. At the bottom of columns one and two, fill in the box that asks how your product or service will fix the problem. 6. In the target audience column, identify whom you would sell your product/service to and why. 7. Brainstorm how you would market your new product/service. How could you advertise while staying within your limited budget? 8. As a class, share the problems you read about and the solutions you devised. 9. On your own, think about and answer the final two questions on the graphic organizer. 10. As a class, identify all the different reading strategies you used in this lesson. How can you use them when reading for other classes or when taking test?

Learn more about USA TODAY Education! Call: (800) 872-3415 ext.5917 Visit: www.education.usatoday.com

Jared Kelly, Catlin Pennington, Nick Soliz and Herman Siboldi sandwich a SatisÀed Customer

Alimento Rapido

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o you have what it takes? That’s the challenge that was asked of us entering EntrePrep Summer Institute. Carrie McIndoe of the National Council on Economic Education successfully conducted 4 pilot programs funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to revise and rejuvenate the EntrePrep Summer Institute as an intensive interactive experiential economic entrepreneurship education program. The following was my experience with this great program. Eggs, check. Chicken, check. Marinara sauce, check. Bread crumbs, check. It seemed like we had everything, but something is always missing to make the perfect dish. Oh, the cheese, that’s what we need. And so beings the first and only day of opening our restaurant we called “Alimento Rapido”, which is “fast food” in Italian. Seemed like a good name for a restaurant, catchy, too. Four risk taking entrepreneurs set out to learn what it takes to start up a restaurant business. Herman, who was the main chef in the group, comes from a line of Italian heritage making great dishes. He is an excellent chef and taught us a lot of things about cooking. Assisting Herman were fellow partners Nick, Jared and Caitlin with everyone helping out in the kitchen.

script preparing and actual location shoots. Pulling it all together was more of an art than a science. We had a varied menu and set up a samples table for potential customers to taste the food. On presentation day we had décor, sample meals, and a 60 second commercial to help market and promote our business along with a business plan. Our task was simple, come up with an idea, find partners, prepare a business plan, make a PowerPoint presentation and set up a store front to display and present operations. How could four high school kids begin to understand what is involved in starting up a business? Living the experience, that’s how! We rose to the challenge, learned a lot and had fun along the way. Nothing takes the place of real experience and we did it. Our group worked together very well, we all trusted each other and everyone did their own part and thought of their own ideas to contribute to the start-up. It was team work all the way which can be challenging at times but we did exceptionally well. Overall, we know we have what it takes and are looking forward to our next challenge.

We planned our work and worked our plan. We defined our expenses, figured out how we would run our business, and orchestrated it all coming together in the end to see if we would make a profit. Numbers looked good, and the food was great. We believed we had a shot at success. We arranged for shopping trips to cook, computer time to write the plan and prepare financials then we allocated time for film production, Future CEO Stars

September 2008

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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! FUTURE CEO STARS

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 instruction sheet to give you some suggestions on how to put

Are you running a successful 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?

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]

From the Pharmacy to the

Farm Dr. Pierre and “friend”

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r. Pierre Dionne looks at food production through the lens of health for both the people he treats and animals he raises. Raised by generations of farmers in Northern Maine, Dr. Dionne from his earliest years had a passion for animals and farm life. Through a series of choices in his personal life he graduated from Cornell University (undergrad), S.U.N.Y. Upstate Medical School, then practiced medicine for full time for over 20 years. He continues to work part-time for the OGH Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Clinic. His medical understanding and farming interests underscored the connection between what we eat and our general well being. Dr. Dionne states, “How we raise our food has ramifications for both the farmer and the consumer. We are what we eat, what we inhale, and what we touch. If your food is contaminated with insecticides, herbicides, growth hormones, and antibiotics there are potential health risks.”

Dr. Dionne’s interest in wellness made part-time pastured farming a satisfying and fulfilling part of his life, but it wasn’t until two years ago that he made a decision to semi-retire from medicine and become an entrepreneur. His transition from a full-time medical practice to farming took some strategic planning. He attended many conferences on sustainable farming, marketing, and became involved in organizations that also supported regional and organic farming efforts. With all that in place, farming became less of a risk and allowed him to pursue a life-long dream of returning to the farm.

our choices take us. I would encourage anyone to work toward achieving their dreams. Students need to know where their passions lie, what their affinities are and spend their lives finding ways to grow and enjoy them.” For Dr. Dionne, his medical knowledge and caring for both people and animals has led him to raise and sell produce that is healthy and is therefore healthy for you. He started with a few chickens and now his barnyard is also home to turkeys, cows, honeybees and pigs. His pasture rotation ensures that all are getting plenty of fresh greens and fresh air. He models his farm on 5 Freedoms for his livestock: Freedom to express normal behavior, Freedom from discomfort, Freedom from thirst and hunger, Freedom from fear and distress, Freedom from pain, injury and disease. Dr. Dionne still enjoys medicine and his compassion for people and keeping them healthy. However, on any given day you can find him out in the field on Sojourner Farms with his herd of cattle, pigs, a flock of red laying hens and one cantankerous old rooster. By offering his customers wholesome, healthy food he has combined his two passions of medicine and farming.

“Once you decide to change something that is the only decision you need to make. The change for whatever reason needs to be based on the premise that life will be better in some way. Thoughtful planning and understanding is the foundation for success wherever

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PA Governor’s School Trains Future Global Entrepreneurs By Trisha Alexy

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magine a unique place where high school students with an entrepreneurial spirit not only have the opportunity to take classes in global business and leadership, but also have the opportunity to live, work and study with students from at least twelve other countries and cultures as well. That place is the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for Global Entrepreneurship (PGSGE) held at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA for five-weeks every summer. In 2008, fourteen students from Jordan, Spain, Kuwait, Israel, Denmark, Antigua-Barbuda, Ghana, Mexico, Ukraine, Panama, South Korea and Greece joined the 64 Pennsylvania students for the PGSGE program. To date, forty countries have been represented in the program and four hundred and eighty-six students have been trained. This summer marks the ninth year for the annual Pennsylvania Governor’s School for Global Entrepreneurship for outstanding high school students from throughout Pennsylvania and around the world. The Governor’s School is one of nine schools in Pennsylvania, each specializing in a different area of academic study, operating under the Pennsylvania Governor’s Schools of Excellence. This year’s program will be delivered from June 28 through August 1, 2009. The purpose of the Governor’s School for Global Entrepreneurship is to expose Pennsylvania high school and international high school students to the topic of global entrepreneurship, leadership and effective business practices and to the ignite the students’ spirit of creativity, innovation and learning. “The presence and active participation of the international students in the global entrepreneurship program have provided us with the essential global component

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of our program,” said Angela Urbano, PGSGE 2006 alumnus. “By working alongside them we have experienced their cultures and their countries and have gained new perspectives from around the world.” Angela believes the dialogue she has had with her international peers has helped her develop a better understanding of their belief systems, cultural attitudes and social customs. At the same time, she believes the international students’ interest, curiosity and desire to learn about our American culture has helped the Pennsylvania students explore and better understand themselves. Of particular value is the insight she and her peers have gained into how Americans are perceived and understood by others. “What we have learned from the international students on both a personal and professional level contributes to how we will think globally as future entrepreneurs. It is apparent that one of the similarities we all share is the overwhelming desire to improve ourselves, our communities, and by extension, our countries and our world. The program and its international students have helped us to transcend our cultural differences and national focus as my colleagues and I worked together toward a common goal,” Angela states. An extraordinary opportunity for Governor’s School scholars is the chance to attend a variety of Global Village Country Presentations. These interactive seminars, presented by interns from Iacocca Institute’s Global Village, focus on a particular region of the world and are led by interns from individual countries within the region. In addition to an informative PowerPoint presentation on what it means to do business in that particular region of the world, participants then enjoy a panel presentation with dialogue and discussion. The Country Presentations give Governor’s School students a very Future CEO Stars Future Future CEO CEO Stars Stars

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special opportunity to learn first hand about global en- Harrisburg Capitol round out the students PGSGE trepreneurship and business from emerging business education. “I still have all of my notes from every speaker,” states leaders from those countries. Sean Sweeney, PGSGE class of 2008. “Going back The Country Presentations provide the Governor’s through them, I feel as if I opened up a very expensive School students with detailed information and material book that gives all of the secrets of beginning a busifocusing on six particular areas of the world including: ness and going global with it. The information canNorth America, Asia, Africa/Middle East, Western Eu- not be matched in any other program offered anywhere around us.” rope, Eastern Europe, Latin and South America. PGSGE core courses include Ethics as an Entrepreneur, Understanding the Marketplace, Fundamentals of Leadership, Developing a Business Plan, Understanding Financial Statements, Developing a Marketing Plan

Trisha Alexy, Director of the PGSGE program, believes that the support of the local, national and international business community is a tremendous asset of the Governor’s School for Global Entrepreneurship and is one of the primary reasons for the program’s success. Lehigh University and the Iacocca Institute, the umbrella organization of PGSGE, enjoy strong relationships with entrepreneurs and leaders of industry that were a great support as this program was initiated. The program is also supported by the local business community as partners on business projects with the students. Student teams work on-site to review issues/ problems and develop recommendations and solutions, develop business plans and or marketing plans to assist the company. Last year, student teams worked with companies such as Martin Guitar, The Morning Call, PBS Channel 39, Just Born and Rodale.

and Going Global: Doing Business around the World. Students are able to choose one elective focus course a week that include courses such as: So, You Want to be a Millionaire; Trading and Investing: Using Tools and Information from Wall Street; Win-Win Negotiation; How to Think Like a CEO; Creativity for the Business Leader; Human Resources 101; Servant Leadership, Innovation and Culture of Risk; We’re not Really in it for the Money: Non-Profit Entrepreneurship; Giving to Your Network the “Glocal” Way; Strategy and Competitiveness in the Globalization Era; Workplace Success for Entrepreneurs; and Understanding the European Union and Global Financial Markets. Special sessions in Dining Like a Diplomat, Global Warming, Micro-Finance, Project Management, Team Building, Government Assistance for Entrepreneurs and field trips to the New York, Philadelphia and the Future CEO CEO Stars Stars Future

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“Sure you have to work hard and take classes,” said Fernando Villa, PGSGE 2006 alumnus from Mexico. “However, I have gained so much from the program. More than what I could have gained by just taking a vacation during the summer. This program is a life experience.” Article Sponsored By The PA Entrepreneurship Leadership Team and AdVanz For further information about eligibility and how to apply to the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for Global Entrepreneurship, please visit www.iacocca-lehigh.org or www.pgse.org. For general questions or information on becoming a partnering business project or instructor, please email Trish Alexy, PGSGE Director at [email protected]

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Training Youth Take Charge

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he Desjardins Entrepreneurship Camp for Young Montrealers is a project organized by the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi of Montreal in collaboration with Coopsco since 2006. Montreal’s Youth Entrepreneurship Awareness and Promotion Officers (YEAPOs) initiated this project in order to help Montréal teenagers who are interested in taking charge of their lives and who want to learn about entrepreneurship. For three days in August, fun, educational activities were presented to us. The morning of August 18th, our adventure started, and boy were we excited! We were also a little shy as the day began but a couple of icebreaking activities allowed us to get to know each other better. The X and Y game was an excellent activity for learning about how working together can ensure that your company is profitable! The objective of the game was for each team to cooperate with the other teams formed to make the most money. We learned that trusting one another helps all of us go further. On day two, we had three guest speakers and our leaders put us through a survivor-like entrepreneurship challenge. Each guest spoke to us about their company and how they got started. It began with a thought-provoking testimonial from a young entrepreneur and engineer, Maxime Laporte. Maxime had recently sold the patent for the boot cleats he created to prevent the wearer from falling on ice or slippery

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terrain. He explained that much of his entrepreneurial drive came from boredom in high school and seeing opportunities around him to make cash. He explained that his first real shot at money-making was actually mice races that he organized in high school… which made him and his buddies $600 but led the activity to be banned from the school because it promoted gambling! However, he learned that money can be made by giving people the chance to participate in something they liked. The other two speakers were in the field of social entrepreneurship: doing business to make money and at the same time change and better living conditions in your community. Their message was that being an entrepreneur means that you are responsible for your own future and that of the people around you, hence the choices you make should reflect your beliefs and not only your need for financial gain. Overall, we learned that when you’re an entrepreneur, it’s not going to be the easiest thing ever but it’s really pleasant to know whatever comes your way is the fruit of your hard work and determination!

(fictitiously) to put our product on the market. Our last day at camp was amazing! A community resource fair left us with a ton of information on local and global organizations that support youth entrepreneurship. We met youth like ourselves involved in local environmental projects and others who worked on engaging youth in politics. Cristelle Van Ham from Ashoka’s Youth Venture program gave us an interesting heads up about how they give training and grants to youth who had projects in mind that were socially-driven. The camp ended with all the campers receiving a certificate and a celebration that lasted until we had to head back home! Everyone was happy but at the same time sad to leave the camp, the leaders and their new friends. We left with plenty of new ideas on how to use our creativity and newfound confidence in ourselves. If ever you’re thinking of participating in a camp like this, don’t hesitate! Thanks to all the people who made this possible!

After these talks, we jumped right into a day long business start-up simulation activity. The leaders put us through all the challenges of starting up a business from coming up with an idea based on a bunch of seemingly unrelated objects given to us in a box, to doing a market study to ensure our product is viable. At the end of the day we had to present our project to judges who decided if they would lend us some money Future CEO Stars

September 2008

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Entrepreneur On The Move ns

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By Mark Hall

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reating a venture of value and sustainability has always been a passion of mine. From the first ideas of crazy inventions as a young child to the ambitious goals of trying to solve social issues as a teenager, success has always been the backbone of my motivation. Every day I find myself aimlessly considering what things could be made or done better, from a business point of view. Confirming my passion towards business development and execution, I am currently pursuing my master’s degree with a concentration in entrepreneurship. This degree will assist me with opportunity recognition and the necessary skills to create a sustainable business venture.

Over the course of the past year, there were issues that we were able to avoid that could have been devastating to our business. For example, finding reliable labor can often be difficult, especially when you are attempting to create a brand name. Therefore, we tapped into personal networks to sustain a labor force. Another issue was maintaining creative marketing techniques. This proved to be a challenge because marketing strategies that were expected to do well often did not, such as advertising by mail, while the creative tactics often worked best, such as advertising on social networks. Keeping things basic yet creative allowed us to generate continuous customers.

Becoming immersed in such an academic yet youthful environment like the University of Florida, I have come to realize that the foundation of a potential venture exists everywhere. Finding the opportunity for improvement and value would come easy. For example, I found that the process of moving from my home city of Fort Lauderdale to go off to college in Gainesville was extremely inconvenient. My parents were forced to load up one vehicle, rent another one, and drive up to help me unload my belongings. This process proved very frustrating and inefficient. Three years later, witnessing others going through the same situation allowed me to clearly see the opportunity. In August 2007 I co-founded a moving company.

We have found that creating a business can be extremely rewarding. The amount of knowledge that we have gained about business practices, customer relationships and service development has proven to be tremendous. In the years to come, we look forward to increased sales and further expansion of services as well as expansion to regions beyond the Central and South Florida markets.

The premise behind my venture is a customized moving service catered to college students. As a business, my two partners and I offer full-service moving and storage to college students who are in need of moving from their home city to their college town. We are able to execute this using the carpool method of picking up multiple students’ property in a regional area, who all attend a particular college or university, and returning it to them at their new residence in college. By executing a move this way, we are able to directly pass on the savings to the customer. Traditional moving companies move one customer at a time; however, most college students only need to move one room’s worth of property and furniture. Using a traditional moving company wouldn’t be cost effective or convenient. Our service can be accessed and confirmed by the simple completion of a three minute online application which is available on our company’s website www.Division1Movers. com. Being that college students only tend to move during the beginning or end of a semester, we have expanded our business to serve the entire community, moving office furniture for companies in addition to moving non-college residents. Future CEO Stars

September 2008

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“Standing with Hope”

Grayson with his award-winning invention.

BY GAY EVANS

Reprint from September 07 Future CEO Stars

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nvention and innovation, key elements of many entrepreneurs’ success stories, require thinking out of the box. Well, Grayson Rosenberger, this year’s winner of Sealed Air Corporation’s first Bubble Wrap® Competition, actually used what

Grayson in Ghana. people throw away with it. Grayson ingeniously substituted Bubble Wrap® for very expensive prosthetic leg covers. By shaping Bubble Wrap® with

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a heat gun, he created “muscle like” shapes around the artificial limb’s traditional metal rods. Who would use Bubble Wrap® instead of the standard covers typically seen in the US? Many citizens of Ghana, Africa would and are grateful for it too. Grayson’s father’s organization, “Standing With Hope”, works with Ghana’s government to provide artificial limbs for its citizens who can’t afford them otherwise. Although they can walk with these limbs, they are still looked upon as outcasts due to their unnatural look. Prosthetic covers typically cost $1,000 or more and are unfortunately out of the question. Grayson’s solution is a practical, effective, and cost-efficient way to not only give Ghana’s amputee’s mobility, but also return their self esteem.

prize for Sealed Air’s annual competition. Pretty amazing for a 15 year old! It only goes to show that it is never too early to start working toward your future. The National Museum of Education is proud to have developed and administered the Bubble Wrap® Competition. It will now be an annual contest, with the due date for this year, on Thursday, November 1, 2007. This is only the beginning of many creative efforts for students grades 5-8. Check the website at www.nmoe.org for further details.

Grayson’s father and mother, who lost both of her legs in a car accident as a teenager, say they are astounded by Grayson’s ingenuity and his winning of the $10,000 savings bond given as first Future CEO Stars Future CEO Stars

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i, I’m Ryan Allis. As for my background, I am originally from Pennsylvania but grew up in Bradenton, Florida. My entrepreneurial aspirations began at 11 years old, when I started teaching senior citizens computer skills in my hometown for $5 an hour. Through these early business opportunities, I learned the importance of word of mouth to expand my client base. I built off of these early ventures to launch my first business in 2000, a web design and development company named Virante. When I was 18, I attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and majored in economics for a few years until I decided to launch my company, iContact.

From Zero.... to a Million!!!

By Ryan Allis

Right now, I’m 23, and still live in Chapel Hill. I am currently the full-time CEO for iContact in Durham, NC, which I co-founded in 2003 with my friend and business partner Aaron Houghton. Today, iContact is the leading provider of email marketing tools to small businesses. Since iContact began, we’ve grown to over 90 team members, more than 24,000 customers, and over $12 million in annual sales. I’m also personally very passionate about giving back to my community, and currently serve on the boards of several local and national humanitarian organizations. I had to overcome several difficult obstacles to get iContact off the ground. We truly had to bootstrap the company’s finances until we had earned enough money to search out venture capital funding. My first official office headquarters was on the 6th floor of my dorm at UNC. For a long time when iContact first began, Aaron and I slept on futons in his office, lived off of Ramen Noodles, and went dumpster-diving to find $50 rebates for office supplies at Staples. Eventually, when we had raised enough money to expand even further, we faced the barrier of getting customers and other companies in our industry to take our new company seriously. In my first book Zero to One Million…How I Built A Company to $1 Million in Sales . . . and How You Can, Too (McGraw-Hill), there is a detailed account of the iContact story and all the trials and tribulations we went through to achieve success. Judging from my own experiences, it can often take more than 5 years to build a business into a successful enterprise. It’s very important to have a “whatever it takes” attitude when it comes to your company’s finances as you are launching your business. Most importantly, you must have passion for what you do. Passion is an essential tool in whether or not your business will succeed, and it is also crucial for your personal happiness as an entrepreneur.

Future CEO CEO Stars Stars Future

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FIRST PLACE, Ages 12-14 Essay Submitted by: JaQwan Jacob Kelly (New York, NY) Nominee for Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year: Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Kelly, Father also pictured is JaQwan’s proud mother.

Believing in and assisting those who put their lives on the line to defend our freedom is The Veterans Corporation’s purpose and should be all of America’s number one concern. The Veterans Corporation is a federally chartered non profit organization designed to provide all Veterans with the tools necessary to become successful in business. Their assistance includes access to capital, access to business services, entrepreneurial education, surety bonding, prescription coverage and much more. The Veteran’s Corporation is proud to honor JaQwan Jacob Kelly, a winner of The Veteran’s Corporation Essay Contest “Honoring America’s Veteran Entrepreneurs”. This contest allows students to recognize and honor a parent or grandparent who is both a United States Veteran and an entrepreneur. United States students, ages 12 to 18, are to write an original essay telling us why their parent or grandparent, who is a Veteran of the United States Armed Forces or a member of the National Guard or Reserve, as well as an entrepreneur or business owner, should be named “Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year”. For complete contest rules, information on last year’s winner and to download the official contest entry form, visit www.veteranscorp.org

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Future CEO Stars

September 2008

JaQwan’s Award Winning Essay

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y name is JaQwan Jacob Kelly and my nominee for the “Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year” is my dad, Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Kelly. My dad is a great example for me and the nation as a veteran and an entrepreneur. He entered active duty in 1981 and served five years in the Infantry. As an Infantryman, he learned basic planning skills and how to communicate with people from various ethnic backgrounds. However, the most important skill he learned was that of leadership. As a lieutenant, my dad was placed in numerous positions where he had to “lead by example.” In 1992, my dad left Active Duty and joined the Army Reserves. As a Reservist, he gained even more skills and training that helped him not only decide to become an entrepreneur but to excel as one. As a Reservist, my dad attended courses and trainings that helped him improve his ability to manage time, plan major programs and events, and train others in the basics of teamwork, problem solving, self-discipline and self-motivation. In 1998, while still very active in the Reserves, my dad established his company, Beyond the Limit Enterprises, LLC or BTLE for short. BTLE provides training and consultation to other entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations to assist them in becoming more effective. In his business, my dad established four major keys for success: 1) Visionary and forwardthinking leadership, 2) Excellent customer service, 3) Dynamic and passionate training delivery, and 4) Financial soundness. No doubt, these keys to being a successful entrepreneur were directly related to the way my dad grew and developed while in the military. As a veteran and entrepreneur, my dad is an outstanding contributor to our family. He leads our immediate family in ongoing discussions and interactions that show he is concerned about our personal and financial wellbeing. He is constantly “coaching” and teaching us how to love each other, stay involved in continuous learning and

Future CEO Stars

September 2008

improve in everything we do. In fact, based on his guidance and support, my mother just returned to school to get her Master’s Degree in Spiritual Counseling. Personally, for the past three years, I have been on time EVERY day and have missed only ONE day from school. In our community, my dad is involved in several activities that make him a fine example as a veteran and an entrepreneur. From 1999 to 2006, my dad served as a community volunteer on the Board of Directors of our Tenant’s Association. He served as Treasurer for one year and as President for five years. As President, he faced the challenge of resolving internal conflicts between tenants and the critical concerns about the overall condition of our housing complex, such as high rents, poor maintenance, rodents, drugs and crime. Prior to my dad’s selection as President, many of the board members and residents thought that the Association was nonproductive, confrontations, and a waste of time. My dad changed all that. Here is what he did: •

He worked with the Board members to identify small groups that would be responsible for specific issues

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He developed a group reporting format to ensure that the work got done

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He arrived early and got the meeting started on time, every time. For some who were not able to attend, he arranged teleconferences.

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He used his computer skills and incorporated visual aids to emphasize key points.

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He brought in guest speakers and local politicians to add diversity to various issues or to highlight critical concerns.

Early on in the developmental process of the Board, my dad recognized the strengths of the individual members and the Association as a whole. He channeled members’ energies

and got the support of local partners to help expand the Association’s reach into the community. Within three years, my dad built an Association that became a strong and active advocate for the tenants in our community. My dad is also active and highly regarded in our local church. Not only is he a minister but he was selected as Chairperson of the Boys to Men Ministry - a ministry designed to promote, enhance and improve the spiritual values and positive attitudes and behaviors of young men, ages 14-21. Then, two years ago, my dad was selected as Chairperson for the Men’s Department of our church. Additionally, he serves as an “Adjutant” for our pastor. A position that was a direct reflection of his experiences as a Captain in the Army when he served as a General’s Aide. Now, my dad is being asked to conduct leadership training for the entire church. This is a result of the pastor and others recognizing his excellent military skills and outstanding entrepreneurial talents. My dad continues to serve in the Army Reserves and makes contributions on a national level as a veteran. In fact, he has been so active in the Reserves (to include a recent tour in Iraq) that he is once again being called to Active Duty as part of the Sanctuary Program. This program is used for Reserve Soldiers who are mobilized and have achieved 18 or more years of Active Federal Service (AFS). They are kept on active duty to achieve 20 years of AFS and become eligible for retirement. In the process of establishing this business and being an entrepreneur, my dad has taught me how to be more organized, how to invest, and how to go “beyond the limit” of my comfort zone in serving others and contributing to society. The skills and experiences that my dad has gotten from being in the military and from being an entrepreneur have helped to make him a personal and professional success. He is my hero and I would be honored to follow in his footsteps as a soldier, an entrepreneur or like him, both.

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Does your class need money? Is your teacher looking for an effective way to raise funding for a class project? Are you tired of selling cookies or candy? Do you want to avoid the hassle of having to deliver what you sell?

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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.

Appalachian Regional Commission

www.arc.gov

Buchholz High School

www.bhs.sbac.edu

The Coleman Foundation

www.colemanfoundation.org

E*TRADE Financial

www.etrade.com

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

Réseau des CJE du Quebec

www.cjereseau.org

University of Florida

www.cei.ufl.edu

Yourhomework.com

www.yourhomework.com

USA Today

www.usatoday.com/educate

Small Business Development Center

www.ohiosbdc.com

AdVanz, LLC Insight Ohio Department of Education

Future CEO Stars

September 2008

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