If you have spent any amount of time with me over the last 21 months, you should easily be able to recite what the best part of my job is… The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!)! When I first started at the Chamber I was intimidated knowing that I would be working with middle and high school students and somehow leading them to entrepreneurial success. I quickly learned that I would be the student in these classes with each of these young people teaching me a thing or two or ten. I have learned more about video games than I ever thought I could, I now understand what a vapor blaster is, I have been introduced to new technology, and I know next Tuesday I will learn another new thing.
Just recently we began the fourth year for this program in the Richland County community and every year this program grows in student participation and community support. If you are unfamiliar with this program, let me provide you with a brief introduction. YEA! is an amazing class that teaches young people how to actually start and run their own real business or social movement. They come up with a big idea, our instructors help discover what they are great at doing, and what they love to do, and where that intersects with a business opportunity. They create a real business plan, pitch the plan to a panel of investors, get real funding, and actually launch their own, real company!
Over the first three years, we have graduated 19 brilliant young people. This year we have another 16 eager young people ready to launch their own ventures. These students come from all over this community with a wide range of interests and business ideas. We have ideas revolving around agriculture, interactive apps, clothing companies, custom soundtracks, body protection, food, lawn care, and even a business that has to do with prosthetics. Over the next couple months these young people will be working on the development of their business plans and even partnering with mentors from around the community.
If this gets you even the slightest bit excited about what our young people are doing, then please join us on Tuesday, March 5th from 5:30-8:00 pm at the Kehoe Center for the 4th Annual YEA! Investor Panel Pitch Competition where each student business will have five minutes to pitch their business idea to a panel of investors (think Shark Tank). Before the night ends, each student business will know how much money they will be awarded in startup funding and one will even be selected to represent Richland County at the Saunders Scholars National Competition in Rochester, New York.
Also, please follow the students’ journeys through Facebook and Instagram @YEARichland.
