Theme: Building Youth Partnership Through Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship: Building Partnership, Building Tomorrow

I recently watched a movie called Jobs. Steve Jobs was the titular character who was the co-founder and
former CEO of Apple. Yes, the company that gave birth to the infamous iPhone, iPad and iPod.
What is interesting is the fact that Jobs was a college dropout who looks like a hippy. What made him
different however was his attitude. He was a perfectionist. He was innovative. He was a risk-taker. He
was a dreamer. He built an empire from garage-born computer parts manufacturer which changed
peoples perspective on computers.
He made things possible from what others thought at that time were impossible. He changed the norm.
He took a risk and it paid off big time. He was not like other computer engineers who stayed with the
basic and rudimentary. For him they were boring. He was more than a businessman but he was an
entrepreneur.
I want to be just like him. I think other people need to be like him too.
Dont get me wrong, I am not encouraging young people to start dropping out of school and start day
dreaming. To simply put it, I just want, people like me, the youth to start dreaming but for a better
future, a brighter tomorrow.
Clich as it may sound but we all know that life is hard, especially to a lot of people. We cannot deny the
fact that today we live in a world of uncertainty, people invariably thinking whether tomorrow they will
see a better picture of life.
It is not difficult to understand what you see and no longer is it a new story of a bright young scholar
emerging from a poverty stricken area that eventually finished his studies, had a blue collar job earning
a few bucks and trying to make ends meet and still not enough. But this should not be the story of every
young people. As a youth, I believe that we can do better.
One of the countries Millenium Development Goals is to develop a global partnership for development. I
believe that building youth partnership through entrepreneurship is something that fits right into the
basket. And how is that possible? We will get to that.
We always see over population as a problem. However if we look on the bright side, the countrys
population can be an advantage. I think our country should invest more on its human resource.
Philippines, is considered to be a young country with most of its population falling under the youth
category. And supporting my previous statement therefore, our country should invest more on the
youth as they will be the pillars of the future nation.
Aside from the number, the youth are energetic and proactive. Once driven in the right direction, they
will never stop until the finish line is reached.
The youth is also creative. With this certain creativity, nothing should be plain and boring everything
should be unique and interesting. Young people are free-spirited. They are never confined with the four
corners of the room. Youths imagination traverses through walls. They look beyond what they see.
They are like clays. They can be molded. They are adaptable. If there are changes in the environment it
is not hard for the youth to be in flow with it and adapt with the change.
Another thing is a quality or skill we Filipinos are known for. Diskarte. I believe it has no significant
relation with the great mathematician however; it has no equivalence in the English language. It
translates to the way of doing things. Using what you have, which is assumed to be limited and yet,
doing something great.
Studying during the day and working by night madiskarte. Having multiple jobs and sidelines
madiskarte. Selling your old stuff thru online stores - madiskarte.
With this characteristics, how come there are still other people complaining how their life sucks. If it is
that bad, dont just lie down, complain and do nothing. Do something. Act quickly but never recklessly.
So what can you do?
Enter the world of entrepreneurship. Hundreds dare to venture the world and yet a few succeed. It is a
merciless world.
Nowadays, entering a business is not really hard. With the booming technology, entrepreneurship is just
a click away from your computer. However with this easy access and simplicity, a new problem can be
drawn. As I said earlier, a lot people today venture in business. But because some are doing it
haphazardly and thinking they can just go on and be a businessman, they end up failing.
What others forget is being an entrepreneur is taking a risk but not being careless. Prior to having a
business, you should be able to know your market, you should offer something unique and original and
most of all, it should be planned, systematic and organized.
I once saw a show called Teen NeGOsyo which celebrates the success of young people who ventured
into the world of entrepreneurship in their very early age and yet made a mark in the business world.
If they can do it, why cant you?
Be creative, be innovative, take a risk, use your connections, use your diskarte be an entrepreneur
and be successful.
But in this competitive world with fast-paced lifestyle and incredibly modern environment, I am pretty
sure you are not going to be alone. There will be competition and there will be a bunch of them. But
instead of looking at them simply as a competition, why not as partners partners because you are both
embarking in the same journey and aiming on the same goal which is to have a better future.
Having partners is having connections. It plays an important role in the success of the business because
these connections may make or break you. Building a connection should not just be about the people
you know but most importantly the people who knows. You should always know the right people,
people who will push you up and not pull you down, people who will always be there and not desert you
when the tough times come.
Through entrepreneurship, partnership can be built and this partnership will eventually lead to an
inclusive growth.
Inclusive growth is a development which is comprehensive and all-encompassing, something that the
country and the world needs right now - the kind of growth which is not selfish nor greedy. I believe that
the country does not need more companies inundated with corporate greediness but more like a
partnership.
Having a close partnership of young people which aims an inclusive growth as a goal is something really
essential and therefore should not be neglected, a partnership with a collaborative effort seeking a
common goal.
I believe the government should dedicate more attention on this idea and likewise we should also
devote our time and effort. Aside from dedicating ourselves we need to commit and excel on these
kinds of endeavour.
We may be young but never underestimate the power of the youth as we are the hope of the nation.
Building youth partnership through entrepreneurship should never be taken lightly because it is not just
the partnership that is being built but it is tomorrow - our tomorrow.

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