2011/12 Issue 1

FUTURE CEO STARS

THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T AFFORD A WEBSITE? DIDNT THINK VIDEO PRODUCTION COULD BE AFFORDABLE? never had the time to setup your company to take advantage of social networking?

THINK AGAIN!
find us on facebook

Visit www.cwd.me today! Email us at go@cwd.me call us at (352) 575-0055

FUTURE CEO STARS U TA TARS

4 Success is in the Bag TREP$ A Jammin Future Ignite Fresh Squeezed Charity Holthouse Foundation for Kids Evas Wild and Wonderful Books Marketplace for Kids Technically Speaking.. Chip Lowe Eagle Entertainment NFIB/yef Virtually Limitless Amanda Burke Entrepreneur Extraordinaire NFTE, Inc. Gone Batty! Rseau des CJE du Qubec Clearing the Hurdles Lyles Center Our Sponsors 6 8

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Published by The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education 1601 W Fifth Ave. #199 Columbus, OH 43212 www.entre-ed.org mashmore@entre-ed.org Publisher: Dr. Cathy Ashmore Editor: Mike Ashmore Graphic Design: SPLASH Designs Student Advisory Board Chip Lowe, Claire He, Micah Toll, Kelly Rapp, Marcus Craft Web Page Design and Management CWD

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Success is in the Bag!

By Marco Caprioni

y name is Marco Caprioni and I am an 11 year old student entrepreneur who really enjoys sports. When I joined TREPS and had to come up with an idea for a business I knew it had to involve sports. The idea began with mini stress footballs with the school name. We can all get a little stressed out at times. This item could appeal to almost everyone in the school. The more people became interested in my product the more successful my business would be. I then started thinking of names. I decided on Schuyler Sports Concepts. During the workshops I learned that the MARKETPLACE would attract many people. Since I would have such a large audience I quickly decided to expand my line. I then included Schuyler Sports Bags in red and white. These bags could be used for holding books, gym clothes, lunch etc. These bags would also promote school awareness. With the help of my Mom we started to make calls to many manufacturers. The challenge was to get a nice bag and keep it very affordable. I wanted everyone to have an opportunity to buy the Schuyler Sports Bag as well as the Schuyler Stress ball. We decided on the manufacturer that gave us the most for our money. We had to approve layouts and orders. We then went into production. (continued on next page)

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I had an initial order of 50 Schuyler Sports Bags and 50 Schuyler Stress balls. Once they arrived I had to prepare them for sale. With the help of my Mom we stuffed and packaged the sports bags and stress balls. With the MARKETPLACE only one day away I didnt know what to expect. When the day came and the doors opened I knew the idea would be a success. Another major highlight was the appearance of township mayor Chris Vergano along with board of education members, teachers and administrators. They had come for the ribbon cutting ceremony and to support all the businesses. Mayor Vergano mentioned in his speech that he himself had attended Schuyler Colfax Middle School. When Mayor Vergano came to my booth I presented him with his own Schuyler Sports Bag, I hoped it would remind him of the years he had spent at Schuyler. He even told me he would display the bag in his office. Thank you, Mayor Vergano. Thanks also to all the teachers, parents, grandparents and friends for all you support. I kept a sales inventory sheet so that I would know exactly how many bags I sold and how much money I should have. The bags were $6.00 and the stress balls were $2.00. A portion of all proceeds would be donated to Schuyler Colfax Middle School. I sold 38 bags and 30 stress balls for a total of $288. This was more than I had expected. I was excited. On the day after the MARKETPLACE all of Schuyler was talking about TREPS. The entrepreneurs were comparing their profits. It was great to see the teachers displaying their bags and stress balls. Some students even came up to me with additional requests. The teachers mentioned how proud we all made them. It was a great experience and I look forward to continuing with my business.

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A Jammin Future!
By Benjamin BenJamin Baker
ause this is Thriller, Thriller night, and no ones gonna save you from the beast about to strikeIf you recognize these lyrics, you have probably been caught up in the unstoppable power of a good DJ. A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. He or she has the power to use the gift of music to bring happiness and fun to peoples lives. No matter what you call them, disc jockey or DJ, theyre all the same, and Im one of them. My business is entertaining. I am DJ Ben Jamin, and Im a professional DJ. At the age of seven, two major events occurred that altered the course of my life. The first was a Christmas gift. I received a turntable. I would sit and play with my Yamaha DJX for hours at a time, perfecting my skills. The other event was an introduction to the music of a phenomenon known as Michael Jackson. Like the rest of the world, I was fascinated from the time I heard the first beat. By the next year, I was winning talent shows all over Michigan with my Michael Jackson impersonation. I sang, I danced, I did it all. After seven years, a record deal with One World Artists, and many performances and tours with artists such as B2K, Ying Yang twins, Ready for the World, Lil Romeo, and many more, I hung up my sparkling glove and found my true passion: providing music and entertainment as a DJ. Many people think that spinning tunes is easy, but they are sadly misinformed. It is definitely a fun job, but it also takes a lot of preparation and practice. I constantly find myself reviewing new and popular music, and putting in long hours of practice 15 to 20 a week. In addition to practicing, I have responsibilities as a business owner. As my business grew, I established BenJamin Entertainment. Managing, booking, and scheduling is a full (continued on next page)

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time job. Im constantly making phone calls, faxing contracts, and checking my schedule. Its a lot of work, but I love it. I love entertaining. I love seeing the smiles on people face. I love it all. Though I love entertaining, I will not stop there. My wish is to expand BenJamin Entertainment. Recording, production, entertainment venues, or anything that needs entertainment, I want to have a piece of it. I have used my skills as a DJ to entertain people of all ages and cultural backgrounds, performing at weddings, school dances, birthday parties, pool parties, college parties, festivals and even fundraisers. I will use my established base to reach new heights. I have grand aspirations, and the drive to reach them. I am not sure where this business will take me, but I know the music will never stop. Cause this is ThrillerThriller night Benjamin BenJamin Baker attended the GASC Technology Center taking two full years of Entrepreneur Courses: Entrepreneur I & Global Entrepreneur. While at the Tech Center, Ben was a member of DECA (An international group of instructors and students of marketing) where he competed and won the opportunity to attend the annual DECA International Career Development Conference, and then campaigned for, won and is now serving as a State of Michigan DECA Officer for the 2011-12 school year. Ben is an inaugural 2011 winner of the Betsy and Dick DeVos Scholars for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Scholarship and is attending Northwood University this fall, where he will further study Marketing with a concentration in International Business.

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F r e s h S q u ee z e d Charity
ast Christmas Shea learned that the holidays were about more than just getting and giving presents. She started to ask about ways she could help beyond donating personal items. Thats when Shea decided to do a Lemonade Day stand to help others. Shea knew about Lemonade Day because she had participated in Texas through the YMCA, but the family had since relocated. Shea worked hard on her business and marketing plan following the Lemonade Day workbook. In developing her plan, Shea had some great ideas on investors, location, and marketing, so she decided to write some letters to a few people including Donald Trump, Ellen DeGeneres and Barack Obama. She first wrote to Mr. Trump: Dear Mr. Trump, My name is Shea. I am 6 years old. I am in first grade at Elementary school in Virginia. I am a quality student. I am writing to you because I am learning about money. On May 1, 2011 I am going to be part of National Lemonade Day and have my very own lemonade stand. My dad is building it. My mom is helping me with stuff like how much money I need from my piggy bank and finding the perfect spot for my stand and asking The Giant to donate lemons and writing to you. Can I set up my lemonade stand at your golf course in Sterling Virginia? I want to make a lot of money. I pinky promise to pay back everyone who helps me. They are called investors. I will put some money back in my piggy bank. I will donate the rest. I cant get a cell phone until I am10 years old but you can call my moms phone XXX-XXX-XXXX. I get home from school at 4 oclock. I have gymnastics on Tuesdays and Thursdays but I will tell my mom that I need to talk to you when you call. Your future apprentice, Shea
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But weeks went by without any response from Mr. Trump so Sheas mom explained the people she wrote to are very busy and she may not always get a response in the mail in a timely manner. To secure a location Shea approached a local restaurant that the family dines at regularly and asked Sam the Manager for permission to set up her stand on May 1. After Shea spoke to Sam, the family sent a follow up e-mail and provided him with additional information on National Lemonade Day. It didnt take long for Sam to work his magic and deliver the good news that Shea had officially landed a spot for her lemonade stand on the Lion & Bull Restaurant patio on May 1. It was an exciting moment for Shea. She was even able to meet Mr. Miner, the restaurant owner. Shea found out her neighbor, a graphic designer, would help her design a lemonade stand logo which would also appear on aprons that her grandmother was helping her make and on t-shirts she was working to get donated to her cause. Shea had thought about donating her proceeds to helping old people get out of hospitals or police. She settled on The Twin Towers Initiative that supports officers who died in 9/11 and the new National Law Enforcement Museum to open in Washington, D.C. in 2013. Sheas mom contacted the Founder of TTI, Ben Caperton. Ben was floored and tickled that Shea had chosen to start her own Lemonade Day stand and donate her proceeds to TTI. He was so excited, especially with 2011 marking the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks, he invited Shea to the North American Police Ski Championships in Snowmass, CO to kick-off her lemonade business and fundraising efforts for the Twin Towers Initiative. When Retired Police Officer Ken Cordo, whose 37 colleagues perished on 9/11 and are among those honored by the TTI, learned of Sheas efforts, he responded, Its touching and gratifying that someone who was not even born yet is willing to make this effort so that our vow to always honor, and never forget those lost on September 11, 2001 can go forward, generation by generation. In Snowmass, Shea operated her business 3 nights for about 2 hours each night. The lines were long and Shea sold out each night. Shea sold lemonade at 1 cup for $3 and 2 cups for $5. She also sold t-shirts for $20. Over three days Shea sold 32 t-shirts, 25 cups of lemonade at $3 and 20 2 for $5 lemonades. At the closing banquet, Shea presented a check in the amount of $873 (total sales less cost and 3% to her savings) to Ben Caperton, Chairman of the North American Police Ski Championships. Shea expressed her thanks and gratitude to all of the police officers for supporting her efforts. When asked what her goal for the kick-off was, she replied
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$1,000 and everyone knew that she was shy of her goal. That is when the Coral Gables Police Department presented her with a check in the amount of $150 to push her over her goal! In preparation for Lemonade Day, Shea and her mom took $25 from her piggy bank to purchase straws, a 3-gallon drink dispenser, a container to hold her supplies, and a pencil box to store checks, cash, and donations like a cash register. Shea continued to do extra chores around the house to earn more money for her lemonade stand start-up costs. Shea held her Lemonade Day stand on National Lemonade Day, May 1. The weather wasnt perfect, but there was a tremendous turnout from the community including law enforcement, firefighters and media. Everyone had a blast her school principal even stopped by. Shea made three different kinds of lemonade: strawberry, pink and regular. She made 16.5 gallons and sold all but 1 gallon for a total of 248 cups of lemonade. She also sold 34 t-shirts. At the end of the day, with sales and donations, Shea made $1649.50. She was able to cover her initial costs, pay back her investor and keep 2% for her savings. Shea donated $1429.34 to the Twin Towers Initiative and the Law Enforcement Museum. Thats a total of $2,452.34 for charity. Sheas family and friends are proud of her efforts and accomplishments, but most importantly, Shea is proud that she was able to open her own business and help others.

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Bring Lemonade Day to your city!

Build a Stand...

SPARK A DREAM!

Free, Fun, Experiential Learning

This year 100,000 kids across the nation will start their own lemonade stand business on May 2. By 2013, Lemonade Day will reach 1 million young entrepreneurs in 100 cities. We want to bring this community-wide event for kids to YOUR city!

or Great project for business schools, foundations, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, youth sports ol and after-school programs!

Lets talk!
Contact Executive Director Julie Eberly at 713.626.KIDS or jeberly@prepared4life.org.

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Lemonade Day FAQ

What is Lemonade Day?
Lemonade Day is a FREE, community-wide, educational initiative designed to teach children how to start, own and operate their own business a lemonade stand.

How does a child register?

Beginning in the spring, a child can register by completing a printed application available through participating partners, such as schools or youth organizations. Youth can register online at www.LemonadeDay.org. They can also sign up and receive a backpack at numerous events in the spring in each city.

How did Lemonade Day get started?

Michael Holthouse, a Houston entrepreneur and philanthropist, co-founded Prepared 4 Life (P4L), a nonprot that provides fun, proactive programs infused with life skills, character education and entrepreneurship. Inspired by the lessons he was able to teach his young daughter and her friend when they set up a lemonade stand, Holthouse launched Lemonade Day in Houston, Texas in 2007. It has now become P4Ls number one outreach and educational priority.

What do children learn?

The objective of Lemonade Day is to teach youth how to start and run their own lemonade business. Children learn the entrepreneurial skills necessary to be successful in the future and become contributing members of their communities. The best part of the program for kids is that after covering their expenses and paying back their investors, they can keep what they earn. With this in mind, children are encouraged to open a youth savings account so their prots can continue to grow as well as give a portion of their earnings to charity.

When is Lemonade Day?

Lemonade Day takes place the rst Sunday in May. It will be on May 2 in 2010.

Who can participate?

Youth of all ages, from pre-K through high school, can register for an ofcial Lemonade Day stand. Adults are needed to participate as mentors and volunteers. In addition, community support from schools, churches, businesses, and youth organizations is essential to the success of Lemonade Day.

Who can get involved and how?

Anyone and everyone can be involved in Lemonade Day. Young entrepreneurs with lemonade stands need mentors, investors, employees and customers! Sponsors and volunteers are also needed to make Lemonade Day a success. All money raised through local donations and sponsorships is used directly to support Lemonade Day in your city. To get involved, please visit your local Lemonade Day website at www.LemonadeDay.org.

How does it work?

Each child that registers for Lemonade Day receives a bright, yellow backpack with an informational workbook for the child and another for a responsible adult. The workbooks outline the steps needed to start a business, from setting a goal, creating a business plan, forming a budget and nding an investor to saving money and donating a portion back to their community. (Materials are available in Spanish.)

How can I bring Lemonade Day to my community?

To learn how to bring Lemonade Day to your community, call 713.626.KIDS (5437).

www.LemonadeDay.org

Lemonade Day is the perfect opportunity for the entire community

to come together and train the next generation of entrepreneurs.

See you next year in Chicago at IIEEs Young Entrepreneur Conference!!!

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Evas Wild & Wonderful Books!

By Eva Ridenhour

i! My name is Eva Ridenhour. I love to write books. I especially like to write comedy fiction, with lots and lots of adventure. I have two books which I have self published. The first book is called Birds on the Run. And the second book is called Attack of the Reptiles. Birds on the Run is about a girl named Eva, who finds a talking hummingbird. The hummingbird lost her parents in a storm, so Eva helps the depressed hummingbird find her parents. This book includes family, airplane rides, and so on. Youll never know whats coming next. Attack of the Reptiles is a sequel to Birds on the Run. It is about how Eva and her new friend Rebecca stop a war. Of course Ruby the hummingbird helps too! Over the last year, I have turned my love for writing into a business. I had written the books, but then I decided to self publish them. I did this through an online publishing company called Lulu.com. I got help from my mom. You choose your type of book (hardback, paperback, etc.), and then you upload the book into Lulu. Then they produce the book, and around two weeks later, there you have it: your very own book in your hands. Anyone can buy the books at Lulu, but you have tell them about it first. There are lots of ways to tell people about my books. For instance, I emailed people, talked to them, and put it on Facebook. I also set up a website (www.evaridenhour.com). It has drawings, links to my books, and my new writing lectures, which Ill talk about momentarily. You can also place comments on the website, and I will write back.
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Another way I told people about my books was by having a release party, which means I had a party at my house to sell and sign my books. I invited a lot of friends over, and my mom and I served food for the guests. We talked and had fun, and I sold lots of books. The next day, I went to a festival called Marketplace for Kids. Marketplace for Kids is a fair for kids in North Dakota who have invented things. I had a booth there, and talked to adults, teenagers, and fifth and sixth graders. This summer, I went on a book tour with my dad, who also has a book. We went across the country to bookstores and coffeeshops and sold and signed books. It was lots of fun. My dad read out of his book to the people who came. I am going to do that later, when Im ready. Overall, I have sold over 100 books. I want other kids to write books as well. And I would like to continue writing books. It seems that its always adults who write kids books. So I decided to inspire kids to write books of any kind! To encourage kids I have made five short videos about how to write books. They are split into five categories: Introduction, Outline/Setting/Characters, Plot, Self Publishing, and Marketing. I am hoping that teachers will use the videos in the classroom. To promote my videos, I have to show my face in public. To do this, I am going to the Bright Ideas Showcase and to the North Dakota Educators Association Convention. I will have booths there and will tell people about my books and my videos. However, the real question is why do I do what I do? Because its fun! I love writing. I get to make friends with the characters and try out new things through the characters themselves. For example, in Birds on the Run, Eva travels on a plane all by herself, and I actually feel like Im doing it with her. Im going to write more books. In November, Im going to write another book through National Novel Writing Month, which is a web-based program that
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challenges you to write a book in 30 days. It might have werewolves in it! Im also planning to do audio books this fall and put them on my website. I want to talk to classrooms, and I want to do workshops like my dad and teach kids how to write. I hope that I get to do this soon. Maybe Ill see you there!

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Our Mission...
The National Museum of Education seeks to celebrate the learning, insight, creativity, and workmanship of America's students, teachers, administrators, and all those who have made a positive contribution to the educational process by recognizing and preserving their accomplishments for the inspiration of future generations.

Visit us on the Web at: www.nmoe.org

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Technically Speaking ... with

Chip Lowe

A SQUARE way to Accept Credit Card Payments

eing able to accept credit cards can seem like a hassle itself. And they are by no means free! PayPal, Google Checkout, Authorize.net are some of the major providers of online payment processing solutions, and they are all close to around 3.0% charge rates. Not to mention, they require manual input of credit card numbers. So, that probably has you thinking, There must be a better solution! If that was your assertion, and you did just a little Google-ing, you would find that there is a much simpler solution! Its called Square, and its about as simple as a transaction could be! Square is available as a free app download on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and most Android smartphones. How Does It Work? You sign up for a free account on SquareUp.com, link your bank account, and they send you a free card reader for your smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device. Their Square card reader plugs right into the headphone jack of the device. You simply open the app, enter the amount of the transaction, swipe the card, the customer can sign and even leave a (continued on next page)

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tip, tax is calculated if needed, and the money is in your Square account! And it gets better! Unlike PayPal, where your money remains in a balance until you transfer it somewhere else, Square automatically deposits your money to your bank at the end of each business day! Accepting credit and debit card payments on the go couldnt get any easier. But they could get cheaper! Square only charges 2.75% for swiped cards, for all major cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) and even American Express, which is known for charging a premium for merchants accepting their cards. Whether you are a babysitter getting paid by the parents of the child you just watched at the end of the night, a limo driver who now no longer has to carry cash, or an employee at a national retail chain, Square can make your life way easier, and bring that Wow! factor to every customer you come into contact with. Aside from how cool this device and service is, I find it worth while to mention my appreciation of the innovation such new things such as Square bring to us today. Technology was never meant to be an inhibitor to our natural human interactions and doing business. To the contrary, real technologically innovators have been seeking solutions for difficult problems with as little computer complication as possible. I think its important we step back and realize what a great leap forward this actually is!

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Eagle Entertainment
By Joe Rittenhouse

hen starting high school, I realized I wanted more money than I actually had. Whether it was new cleats for sports or buying my first car, I needed money. Like any other middle school student, I had mowed lawns and shoveled snow before but that was not enjoyable nor did it make a large profit. I knew I had a talent for remembering popular songs and artists, but I didnt think it could make me money. One day, after playing the music for my friends pool party, my friend William Harlem and I realized we could DJ for parties since we had all the equipment and music. So we started a mobile DJ company named Eagle Entertainment.

At first, we DJed for fun and to pay off new equipment he owned. Soon we realized that the market for a mobile DJ in Delaware had strong demand and potential profits were vast. We started to market with a webpage and making business cards to hand out. By sophomore year in high school, we were working sweet sixteen dances and smaller local dances for profit. Profits had to be split between new gear and extra spending money but little did we know: This was just the beginning Realizing where you want to go with your own business is very important because staying static can be the worst decision. Luckily for me, my friends always wanted me to DJ their dances and parties. Therefore, the decision to expand to high school dances and large-scale parties was simple. We marketed at all local high schools and even the local university, the University of Delaware. With more and more opportunities, we could choose which gigs we wanted, set higher prices and consequently buy the top of the line equipment with our new profits. Our hardest decision came from turning down gigs; since we were both full time high school students, our education came first. Even though I had to work some nights I did not want to, nothing can describe making money doing something you truly (continued on next page)

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like. Finding something you like, then putting in a little time and money will not only bring you more money but also pride in yourself. Proudly, I can say that during my senior year of high school Eagle Entertainment was the DJ for local homecoming dances, proms, wedding receptions, charity events, and almost everything in between. The secrets of success are not complicated. To succeed, you need to spend time and money in the field of your business. This is easiest when you are doing something you want to do. Another key is to have concrete goals, even if they are simple. Without a plan of expansion, a business will stay where it is or may even decline.

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V ir tually Limitless
By Amanda Burke

y desire to create and my appetite for life are the driving forces behind my endeavors, one of them being a business encompassing my passions. Even at a young age, I was an entrepreneur at heart; dismissing lemonade sales as run-of-the-mill, I once enthusiastically crafted a collection of bookmarks and set up shop in my front yard. Although disappointment began to set in when no one stopped to peruse my wares, I had faith in my flimsy paper dreams and resisted the urge to pack up shop. A girl on her way home from high school proved to be the affirmation I was looking for when she fumbled in her pocket for a nickel and picked up one of the more colorful numbers covered in green faux fur. That simple act told my 6-year-old self that what I created was worth something in the eyes of the world. Since then, Ive moved past making bookmarks out of craft-box remnants and have found my niche in the world of online international sales. I have devoted a good chunk of time to maintaining my etsy store, artist webpage, and online shop dealing in vintage and thrifted goods, although my entrepreneurial pursuits are temporarily being put on hold while Im adjusting to college. Marketing my creations online has taught me that a great percentage of being a successful business owner can be attributed to finding your niche. Almost every weekend, I go thrifting, perusing out-of-the-way places that most people bypass because theres nothing there but junk. When I look at a discarded thrift-store remnant, my mind immediately starts buzzing with questions: What can I make with this? How can I make this useful again? Once my finds have been cleaned up and reconstructed, they are made new again. An outdated prom dress is altered and photographed on a model wearing edgy makeup, and it immediately becomes relevant in todays fashion world. A stuffy grandmas brooch is transformed into a quirky accessory when embellished and packaged in a box made from recycled cut-up novels. With more people actively utilizing old things in new and innovative ways, we can significantly cut down on waste. (continued on next page)

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Online selling is insanely competitive, with cheap manufactured goods from overseas often appearing preferable to handcrafted one-of-a-kind items made close to home. One of my strategies is to promote locally as well as internationally. I offer special discounts and free home-delivery for anyone in the Sacramento area. Ive also learned that professional presentation is key in nabbing a sale. Photographs are always taken in natural sunlight, emphasizing each items best attributes. Visual impact is the driving force behind peoples desire to purchase, and Ive utilized my background in art to figure out how to appeal to a potential buyer. Another important factor in attracting sales is to have an identifiable style. My name, Starfreckles, reflects the image I want to portray when a customer enters my store: quirky, eclectic, full of life. Ive developed a keen eye for a sellable item. I keep up with the latest trends and rework them in my creations. I utilize my writing skills to craft descriptions chock full of vivid imagery, since an online buyer must rely on description and photographs alone to decide whether or not they want to make a purchase. I also make sure each customer is satisfied by offering services like making changes to a custom portrait after theyve purchased it. I couldnt imagine a job that better fits my personality type. Online selling requires one to take on every role involved in running a business: making post office trips at odd hours and waiting in long lines, maintaining a company image, managing the businesss finances, and marketing the products. Some parttime jobs require 4 hours daily of completing a simple task, then abandoning the work mentality. In my job, I never really stop working. I am constantly thinking about how to better cater to my customers, improve my shop design and sales, effectively market, and of course, keep track of the money going in and out. Running a business has been an incredible outlet in which Ive been able to utilize my strengths and passions. Since my beginnings as an online garage sale in October 2008, Ive developed communication and problem-solving skills, learned to manage money, and honed a keen knack for advertising. Selling online has also fueled my desire to promote efficiency and ingenuity in an increasingly wasteful world, and I hope to someday expand my business by incorporating innovative, environmentally friendly products into my store that blend superb design with visual appeal. I also hope to introduce my mindset of functionality on a world-wide scale by expanding my online market of vintage and upcycled goods and bringing them to the masses.
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Entrepreneur Extraordinaire
by David Hurst

ow do you academically engage a student who failed every class his freshman year of high school? How do you inspire a young man to see the world as bigger than the neighborhood he grew up in? The one word answer: entrepreneurship. Learning about entrepreneurship in my NFTE course single-handedly transformed me. I never thought that business ownership was my true way out of the cycle I was certain to become a part of. Prior to taking this class, I was on the wrong path in life and it was evident. I didnt see real relevance in school and education so I didnt make it a priority. My teachers always had the same remarks for my parents whenever they spoke.David is a very bright kid and he has potential... but he doesnt put effort into his work. It wasnt until I took the first of two NFTE classes that I realized the true importance of education. I began working on my business plan that day. Lawn Care Extraordinaire is a Chicago based lawn maintenance service focused on beautifying low-income areas. I started LCE in the spring of 2007 with no intention of it becoming operational; I did it merely for a grade in my NFTE class. I had yet to see how beneficial and life changing entrepreneurship would be for me but then again-- how could I? I dont think anybody would expect a kid who was once up for expulsion out of the Chicago Public School
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system to be on the short list of young entrepreneurs invited to Harvard University for the Growing Up CEO award ceremony as an honoree. Being founder and CEO of Lawn Care Extraordinaire made it possible for me to dream big and to actually have the expectation to reach those dreams and achieve my goals. I made $2,000 the first summer LCE went operational and won $4,000 in business plan competitions presenting my business. I was able to double my profit the next year. Within the span of two years I went from the bad kid in school to the young man who all the other students looked up to. My entire persona changed after being exposed to entrepreneurship and everyone around me noticed it immediately. I started wearing slacks and collared shirts everywhere I went and my conversation changed from nonsense topics to potential business opportunities, social issues and billionaires. Entrepreneurship saved my life.

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Gone BATTY!
By Pervana Mladenof and Miranda Oprisan
t Princess Elizabeth Elementary School in Magog, Quebec the students in Pervana Mladenof s class are embarking on an entrepreneurial adventure that will not only have an important and positive impact on the environment but also bring members of the community together to share their skills. To promote entrepreneurship among the youth in Magog, Pervana has a started a project that may, at first, seem a bit out of the ordinary and has also partnered her students with a group of people with whom they usually do not work side by side. The students are joining forces with a group of seniors to build and sell houses for bats. Together they will research the benefits that bats have on the environment and will build bat houses based on a design that best fits the needs of the bats and is also aesthetically pleasing to the potential consumer. The students and seniors will be creating and building their bat house business from the ground up. They will be meeting weekly in Pervanas classroom to participate in entrepreneurship workshops and activities to help them in their challenge. This project gives the students the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills and be introduced to entrepreneurial culture in a way that is fun and environmentally conscious. They also have the chance to work with seniors and benefit from their experiences and knowledge. This winning combination will hopefully prove that diversity and creativity are keys to a successful business. Working with new partners such as the Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi, The Granby Zoo, Conservation of Bats Museum of Science in Michigan, Townshippers Association and CEDEC, Pervana feels that the project is bound to be a success.

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Clearing the Hurdles

By Leticia Refuerzo

believe we all face challenges, we all have bumps in the road and run into hurdles along the pathway to success. The hurdles themselves dont shape who we are; I believe its the manner in which we overcome them that really says a lot about us. For me, overcoming hurdles has grown easier over the years, as I find myself in the company of great support in all that I aim to accomplish. My name is Leticia Refuerzo and I am a senior at California State University, Fresno. I began my college career at Reedley College before transferring to Fresno State. When I made the transition from community college to university, I changed my major to business, with a concentration in entrepreneurship. For sparking my interest in entrepreneurship, I give thanks to one of my most influential instructors from Reedley College: Mr. Eric Nasalroad. He was gracious enough to give our class an introduction to entrepreneurship as the semester progressed. Growing up, I would overhear problems that would arise in various beauty shops. The salons main complaint was that they were losing clientele due to not having an adequate amount of hair extensions readily available for clients.
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I launched ZMs Nail Art & Hair Distributor in December 2010 as an answer to all the issues Id heard from different salons Id been to. I worked on this idea for more than six months before launching. Currently, living in Visalia, California, I distribute nail art and hair extensions to different beauty and nail salons in the central valley. The hair extensions are the companys staplethe nail art is just an added bonus. I keep my prices reasonable and in turn, salons are able to maintain lower prices when creating their own rock star nail art. One way in which beauty shops benefit most from of my business is that they do not have to go out and purchase any of the products they need themselves. Rather, with one phone call, I can have their supplies ready for them at the end of the same day. One of the biggest challenges (or hurdles) that I have faced was locating great products at a reasonable price, without sacrificing quality. After six months of trial and error, I have found the products that I currently distribute. The thing I love the MOST about this business is the flexibility I am allowed. Understandably, there are times when business remains constant and I am forced to work under a strict schedule, but I mostly work with a very flexible schedule. The flexibility also allows me to demonstrate my personality more through the business. I can have rock star nails with any color and design and use myself as a walking advertisement. I also demonstrate my beauty salon samples on the dash of my car. My business cards can be found on my car, underneath my windshield wiper, in the event that somebody wants more information. A rather unorthodox way of marketing, Ive received various orders using this method. At times, going through the next challenge can be overwhelming. Trying to find new clientele and expand ones business can become burdensome and at times, discouraging. Ive found it easier for me to accomplish the next hurdle, however, by simply
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taking a step back from the problem for a few days. After giving myself a chance to think and look at the issue from various angles, Im able to jump back in and solve the problem. Ultimately, Ive found that by having access to mentors at the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State has truly helped me to succeed and push my business forward. I used to own an office in the student Hatchery at the Lyles Center, from which I ran my business. This office allowed me to network and opened the door to much greater success. By having a great support system of family, friends and mentors, Ive been able to easily jump over any hurdle that crossed my path.

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