Dear Dan: After college – or maybe even before – I want to start my own business. Right now, though, it’s intimidating, since I don’t know how to go about it. What are the best places for young, would-be entrepreneurs to get help? – Teen-preneur
Dear Teen-preneur: There are dozens of Web sites, organizations and services that cater to young entrepreneurs, including some for pre-teens, high schoolers, college students and young adults. Here are some great resources and organizations for young entrepreneurs:
• The Collegiate Entrepreneur’s Organization (CEO) is a network with over 400 chapters and 30,000 students at colleges around the world. CEO offers great conferences, a newsletter and an elevator pitch competition, along with other support, inspiration and resources for collegiate entrepreneurs. Visit www.c-e-o.org.
• Entrepreneur U., sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation, is the best place to locate entrepreneurship programs at colleges and universities nationwide. The site (www.entrepreneuru.org) has an easy-to-use search engine that lets you select specific criteria and then link directly to the college programs that match what you’re looking for. For students there are links to helpful information on becoming an entrepreneur, student entrepreneurship organizations and financial help.
• The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) is a terrific organization on many levels, offering free or low-cost help with starting or growing a business, either face-to-face through one of their 389 chapters and 11,000 volunteers nationwide, or via e-mail. The SCORE Web site has a new section devoted to young entrepreneurs at www.score.org/young.html. Check out the list of competitions for young entrepreneurs, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential cash, prizes and scholarships.
• Junior Achievement (www.ja.org) is one of America’s oldest and most successful non-profit organizations supporting youth entrepreneurship. Visit the Web site to find local programs. The JA Student Center online offers a business startup kit for teens, a JA Entrepreneur of the Year contest, video room, business plans and profiles of teens who’ve started their own businesses.
• Young Entrepreneur Foundation conducts an annual Young Entrepreneur Awards program that has provided over $1.6 million to 1,529 high school seniors since 2003. For information visit www.nfib.com/YEA.
• Teen Business Link (www.sba.gov/teens) is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) site for young entrepreneurs. The site has startup ideas, financial tips and can help teens hook up with business buddies and see profiles of successful young entrepreneurs. •
Daniel Kehrer can be reached at
editor@business.com.
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