"Our mission is to introduce young people to entrepreneurship by developing and running their own business. By marketing products they create, students learn basic life skills and enhance their self worth."

PROGRAM CONTENT & CURRICULUM

1. What is an Entrepreneur?

Students are introduced to the idea that anyone can own a business, helping them identify themselves as possible entrepreneurs. The students are also taught the basics of business etiquette.

2. The Customer is Always Right!

Major business concepts are identified and defined. Students are given customer surveys to fill out so they can decide what product they will be manufacturing for their business.

3. Let's Name Our Business!

Students are introduced to the concept of corporate identity and branding. As a group, they come up with a business name and logo for their business.

4. Product Development

This is the creative crux of the curriculum where ideas are brainstormed and the students create the artwork that will later decorate their products.

5. Product Costing

Students are introduced to the basic concepts of 'competition'. They learn about product costing and product pricing. Based on these concepts they come up with their own product pricing and profit goals for the products they will be manufacturing.

6. Marketing Your Business

Marketing concepts are introduced and the students come up with several ways to market their own business, such as commercials, advertisements, posterboard displays, etc.

7. Using the Receipt Book and Counting Out Change

Students are prepared for their first sales event through role playing. They greet clients professionally, give a brief description of their products, fill out receipt books and count out change in preparation for the real thing.

8. Keeping Track of Your Business!

Students attend their first sales event around this time. They learn how to differentiate between cost of goods and operating expenses. Additionally, graphs are created to visually differentiate cost of goods for the business.

9. Keeping Business Records

Students begin to fill out income and expense ledgers for the mounting costs and profits of their own business.

10. Make a Business Presentation

The students formulate business presentations, practicing their public speaking and active listening skills in addition to their persuasive writing skills. Once they are confident in their abilities to deliver a presentation to an audience, they can pitch their presentations to members of the community and potential customers in a professional manner.

11. Write a Business Memo

The concept of a business memo is introduced to the students and they are asked to write their own business memos regarding information they may need to convey to their customers.

12. Business Research

Students learn to read business themed articles and discuss the importance of having up-to-date information in the business world.

13. Managing Your Money

Students will have gained product profits from their sales events by this time and the concept of saving and reinvesting money is introduced. Differentiation is made between personal and business bank accounts and the concept of 'earning interest'. Students are guided through the steps of opening an actual bank account and depositing or withdrawing money from it.

14. Other Businesses in Your World

Students are presented with the 'big picture' of the business world, as the traditional production and distribution sytem is dissected for them after their own business experience. Different types of businesses are identified as well as the responsibilities and relationships they form amongst themselves.

15. Visualize the Future

In the final lesson, students are taken through a mental exercise in visualization. Students are encouraged to visualize themselves in the future: what they will be doing for a living, what their lives will be like, as a way of helping them see the entrepreneurial potential of their own futures.