Entrepreneurial ideas for youth

Beverly Przystas, Michigan State University Extension -

Creating a product and starting a business can be discussed at an early age. Encourage youth to look at creative ways to become entrepreneurs.

Michigan State University Extension 4-H youth programs offers many types of learning experiences for youth of all ages. 4-H projects incorporate life skills that help them become successful adults. One of the many popular projects older youth might have an interest in is learning how to start a business. Creative thinking can even lead youth to learn about becoming an entrepreneur. Youth can begin learning the basics of a business plan, budgeting and costs even before they start thinking about the possibility of starting a business on their own. Communication, team work, goals setting, self-motivation and self-responsibility are just some of the important life skills to be learned through an entrepreneurship project.

After youth learn the basics of becoming an entrepreneur, they can then take the next step to go out and begin putting their ideas into action and start their business, project or community service.

Rapid changes are seen on the economic, social and global level. Youth have to keep up with these changes and develop a timeline to help them get through the process of starting a business.

In an Forbes article written by Robyn Shulman, she lists 10 different way to encourage youth entrepreneurship:

  • Encourage divergent thinking
  • Create a safe-space for ideas
  • Challenge ideas
  • Encourage leaders through ownership
  • Build an idea box
  • Provide experiences
  • Let kids fail
  • Financial literacy
  • Model positive relationships
  • Communicate

Michigan State University Extension and Michigan 4-H Youth Development help to prepare young people for successful futures. As a result of Career Exploration and Work Force activities, thousands of Michigan youth are better equipped to make important decisions about their professional future, ready to contribute to the workforce and able to take fiscal responsibility in their personal lives.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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