Our D.R.E.A.M. Foundation Youth Business Summit 2016
From the summit web page:
"The Youth Business Summit is a one-day intensive of workshops, panels, and interactive activities focused on teaching principles of entrepreneurship to Prince George’s County high school students. Student participants will be introduced to basic business concepts, taken through the process of developing a business idea into a competitive, marketable, financially-fledgling business enterprise. This unique opportunity will allow students to collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurial peers, learn from local leaders, and kindle relationships necessary to build a network of various resources."
These guys at the Our D.R.E.A.M. Foundation are not messing around. They had a panel of successful business owners WHO HAVE EMPLOYEES (a very important distinction) teaching the kids what entrepreneurship is really about, the grind it takes to be successful, and the costs of freedom from the traditional workplace, 'cause freedom ain't free.
The audience was high schoolers, but this was not the Fisher-Price edition of entrepreneurship training. If I'd spent $300 to be in the room to listen and learn from such an accomplished panel of speakers, I would have felt like I got a bargain. And it was not just the panelists. The Our D.R.E.A.M. guys were teaching business concepts, strategies, terminology, etc. like they were college professors. In fact, I didn't learn any of what they taught on Saturday until I got to college, and some of it, I didn't learn until grad school. Now I wasn't a business major, but still. A lot of these concepts should be introduced to kids in high school and these guys don't talk about the need for this kind of education, they're actually getting out here and delivering it, and doing it EXTREMELY well. I really can't say enough about how well-organized and well-executed this summit was. I don't know how long these guys have been at it, but it was clear that they've put a lot of thought, time, and energy into developing their program.
I encourage everyone to check out the details of the summit at http://www.thisisourdream.org/ybs/ and find a way to get involved with the foundation. It was through sheer luck (opportunity + preparation) that I was fortunate to be able to participate. You can donate money or perhaps your time and talents, like the incredible panel of speakers at this year's summit.
Links to the panelists and facilitators:
Patrice Cameau: www.wecamo.org
KoJo Addae-Mintah: wwindtech.com
Deanna Jefferson: deannajeffersonfitness.com
Joey Price: jumpstart-hr.com
Howard Jean: howardrjean.com
Britt Wright: britt-wright.com
Johnny Graham: www.thisisourdream.org
More from the Our D.R.E.A.M. Foundation:
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