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Michael Simmons
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School and Youth Entrepreneurship
September 4, 2003 - 09:58 AM
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What do people think about school and youth entrepreneurship. Do entrepreneurs need to go to school to be successful? If they do go, what is the best way for them to take advantage of it?
Michael Simmons, Author
The Student Success Manifesto
http://www.successmanifesto.com
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How to Create a Life of
Passion, Purpose, & Prosperity
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Get updates on Michael at
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Evan Carmichael
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Re: School and Youth Entrepreneurship
September 5, 2003 - 02:16 AM
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I don't think our school system prepares young people enough for entrepreneurship. One great program though was Junior Achievement where in their high school Company Program, you get together with 30 of your peers and form a company after school - you meet once a week and elect a management team, open a bank account, put a business plan together, and make and sell a product! They also bring in experienced entrepreneurs to help guide them along their path. I was invovled for 3 years as a student and am now in my second year as an advisor. There definitely should be more programs like Junior Achievement for young entrepreneurs around the world - JA is a global organization though so check them out - there is probably one right in your home town! It's a US based organization so there must be a ton of offices where you are.
Evan.
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Michael Simmons
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Re: School and Youth Entrepreneurship
September 5, 2003 - 08:02 AM
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Hey Evan,
I agree and disagree with you about the school system. In high school, I was fairly disengaged from the school system. I was in top classes and got fairly good grades, but I was mostly succeeding from memorization and I wasn't enjoying the work. I thought everything would change when I came to NYU.
It didn't. I wasn't enjoying my classes and I didn't have motivation to work on school above my business so my grades dropped significantly.
Now, I love NYU. I personally think it is one of the best schools that any youth entrepreneur could go to because of the incredible resource it and New York City offers. What changed wasn't the system, it was me. I joined mentor programs. I spent many hours learning about and trying to meet successful alumni and faculty. I networked with the administration. I became the president of the Entrepreneur Group and met other like-minded cities. I made major contacts through out New York City. I bent rules where I could. The list goes on!
In my opinion, schools have incredible resources. However, many of the best ones are left dormant because students are focusing too much on grades and getting jobs or just graduating. Sure, I think schools could be better and I think that they could prepare students to become entrepreneurs better. But at the same time, I would love to see individuals take more responsibility and be more pro-active. If schools are effectively leveraged they could be great spring-boards and even partners in your business.
Michael Simmons, Author
The Student Success Manifesto
http://www.successmanifesto.com
--------------------------------------------------
How to Create a Life of
Passion, Purpose, & Prosperity
--------------------------------------------------
Get updates on Michael at
successmanifesto.com/michael
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Mohummed aglan
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Re: School and Youth Entrepreneurship
September 6, 2003 - 06:49 AM
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There are different factors for successful entrepreneurship other tthan education. The most important 2 of them are: to search for a new field for work. IE, to create rather than emitate. Secondly, to be supported by other experienced entrepreneurs in the field and not to start on our owns.
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Evan Carmichael
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Re: School and Youth Entrepreneurship
September 6, 2003 - 07:56 AM
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Michael, you are right!
The Junior Achievement program that I spoke about was an after school activity - you had to be proactive to find it, sign up, and attend.
Back to your original question of do you need to go to school to be an entrepreneur? - From looking at the most successful entrepreneurs today, it clearly shows that you do not have to have a formal education to succeed with your own business. If you read the Millionaire Mind, most of the millionaires the author spoke with had a C average. The school system prepares you to be an employee. They teach you how to memorize facts, achieve on tests, and get to the next level which for most people is a secure job.
With that being said, I think schools are a fantastic resource for young entrepreneurs. It teaches you the discipline of waking up each day and going to school - it makes you work hard to reach academic goals - and perhaps most importantly it introduces you to a wide range of other students and teachers who you can learn from and interact with. I would never advise a young person who wants to be an entrepreneur to not go to school. Rather, it would be in her best interest to seek out like minded individuals - find programs like Junior Achievement, get involved in entrepreneur clubs, even start your own business! Try to operate within the system so you can benefit from it while developing your business skills.
One thing I think is missing is providing young people with the access to these entrepreneurial resources - right now it's only the really ambitious ones who actively seek out information. Entrepreneurship should be considered a viable career alternative and part of the regular curriculum. It should be easier to for young people to recognize that they might want to be entrepreneurs and have access to the information they would need to succeed.
This is my belief at least - it's also important to get out of the world of "shoulds" and move into the one of "do's" - you can complain all you want about something, but it's only when you take action that things will actually change. That's why I'm involved with TIG YouthBiz and Junior Achievement and other organizations focused on youth entrepreneurship education.
Evan.
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Calvin C.
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Re: School and Youth Entrepreneurship
December 14, 2003 - 09:54 AM
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Evan, I agreed.
Schools teach you skills, skills to get a job. And not every single person has the ability to lead a team or create something from nothing, not every MBA can be a CEO.
Getting a good grade won't make you the richest man in the world. But school is a MUST. University may not be a MUST. But it helps.
Self-discipline, curiosity, creativity and believes are important if you want to be an entrepreneur. This is something you cannot learn in books. You need to develop these all by yourself thru daily life.
Workshops and programs will give you a great help, so, join it when you have the chance.
But remember one thing, if you want to be an entrepreneur, you got to 'Believe in yourself'! Even if everyone has doubt in you, you cannot doubt yourself.
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Raymond Mamattah
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Re: School and Youth Entrepreneurship
January 2, 2004 - 01:36 AM
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In Ghana for that matter most of the other African countries, students are taken through how to pass their exams, but now how to confidently start their own business.
I don't think school is necessarily a base for a successful entrepreneur. There are numerouse illiterates who are big time business men.
The way out is, we need people who are successful entrepreneurs to share their experience with us so that we can build upon theirs.
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treehugger
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i have some questions
January 4, 2004 - 08:40 AM
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Originally posted by michaeldsimmons
What do people think about school and youth entrepreneurship.
i wanted to ask micheal if he ever read the book rich dad and poor dad it is really an amazing book but i realize that i dont know how a 21yr old like me could control money by thinking of assets and liability.
Do entrepreneurs need to go to school to be successful? If they do go, what is the best way for them to take advantage of it?
i dont kno if shcool teaches me enough because i feel like they are more preparing me to become a coporate slave rather than be an individual. I feel like what i learn is to be speacilzing a certain area and just have that career and never change it. i also wanted to ask him if he could show me the NYU website for free seminars on finanical stuff. i would really like to listen to these experts. thanks if you answer this mail
starluck60@hotmail.com
Michael Simmons, Author
The Student Success Manifesto
http://www.successmanifesto.com
--------------------------------------------------
How to Create a Life of
Passion, Purpose, & Prosperity
--------------------------------------------------
Get updates on Michael at
successmanifesto.com/michael
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Louis Garcia
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No one needs to go
January 24, 2004 - 10:44 AM
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No-one needs to go to be successful.
School teaches you practical sense and it is practical to go to school to land a secure job (but is secure now-days?). I am a young entrepreneur and own my own business and have taken time off College to build my business.
This does not mean that I do not value school and plan not to return. College does offer a great amount of information, but most of this information can be self-learned.
You truly have to be motivated in what you do to be successful. You need to know yourself, your capabilities, and your life goals. People are more likely to fail if they do not have a plan.
There are skills in school that are not taught that are critical for entrepreneurs to have. COMMON SENSE!!!!! College teaches you practical sense, but you need common sense to truly succeed. I use common sense not in a way where you do not cross a street on a red light, but rather what will make a customer want to purchase your products.
If you want to know more
lgarcia@pcjolt.com
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Ricky
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Depends
October 27, 2004 - 11:22 AM
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I really think only the person who wants to become an entrepreneur is the one to make the decision. I think it is based on the person's skill sets and if school will make them more successful.
I personally believe that entrepreneurs want to be outside of the classroom, putting their ideas into the real world.
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