YOUTHpreneur launches today: In tough economy teens embrace entrepreneur mindset and start businesses

PHOENIX (March 31, 2009) – Aspiring entrepreneurs and teens take notice; today’s economy is the perfect time to start the next Microsoft or FedEx. In fact, recessions have historically been a benefit to dozens of world-wide companies including Burger King, FedEx, Microsoft, LexisNexis, CNN, GE and Wikipedia. What most individuals forget is there is no age requirement or employee record necessary to begin tomorrow’s next biggest venture. In fact, many multi-million dollar corporations are founded by a younger generation every day. Teens around the country should be adopting the entrepreneur mindset and connecting with each other to fuel their success, according to www.youthpreneur.com. “Every teen can be an entrepreneur; they just need the education and confidence to get going,” said Sharon Lechter, Founder of YOUTHpreneur, a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy and co-author of the international best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad. That is where YOUTHpreneur steps in and teaches teens the core lessons of money and how to run a business with an easy to understand business kit. Even more important, www.youthpreneur.com provides teens a social network to connect with each other, share ideas and potentially form ground breaking partnerships. YOUTHpreneur also teaches the value of charity and giving back to the community – it instills philanthropy, confidence and builds lifelong community champions. Parents and grandparents can take a crucial role in ensuring their children are financially fit and educated. Experts say parents find success when they use current situations or “teachable moments” to explain important things or life skills to their children. April is Financial Literacy Month, and now is a crucial time to give our children the gift that will last them a lifetime – financial education. Teens and parents can follow @YOUTHpreneur on Twitter to receive financial tips every day during the month of April. The YOUTHpreneur business kit walks teens through ways to start a business with a friendly curriculum and gives them the tools they need to succeed. YOUTHpreneur also has ready-to-go businesses for the teen that wants to get started making money quickly. YOUTHpreneur partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Phoenix and Fry’s Food and Drug to conduct a gumball machine business pilot program. Dozens of kids participated in the test program with the goal of placing their gumball machines in a local business, monitoring its success, maintaining it and competing with each other to generate the most revenue.  All proceeds went directly to fund other Boys & Girls club programs.   Participants also learned business etiquette skills by practicing BE FAB: Back Straight, Eye Contact, Firm Hand Shake, Ask Questions, Be Bold. “We all learn best through experiential learning and it shows kids they can start small and then grow,” Lechter said. Twelve year old Bryce, who participated in the test program, found it “interesting to learn how to start and run a business. Plus, it’s a good thing to stick with something and see it through – that’s what my parents tell me.” “We have seen great success with the YOUTHpreneur program,” said Amy Gibbons, President and Executive Director for Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix. “Participating teens have learned valuable financial principles through easy to grasp activities and curriculum that truly helps prepare them for a better future.  We are grateful to be able to provide this program to our youth.” For more information about YOUTHpreneur, BE FAB or to become involved in the movement, please visit our Web site at www.youthpreneur.com. YOUTHpreneur YOUTHpreneur is igniting the entrepreneurs of tomorrow, today. YOUTHpreneur is providing our children with the financial education they can’t find in their schools today, to ensure they lead financially successful futures tomorrow. Adults deal with money and financial decisions all the time, but a vast majority of them never received any instruction on basic financial concepts and often learned the hard way. YOUTHpreneur provides our children with that education through the use of an innovative business kit, an interactive social network Web site, the tools to start a small business and the confidence to succeed at it. Developed by internationally known financial educator and author Sharon Lechter, YOUTHpreneur teaches children to BE FAB and how to be financially secure for the rest of their lives. To learn more about YOUTHpreneur and become part of the movement, visit the Web site at www.youthpreneur.com.