Above: LOGAN GUENTHER’s love for fishing with his grandfather inspired him to design a special fishing lure to “Catch one more big fish!” His new business, Gramp’s Lure Co., already has received nibbles from a manufacturer.
Wrapping up its second year at the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) for middle and high school students recently held a Trade Show at Noah’s Event Venue to introduce their services and products to the community.
For the past school year, this hands-on program has focused on a broad definition of entrepreneurship—the transformation of an idea into an enterprise that creates value—in the spirit of Naperville’s history of both social and business entrepreneurs.
Above: The Merry Tutor is the brainchild of JANE BOETTCHER. The nonprofit enterprise offers free tutoring for elementary and junior high school students at Nichols Library during special hours on weekends. Her business is up and running, thanks to tutors such as MIKE ROTTER. For info, visit www.themerrytutor.org.
YEA! teaches students not only the importance and purpose of social and business entrepreneurship, but also the process by which one establishes a business enterprise or social movement.
Students were taught to write a business or social action plan, make a pitch to potential investors/ supporters, obtain funding, open bank accounts, file tax returns and launch their company/movement with marketing plans and business cards.
Visitors to the Trade Show had the opportunity to visit nine table top displays and meet with the young entrepreneurs, some in partnerships, to learn more about their ideas. Products included fishing lures, jewelry, “daily reminder” art and a handy drill that quickly unscrews lightbulbs. Services ranged from a car pooling app to tutoring to dress designing to investing.
Above: ANSH SIKKA is creating an app called CarCrew to help teens and their families keep track of carpooling schedules.
“This event is the first chance for our students to present themselves to the community and market for their first customers,” said Brianna Belgio, Events Manager for the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Belgio coordinated experienced entrepreneurs and speakers from the local business community to address students in the program all year.
Noah’s Event Venue is located at 119 Shuman Blvd., off the corporate corridor.
