Make it 'Appen Pitch Presentation: Student stands in front of judges dressed in business casual wear. An audience watches them.

Business and Technology Intersect at YouthBiz Make it Appen Camp

Janet Redwine Classes + Camps, YouthBiz Leave a Comment

There’s no shortage of technology summer camps for kids in the Denver metro area, but one camp stands out among the plethora of options: YouthBiz Make it ‘Appen Summer Camp at Young Americans Center. In this week-long day camp, youth code their own app, plus they use this app as the basis for a business plan! The idea behind the camp …

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Meet a Mentor: Leroy Williams, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CyberTeKIQ LLC

Janet Redwine Events, Get Involved, YouthBiz Leave a Comment

This week, we invite you to meet the second of our three distinguished mentors hosting a youth entrepreneur in the Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition.  Leroy Williams is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CyberTeKIQ LLC, a management consulting company that helps businesses understand the technology landscape. Entrepreneurship has defined Williams for as long as he can remember.  As …

In Young AmeriTowne, students discover philanthropy by thinking about how they can share their time, talent and treasure. Today, we’re highlighting a proud partner of Young Americans Center for Financial Education that has shared time, talent and treasure with young learners for nearly three decades: Empower . Empower Retirement first became involved with Young Americans Center near the very start of the Young AmeriTowne program in 1991. Over the next 28 years, Empower sent thousands of low-income students to Young AmeriTowne or International Towne and taught thousands more the basics of financial education through Money Matters classes. This year, Young Americans Center is thrilled to have Empower as a supporter at the 2019 Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition and gala fundraiser. The driving force behind Empower’s community impact is a focus on ACT: associates, community, together. According to the Empower website , “Our ACT Program is designed to amplify the commitment of each associate through matching their donations, funding volunteer time and supporting collaborative philanthropy.” EMPOWER VOLUNTEER “SUPER HEROES” HELPED PREPARE YOUNG AMERITOWNE FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR, INCLUDING YOUNG AMERICANS CENTER BOARD MEMBER STEPHANIE BENDRICK. This focus has enabled Empower to have a direct impact on youth through volunteer time in programs. In 2018 alone, 24 Empower volunteers donated 127 hours by serving as business consultants in Young AmeriTowne or International Towne, preparing the physical Towne spaces for the start of a new school year, and providing feedback as part of a YouthBiz StartUp pitch competition judging panel. Leading this volunteer effort is Stephanie Bendrick, Vice President, Transformation and Innovation at Empower and Member of the Young Americans Center Board of Directors. In particular, Ms. Bendrick’s leadership on the Board has helped guide technology upgrades throughout the organization and has helped determine the strategic direction of Young Americans Center as a whole. For Ms. Bendrick, “Serving on the Board is a way to provide the next generation with knowledge to budget, save and obtain a secure financial future.” The impact of Empower is extraordinary. Since 1991, 471,318 youth have participated in Young AmeriTowne where they gained a hands-on lesson in free enterprise that prepared them for life-long financial success. Thank you Empower for your continued commitment to today’s young learners!

Sponsor Spotlight: Empower shares time, talent, and treasure with young learners

Janet Redwine Get Involved, International Towne, Young AmeriTowne Leave a Comment

In Young AmeriTowne, students discover philanthropy by thinking about how they can share their time, talent and treasure. Today, we’re highlighting a proud partner of Young Americans Center for Financial Education that has shared time, talent and treasure with young learners for nearly three decades: Empower. Empower Retirement first became involved with Young Americans Center near the very start of the …

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Meet a Mentor: Ryan Beiser, Regional President and Head of Corporate Banking, PNC Bank

Janet Redwine Events, Get Involved, YouthBiz 1 Comment

Every year, the Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition pairs three Denver-area business leaders with three up-and-coming youth entrepreneurs.  The first mentor we are highlighting for this year’s 18th annual competition is Ryan Beiser, PNC regional president and head of Corporate Banking for Colorado. Beiser’s extensive background in business and finance and most importantly, his personal commitment to community engagement and …

Jack Fleming is the 18-year-old owner of a lawn care business called Yard Boyz. Due to his dedication and vision, the business has steadily grown over the last five years, and in 2018 Jack made $25,000 in profit! Jack’s goals for this summer include staying on top of his administrative work and expanding his business. He is a finalist in the 2019 Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition. Watch Jack pitch his business on Colorado & Company, and learn more about him and his business below. Question: Tell me a little bit about you – name, age, how long you’ve been an entrepreneur? Answer: My name is Jack Fleming and I am a recent high school graduate. I started Yard Boyz 5 years ago. Q: What motivated or inspired you to start a business? A: I was motivated to start Yard Boyz because I wanted to have money of my own. I enjoyed cutting lawns, and I thought it was a simple way to make a little extra money. Q: Please share an overview of your business. A: Yard Boyz is a general landscaping service that specializes in weekly lawn mowing. We also do small- to medium-sized landscaping projects in the Centennial area. Q: Do you have a website or place for people to contact you/buy products?If so, what is it? A: I currently do not have a website. Q: Tell us about some of the challenges you face being a young business owner. A: One of the top challenges about running my business is making sure that I keep all the little details straight with regard to scheduling, payroll, employee scheduling, billing, and equipment. Q: What’s the best part about having your own business? A: My favorite part about having my own business is learning what it truly takes to be an adult and have a job. Some of my friend’s experiences cannot compare to the things I have had to do and the responsibilities I have had to manage. Q: Would you encourage other young people to start a business? Why or why not? A: Of course. I personally believe that almost all students in high school should have businesses if they want one. It teaches them so many valuable skills. Q: What is your involvement with Young Americans Center for Financial Education? A: I applied to their YourthBiz business competition and have been named a finalist for the past two years. Also, when I was younger, I participated in AmeriTowne as an Accountant at the Utility Center. Q: I hear that congratulations are in order—you’re a finalist in this year’s Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition! Tell us about this award and how it could help your business improve. A: This award seeks to help small businesses improve from ages 6-21. I am grateful to be named a finalist, and I plan to use the money awarded to help replace some worn out equipment that I have been using.

Monthly Entrepreneur: Jack Fleming, owner of Yard Boyz

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Jack Fleming is the 18-year-old owner of a lawn care business called Yard Boyz.  Due to his dedication and vision, the business has steadily grown over the last five years, and in 2018 Jack made $25,000 in profit! Jack’s goals for this summer include staying on top of his administrative work and expanding his business. He is a finalist in the 2019 Spotlight …

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Meeting the Stars: Young Americans Center names top Colorado youth businesses

Janet Redwine Events, YouthBiz 2 Comments

Youth business owners, family members, and fans gathered at Young Americans Center for Financial Education on Tuesday for the Meet the Stars event, which recognized the 46 applicants to this year’s Spotlight on YouthBiz Stars business competition.  The room was filled with both inspiration and anticipation! During the event, Anna Leer, Vice President of YouthBiz, and Rich Martinez, President and …

YouthBiz Holiday Marketplace 2019

2019 YouthBiz Holiday Marketplace – Cherry Creek

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Come shop with us! The YouthBiz Marketplace is the ultimate buy local experience! Young business owners display and sell their unique products to the local community.  All products are handmade and personally sold by the owners. You will find beaded jewelry, greeting cards, bath products, home baked goodies, artwork, and more–unique gifts for everyone on your shopping list!

Sharp and Ready: YouthBiz StartUp at Porter Billups Leadership Academy

Sharp and Ready: YouthBiz StartUp at Porter Billups Leadership Academy

Janet Redwine YouthBiz Leave a Comment

For three consecutive weeks this the summer, fourth- through eleventh-graders gathered at Regis University for the Porter Billups Leadership Academy.  These students have a chance to do something many of their peers deem impossible: graduate from high school and attend college.  And for the first time since this program was established in 1996, YouthBiz was an important part of their …

YouthBiz Workshops focus on the skills young entrepreneurs need to develop their businesses. We offer classes throughout the school year, September through April, on topics such as drafting a business plan, advertising your business, and creating market-ready products to inspire your next business idea. Plus, many workshops are free!

Sponsor Spotlight: Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation empowers youth

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YouthBiz is expanding, bringing hands-on entrepreneurial programs to youth throughout the Denver metro area. Fueling this expansion is support from the Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation, which focuses on transforming lives in profoundly positive ways through grants focused on health, youth and family, and animal welfare. Before 2015, YouthBiz’s powerful, hands-on entrepreneurial education was available only to students in Denver’s …

Campers in Running Your Own Business camp enjoyed an extra treat on their final day of camp last Friday: a visit from 106.7 The Bull’s Chelsea Thomas! Running Your Own Business summer camp teaches the basics of business to third and fourth grade students. Campers learn about marketing and pricing, they learn how to create a business budget, they manufacture products, and they develop a business name and slogan. At the end of the week, campers sell their products in a Mini-Marketplace that’s open to family, friends, and special guests like DJ Chelsea. Owning your own business, even if it’s just for a week, teaches a lot. Cadence, Grace, and Zoe teamed up for “Me, Myself, and I Designs”, and because they didn’t know each other before camp began, they had to learn to work as a team. “That was one of the hardest parts,” said Grace. Cadence chimed in, “But when we finally learned how to work together, it worked really well!” Across the room at a business called “MIP,” co-owner Carson attributed their business success to using product labels. Each product had a description and price, which Carson thought helped customers know what they could buy. “I think it was a really good idea,” he said. CHELSEA PURCHASED PRODUCTS FROM SUMMER CAMP BUSINESSES. DJ Chelsea stopped by the Mini-Marketplace to shop and to see the campers in action. She was impressed with their business savvy, particularly their marketing skills which definitely have a real-world application. “You can tell these kids have learned a lot,” said Chelsea. “I ended up buying two friendship bracelets instead of one because they convinced me that it was such a good deal!” iHeart Media is the parent company behind 106.7 The Bull, which joined Young Americans Center for Financial Education as a proud partner in 2018. This partnership aligns with iHeart’s broader goal to “inform, inspire and support neighborhoods across the U.S.” By supporting hands-on financial education programs like Running Your Own Business summer camp and Young AmeriTowne, where students can have a career for a day in the iHeart Media Radio Station, iHeart Media is helping to educate a generation of young people about how to successfully navigate their finances. And in the words of camper Claire, “You can learn about finance in a really fun way!”

Sponsor Spotlight: iHeart Media provides hands-on, real world experiences

Janet Redwine Classes + Camps, Get Involved Leave a Comment

Campers in Running Your Own Business camp enjoyed an extra treat on their final day of camp last Friday: a visit from 106.7 The Bull’s Chelsea Thomas! Running Your Own Business summer camp teaches the basics of business to third and fourth grade students. Campers learn about marketing and pricing, they learn how to create a business budget, they manufacture products, …