I just wanted to thank all of those who are supporting BUILD in this challenge. We have seen amazing results and want very badly to spread our program to many more young people...
Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, Esq.
CEO and Founder, BUILD
This is a brilliant idea you have created. I was just wondering how your students sustains the businesses to which they start. In Kenya, YAFNet has a similar initiative of manufacturing and selling Aloe Vera Soaps and lotions as well as peanut butter. How do you sustain the students initiative?
Ken Auma
Executive Director
Youth Action Forum for Networking -YAFNet
Nairobi, KENYA
http://www.yafnetkenya.org
http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/auma
+254721559424
Thank you so much for your comment. BUILD is a four-year program, and we focus on starting and running businesses in the first two years, with the major emphasis on sustaining the business in the second year. Student teams meet with their mentors weekly, with specific tasks/curriculum focused on securing seed funding, managing inventory, manufacturing and production, and sales and marketing. During the third year of the program, most businesses wind down, as students' focus shifts more toward academics and applying to college.
Although the main focus of our program is college access (we use entrepreneurship as the motivator to get students interested in academics and pursuing higher education), we have had several businesses survive their founders' tenure at BUILD. In one example, the business was sold and is now managed by a BUILD alumna. In another example, one of the founding members took over the business as a sole proprietor, and has maintained it on her own throughout her college career.
I hope this answers your question. Please let me know if there is any other information I can provide for you.
I love what you all are accomplishing through BUILD. Keep up the great work. I'm curious to know if you utilize a methodology for helping the kids to decide the business they will develop. Is their business synergisitc with their interests, skill set, and personal vision of how they wish to impact or contribute to society? I ask these questions because we believe and teach that by creating such a synergy we are able to maximize the success and effectiveness of the student.
I would love to hear your thoughts. You can learn more about our work by checking out the Purpose Bound entry.
Reggie and Barbara, we have an online assessment tool for them to begin being matched with a business model, if they are suited for self-employment. We also serve youth online and in general career work regardless if whether they can read in either English or Spanish. I like what Reggie says here about matching them with their true interests--we do that as well but maybe from a different angle. Joan Sanger, sanger@golden.net
Reggie and Barbara, we have an online assessemnt tool for them to begin being matched with a business model, if they are suited for self-employment. We also serve youth online and in general career work regardless if whether they can read in either English or Spanish. I like what Reggie says here about matching them with their true interests--we do that as well but maybe from a different angle. Joan Sanger, sanger@golden.net
Hello Barbara, Its great to see your entry in the competition! You have set yourself a very big goal of having 100% of your student gain access to high education and congratulations on meeting that goal! As someone who was lucky enough to have family who helped me prepare for college, I know how important it is to have a "college counselor." That is a very important role that BUILD is providing. Keep up the great work!
Dear Barbara -- I realize academic excellence and achievement is the ultimate goal of your program, but I'm curious to learn more about the type of businesses young people create through your program; are they creating businesses around retail, service delivery, information-technology/ecommerce, etc.? And what happens to the businesses when your student-entrepreneurs graduate and leave for college? Thanks,
Thanks for your comment. BUILD students create whatever type of business they want to. We've had teams sell everything from t-shirts and hats, to baby clothing, to iPod cases, to music, to personal style services, to party planning, and everything in between!
While we have had one or two businesses continue on into college, the vast majority are wound down and disbanded during students' senior year.
I just wanted to thank all of those who are supporting BUILD in this challenge. We have seen amazing results and want very badly to spread our program to many more young people...
Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, Esq.
CEO and Founder, BUILD
Hello Babara,
This is a brilliant idea you have created. I was just wondering how your students sustains the businesses to which they start. In Kenya, YAFNet has a similar initiative of manufacturing and selling Aloe Vera Soaps and lotions as well as peanut butter. How do you sustain the students initiative?
Ken Auma
Executive Director
Youth Action Forum for Networking -YAFNet
Nairobi, KENYA
http://www.yafnetkenya.org
http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/auma
+254721559424
YAFNET, We Simplify Networking,
Dear Ken,
Thank you so much for your comment. BUILD is a four-year program, and we focus on starting and running businesses in the first two years, with the major emphasis on sustaining the business in the second year. Student teams meet with their mentors weekly, with specific tasks/curriculum focused on securing seed funding, managing inventory, manufacturing and production, and sales and marketing. During the third year of the program, most businesses wind down, as students' focus shifts more toward academics and applying to college.
Although the main focus of our program is college access (we use entrepreneurship as the motivator to get students interested in academics and pursuing higher education), we have had several businesses survive their founders' tenure at BUILD. In one example, the business was sold and is now managed by a BUILD alumna. In another example, one of the founding members took over the business as a sole proprietor, and has maintained it on her own throughout her college career.
I hope this answers your question. Please let me know if there is any other information I can provide for you.
Thanks again for getting in touch,
Barbara
Hello Barbara,
I love what you all are accomplishing through BUILD. Keep up the great work. I'm curious to know if you utilize a methodology for helping the kids to decide the business they will develop. Is their business synergisitc with their interests, skill set, and personal vision of how they wish to impact or contribute to society? I ask these questions because we believe and teach that by creating such a synergy we are able to maximize the success and effectiveness of the student.
I would love to hear your thoughts. You can learn more about our work by checking out the Purpose Bound entry.
Reggie Kellum
Purpose Bound
Reggie and Barbara, we have an online assessment tool for them to begin being matched with a business model, if they are suited for self-employment. We also serve youth online and in general career work regardless if whether they can read in either English or Spanish. I like what Reggie says here about matching them with their true interests--we do that as well but maybe from a different angle. Joan Sanger, sanger@golden.net
Reggie and Barbara, we have an online assessemnt tool for them to begin being matched with a business model, if they are suited for self-employment. We also serve youth online and in general career work regardless if whether they can read in either English or Spanish. I like what Reggie says here about matching them with their true interests--we do that as well but maybe from a different angle. Joan Sanger, sanger@golden.net
Hello Barbara, Its great to see your entry in the competition! You have set yourself a very big goal of having 100% of your student gain access to high education and congratulations on meeting that goal! As someone who was lucky enough to have family who helped me prepare for college, I know how important it is to have a "college counselor." That is a very important role that BUILD is providing. Keep up the great work!
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
How can I view your YouTube video?
Dear Barbara -- I realize academic excellence and achievement is the ultimate goal of your program, but I'm curious to learn more about the type of businesses young people create through your program; are they creating businesses around retail, service delivery, information-technology/ecommerce, etc.? And what happens to the businesses when your student-entrepreneurs graduate and leave for college? Thanks,
Tito Llantada
Changemakers.net
Competition Manager
Thanks for your comment. BUILD students create whatever type of business they want to. We've had teams sell everything from t-shirts and hats, to baby clothing, to iPod cases, to music, to personal style services, to party planning, and everything in between!
While we have had one or two businesses continue on into college, the vast majority are wound down and disbanded during students' senior year.