The Importance of Youth Entrepreneurship

 

 

It seems that we have forgotten that children are our future. Whitney Houston references aside, it’s true. We clothe, feed, and nurture today’s youth, but those are the basics. There are a few things that many are missing out on, and entrepreneurial education is one of them.

Over the past thirty years, school districts have significantly reduced or completely eliminated programs that inspire and nurture kids’ creative and entrepreneurial tendencies. When was the last time you heard about an art or home economics class being offered at a public high school? Even worse is that the next generation is increasingly being pushed to attend college, despite the increasing cost, and the fact that post-secondary education may not accommodate their professional aspirations and ambitions. The students who want to develop an app or a custom car stereo business are stuck with amazing ideas that they can’t use because the curriculum that could teach them the basics of entrepreneurship just don’t fit schools’ constrained budgets.

This country runs on entrepreneurship. Each year, more than a million Americans roll up quit their 9-5 jobs, roll up their sleeves, and launch small businesses. Our economy depends on the success of small businesses, but it is leaving a significant demographic of aspiring entrepreneurs behind: kids.

Some of the greatest businesses to ever enter the marketplace have been helmed by kids. Ever heard of a little sandwich shop by the name of Subway? A high school student started the ever-popular sandwich chain in 1965. And some of the most influential small businesses being created by kids who have yet to hit puberty. Bee Sweet Lemonade is a Austin-based, multi-million-dollar company founded by seven year-old Mikaila Ulmer in 2011.

It’s never too early to teach entrepreneurship, or to encourage ideas. Kids are entrepreneurial by nature, and they’re not just interested in having neighborhood lemonade stands. They’re developing some of the most innovative and impactful businesses in recent memory, and it’s up to the adults in their lives, be it their parents, educators, or people who want to invest in the next generation to ensure that they achieve their goals no matter their age.

To the teens who may be reading this, we want you to know that your friends at BiGAUSTIN here for you. We know that you have business ideas, and that you want to see them grow. We can help. We’ve developed a curriculum that will teach how to start and manage a successful business, and how to find the investors and capital you need to get it going.

We offer  free youth entrepreneurship programs for high school students throughout the year. If you’ll bring your business ideas and willingness to work hard, we’ll provide you with the tools you need to make your small business dreams a reality. For more information, please visit the BiGAUSTIN website by clicking here, or give us a call at 512-928-8010.

BiGAUSTIN Events – August 2015

BiGAUSTIN provides comprehensive workshops that will help entrepreneurs build healthy, thriving small businesses across Central Texas. Please review the list of our August courses below, and check back regularly, as the list will grow daily. If you have any questions, please call us at 512-928-8010.

MBA of Personal & Business Finance

August 5, 2015 // 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

It’s easy for both new and established small business owners to become overwhelmed with maintaining the financial health of their businesses as well as their personal finances. This three-part series will teach small business owners how to find balance and move forward successfully.

Register here: http://bit.ly/1II09iV

Business Law Basics

August 7, 2015 // 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

This class is taught by licensed attorneys who understand the complex legal issues small business owners face. If you own a small business and don’t have a strong grasp of what your rights and responsibilities are as a small business owner, then this class is for you.

Register here: http://bit.ly/1SX6B72

Borrowing Basics

August 11, 2015 // 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

Getting a business started means raising capital to get your dream off of the ground. Borrowing Basics will help you make the right moves when looking to finance your small business.

Register here: http://bit.ly/1II0i5X

Client of the Month: Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More

 

We are excited to announce our Client of the Month is Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More!  Dwight Miles opened their doors three years ago on August 9, 2011 and since then has continued to grow and add more services.  Not only do they have a hip and trendy store, they make sure they are having fun while providing outstanding customer service.  They offer 24 hour turnaround on in-stock items, volume discounts, free design and setup, and unlimited colors!  Seriously, how can you beat FREE design and setup?  If you are anything like me, designing a t-shirt does not come easily!

Owner Dwight Miles found out about BiGAUSTIN from a friend of the family and after over 20 years working in the corporate world he decided to make the jump into entrepreneurship.  Dwight contacted us and came to BiGAUSTIN for technical assistance classes where we worked one-on-one with him to create a business plan that incorporated his experience in retail and large corporations like General Mills and Kraft.  Coming from these wildly successful corporations, Dwight knew he had the experience and knowledge to create a plan that would be prosperous.  It was the HOW that he wasn’t quite sure about.  That’s where BiGAUSTIN came in.

After creating a business plan with our talented experts, Dwight applied and was given a loan to open the doors to a new future.  He said it was difficult at first because you are so used to spending other people’s money in the corporate world and now you are spending your own.  This has been a challenge for him but, he said they have fun and are continuing to grow and learn as they go.

Dwight says, “I cam across BiGAUSTIN at the right time.  Being a small business owner is challenging to say the least.  One of the greatest challenges you will face is gearing up for growth.  BiGAUSTIN has incredible resources that have helped me to take my growth curve to a whole new level.”

He sure has reached a whole new level!  Sales are up, customers are pouring in, and the orders are coming in faster than they can blink their eyes!  Being busy at work can sometimes be a stressful time but, Dwight seems content with their progress and expects them to only become more busy.  Maybe he’ll open up a second location…?  You just never know with these entrepreneurs, they get an idea and off they go to take on a new adventure.  Wherever the future may lead them, there will be tons of fun and awesome t-shirts involved!

Here at BiGAUSTIN we are excited to see Dwight succeed and hope that he’ll give us a good discount on some one of a kind t-shirts (haha, just kidding!)  But seriously, we are so delighted with their success.  When our clients are successful, so are we!  So, if you ever need a t-shirt made for your volleyball league, your kids soccer team, or for that 5K you’ve been training for, give Dwight a call over at Big Frog and he’ll hook you up with some great deals and styles.

Congratulations Dwight and Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More!

Check Them Out on Yelp!

Big Frog Website

Shop!

Social Media for Nonprofits

Nonprofits notoriously don’t have any money to put towards their social media marketing strategies.  Recently I attended a Social Media for Nonprofits conference specifically talking about how to maximize your social media without breaking the bank.  Everyone knows that to survive on Facebook you have to pay to play, now it’s increasingly more difficult to get your posts seen and business noticed.  Facebook does let you do some pretty cool stuff though, for free even!  For example, you can import all your contacts into their Invite Email Contacts page and they will invite your contacts to Like your business page.  This is a really easy way to get existing people who support your cause to Like your page.  If you already have a relationship with them, they are more likely to Like your page however, if you never ask they won’t do it.  

One thing that has been difficult for me is ASKING.  There is tons of research out there that show the power of asking, if you never ask someone to do something how will they know to do it?  It can be hard at times to ask, you don’t want to come off too strong pushing someone to do what you want.  We have all been in that position where you have a pushy salesperson who just won’t let you shop in peace!  Don’t be that person!!  

It’s easy to step over that line between someone who is posting about their products and services all the time and someone who genuinely takes the time to come up with interesting, educational information.  We can only read so much about your sale for last minute Mary Kay items or what dodgy venue you’re band is playing at on Friday night.  After about the third post in three hours you will soon be unsubscribed to or simply unfriended.  Being unfriended is like the END of your Facebook reputation and all is lost after that.  But, what if there was a way to promote your products or services without being overly annoying and bombarding people?

Fortunately, there is!  Have you heard of the 80/20 rule?  80% of posts should be educational, informative, and engaging content that people can actually relate to.  20% of posts should be related to your products, services, and how you can solve a problem for them.  This way you can tell people about what you’re doing while keeping them reading and engaged on your page.  This is obviously not meant to be an exact science calculated down to the percentage of posts you should make one way or the other but, it is meant to be a rough guide to keep yourself in check and your readers still reading.  

Just by making sure you are writing relevant content and posting about stuff your readers would be interested can go a long way.  Maybe you only have $20 a month to spend on Facebook Ads, that’s totally fine.  Keep your budget in mind and utilize some of the free advertising methods that Facebook offers (if you aren’t using hashtags it’s time to start.)  Also, remember that everyone struggles to come up with interesting, unique content.  You are not alone on that one!

What challenges does your nonprofit face in regards to social media?

Is There a “Right Path”?

As Panera Bread founder Ron Shaich gave the commencement speech to the class of 2014 at Clark University he talked to students about the path he chose and how it wasn’t necessarily the “right path”.  

He asks the graduating class, “What really matters in creating a successful career and a successful life?”  If you were asked this question by a coworker, friend, or family member right now, do you know what you would say?  

Ron Shaich goes on to tell three different stories about learning how to define what truly matters to reach your goals of success.  If you are able to define what it means to be successful and what that looks like, you have increased your odds for success.  We don’t always know where we are going or what will be on the other side of that hill but, if we know what our passion is then no matter what path we take, it’ll be right.  Read his entire speech Here.

So, how exactly do you figure out what brings you joy and ignites your passion?  Look around you, look to the people whom you love, look inside yourself and quietly listen to your heart beat.  Listen to your soul and your passion will come.  Don’t ask yourself, “What am I good at” instead, ask yourself what gets me fired up, what makes me feel better about myself, and how can I make a difference in the world? 

Mr. Shaich suggests that instead of doing a post-mortem near the end of life where we analyze our decisions and try to make sense of the choices we’ve made, do a pre-mortem.  This is where we look into the future and imagine ourselves looking back on our lives, evaluating our decisions and what was most important to us.  In most cases, it won’t be money or objects.  

Ask yourself today, what can I do to be successful in life (personal and professional)?  I suspect you are already on the way there, more so than you would think.  

You Have Failed Only If You Stop Trying

Starting a business is never an easy task and it definitely doesn’t come without sacrifices.  But, how can you start a small business AND minimize those sacrifices?  No one wants to risk their entire life savings or withdraw from their 401(K) early.  

In this video Robert talks about his Rich Dad and Poor Dad and how they both have completely different ways of thinking about money.  His Rich Dad believes that you should build a business and work for yourself.  He asks, “Why work hard all your life for something that you’ll never own and that you could get fired from in an instant?”  On the other hand, his Poor Dad believes that you should work hard for one company and establish job security through good work ethics and loyalty.  

Robert also talks about a “change in values” as people make the leap from employee to business owner or investor.  I think that this is a very important point as it really speaks to how it is difficult to go from being an employee to owning a business.  The point is simple and clear, why should you work hard all your life just to earn money in a company where you could possibly lose your job at any minute.  If you are going to put all the blood, sweat, and tears into your work, why not own it?  

The point here is this: there’s never a wrong time to make this transition from employee to business owner.  But, there are steps that you can take to make this transition easier.  First, look in your area and see if there are any resources to help you get started.  This could be a local nonprofit who helps people get off the ground (like BiGAUSTIN) or it could be an all day seminar related to writing a business plan.  Second, figure out what your goals are as a business owner and a time frame with which you hope to meet these goals.  Make sure that they are attainable and realistic in regards to the type of business you will be starting.  Third, network.  Get out there, talk to people, get your name heard.  

Never let the success or failure of others impact your goals and where you want to be.  You are your own person and your path is different from everyone else.  Just remember, you have failed only if you stop trying.  

Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop: Client Feature of July

Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop gets awesome reviews and no one can deny that a good cupcake can make any day better.  On Yelp and Google these talented cupcake aficionados get 4.5 stars out of 5 with over 800 reviews, now that’s a pretty good success rate if you ask me.  Their store is located in the trendy South 1st area of Austin, TX where hip restaurants and food trucks have been sprouting up over the years.  Not only do they bake delicious cupcakes but, they do cakes AND weddings!

As you walk into this hip, trendy little bakeshop be prepared to be filled with the smells of caramel, sugar, and chocolate.  The black and white tiled floor mixed with the colorful walls makes the small bakeshop feel open and airy. This place has the feel of Grandma’s kitchen, warm, loving, and always ready to serve up something sweet.  They have such a wide variety of cupcakes to choose from it’s hard to choose just one!  Of course, keeping with the health foodie theme of Austin, Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop uses only the highest quality ingredients including no preservatives, locally sourced cage-free eggs, no mixes, and definitely, no shortcuts. Olivia and Steve O’Neal take their cupcakes very seriously (but not too seriously) and are committed to providing some of the freshest and most delicious tasting deserts in the area.

Everyday they have new specials that even include a couple vegan options.  Their everyday flavors range from the Southern Belle to the Blackberry Lemonade.  The Blackberry Lemonade is a, “Buttery vanilla cupcake swirled with blackberries, filled with tart lemon curd and topped with creamy blackberry swirled cream cheese frosting (Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop Website).”  In addition to cakes and cupcakes they also offer a variety of pies, breakfast pastries, cookies, and bars.  Even though they are known for their cupcakes, these delicious extras can’t be missed!  Don’t forget to try a mouthwatering Triple Berry Pie or a Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Bar as a side to your Marilyn Monroe cupcake!

BiGAUSTIN is proud to have been a part of the growth of Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop and is extremely confident that they will only continue to succeed!  We want to thank Sugar Mama’s for choosing BiGAUSTIN to help them expand their business and hope that when we come in next time we can get a discount (no, just kidding!)

 

Getting To Know BiGAUSTIN

Many people don’t know what BiGAUSTIN is all about.  In fact, many people don’t even know we exist.  I want to take you beyond the website and beyond Facebook to see who we really are.  As a nonprofit we are always short on staff, short on coffee, and short on time.  But, this doesn’t deter the some 15 people who wake up every morning and make that commute to BiGAUSTIN.

WHAT WE DO

We work to help low-moderate income entrepreneurs receive education and training on how to start and sustain a new or existing business.  Also, we offer lending assistance so if you need help learning how to get a loan or help with the actual application process, we are there for you.  Not only will you receive end-to-end business solutions but, we can help you write your business plan and learn all the ins and outs of getting started.

THE PEOPLE (WELL, SOME OF THEM)

BiGAUSTIN has a very diverse staff.  If we aren’t clowning around the office we are out in the community working to let people know that you CAN turn your dream of owning your own business into a reality.

Not only is our Executive Director, Stacy Dukes-Rhone, highly experienced but, she has served in a number of volunteer and leadership capacities.  In addition, she has been our Executive Director for over four years and has secured numerous grants to keep this place running and serving the community.

Karen Diggs is our Loan Manager and when she’s not changing outfits she’s working with community members to help them through the loan process and understand how their credit works.  Karen’s office is decked out in everything frog that you can imagine and isn’t afraid to show her love for those crazy, green creatures.

Stephanie just joined us four short weeks ago and can be heard throughout the office laughing and thinking out loud.  Not only is she a social media guru, she has great insight and really knows her stuff.

Melissa is our Training & Compliance Manager but she’s also our full time IT Specialist helping us with everything from hooking up monitors to re-coding the website.

Something unique about BiGAUSTIN is that we employ several AmeriCorps VISTA members (Volunteers in Service to America).  VISTA’s only get paid what the federal government estimates to be the poverty level for that particular area, making a year long assignment on food stamps and bus passes quite challenging.  But, as you may have guessed, it’s a pretty rewarding experience knowing that you are part of something that is working to make a difference in the community.

What is your work culture like?  Comment below and let us know what a normal day is like at your office or wherever you work!