I titled this most recent post "The Advantage of Youth" because I think it's better to look at the bright side of being young rather than the constraints that come with it. In the world of entrepreneurial ventures I think youth hinders more than it helps, but there are resources being put in place that tip the scale in favor of youth being advantageous. The only reason I believe youth can be a constraint is because being young might not give you the credibility of an older counterpart attempting to start the same venture. Youth comes with the notion of inexperience, which in some cases is often just. However youth does not have to determine whether you are succesful or not. I believe preparation and comprehension of your field are the two of the biggest factors in entrepreneurial success and neither of these factors are limited by age. One may have the appearance of being young, but there is no reason that individual cannot prosper with their venture any less than their more aged counterpart.
Growing entrepreneurial programs in the United States have been confirming this message, and this is why I say that youth is now an advantageous trait. Many universities across the US and even internationally are putting more focus on entrepreneurial programs. My college, The University of Maryland, has a variety of different centers to help guide young visionaries through their pursuits. I actually take part in one of these programs known as the EnTERPreneurship Academy (put on by the Dingman Center in the R. H. Smith School of Businesss) and I am very lucky to have the weekly workshops and guidance to help lead me through the process step by step. This is not to say that these programs do the students work for them, but the programs put a lot of effort in and want to see the entrepreneur succeed as much as he/she wants to succeed.
Although the Academy is unique to the University of Maryland, it is in no way he only school to offer such support. Schools across the nation have started or are trying to start programs such as the one the Dingman Center is able to make available. Schools are not the only ones supporting the growing emergence of student entrepreneurship. Certain government agencies have historically supported business ventures from the younger population. Even the private sector offers scholarships and grants to youth who want to pursue their new ideas.
It is for this reason that I am pretty confident in saying that there has been no better time to be a student entrepreneur. I will never again have as many resources available to me than as I do now. I will never have as few personal constraints than I do now as a college student.
Just one more example to support my opinion is a contest that is being put on by one of my workshop leaders named Glen Hellman in the EnTERPreneurship Academy at UMD and by The Microsoft Corporation. The contest is based off a brief two minute video explaining your business and how technology supports your business. At stake is opportunity to receive one of four top-of-the-line PCs to help grow your business. It is rare you find opportunities like this without the support of these new programs. Needless to say I had a conversation with my webcam and tried to take advantage of the situation. If you would like to learn more about the contest I inserted the link below. If you would like to see me rush through my reasons for needing a new PC for Father Nature, I've inserted the video below as well.
Enjoy the video and truly- if you are young and have an idea for the next big venture, or even your own microbusiness, the worst thing you can do is not take action. There has never been a better time to take action.
Chris DeVore
Because Mother Nature can be a pain..
http://drivenforward.com/blog/driven-forward-microsofts-windows-7-professional-young-entrepreneurs-contest
Growing entrepreneurial programs in the United States have been confirming this message, and this is why I say that youth is now an advantageous trait. Many universities across the US and even internationally are putting more focus on entrepreneurial programs. My college, The University of Maryland, has a variety of different centers to help guide young visionaries through their pursuits. I actually take part in one of these programs known as the EnTERPreneurship Academy (put on by the Dingman Center in the R. H. Smith School of Businesss) and I am very lucky to have the weekly workshops and guidance to help lead me through the process step by step. This is not to say that these programs do the students work for them, but the programs put a lot of effort in and want to see the entrepreneur succeed as much as he/she wants to succeed.
Although the Academy is unique to the University of Maryland, it is in no way he only school to offer such support. Schools across the nation have started or are trying to start programs such as the one the Dingman Center is able to make available. Schools are not the only ones supporting the growing emergence of student entrepreneurship. Certain government agencies have historically supported business ventures from the younger population. Even the private sector offers scholarships and grants to youth who want to pursue their new ideas.
It is for this reason that I am pretty confident in saying that there has been no better time to be a student entrepreneur. I will never again have as many resources available to me than as I do now. I will never have as few personal constraints than I do now as a college student.
Just one more example to support my opinion is a contest that is being put on by one of my workshop leaders named Glen Hellman in the EnTERPreneurship Academy at UMD and by The Microsoft Corporation. The contest is based off a brief two minute video explaining your business and how technology supports your business. At stake is opportunity to receive one of four top-of-the-line PCs to help grow your business. It is rare you find opportunities like this without the support of these new programs. Needless to say I had a conversation with my webcam and tried to take advantage of the situation. If you would like to learn more about the contest I inserted the link below. If you would like to see me rush through my reasons for needing a new PC for Father Nature, I've inserted the video below as well.
Enjoy the video and truly- if you are young and have an idea for the next big venture, or even your own microbusiness, the worst thing you can do is not take action. There has never been a better time to take action.
Chris DeVore
Because Mother Nature can be a pain..
http://drivenforward.com/blog/driven-forward-microsofts-windows-7-professional-young-entrepreneurs-contest
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