This summer, teens in Plano are staying active by exploring the many facets of starting a business. Twenty-one local high school students participated in the Youth Entrepreneurship Academy, organized by the Plano Public Library in collaboration with SCORE Dallas business mentors. SCORE, a resource partner of the US Small Business Administration, supported the program.
The program, created by Julie Newport, owner of Wild Bill’s Western Wear in the West End and a certified SCORE Dallas business mentor, offered the youth valuable insights into various business components. These included generating unique business ideas, defining target markets, building teams, creating sales and marketing strategies, calculating costs and expenses and preparing pitches for potential investors.
After nine hours of instruction and teamwork, four teams presented their business concepts to a panel of community judges. Each team was supported by a SCORE Dallas business mentor and a librarian.
The winning team, comprising Harshal Vinod Goswami, Reya Kalamkar, Alejandro Moreno, Taim Salamor, and Natalya Yin, impressed the judges with their innovative idea for a pet health monitoring device. Prizes for the competition were generously provided by the Credit Union of Texas.
"It is astonishing what these kids can accomplish in such a short amount of time,” said Misty Hoyt, one of the community judges. “They come up with innovative business ideas, orchestrate a budget and marketing plan, hone a target market and confidently and creatively present to their peers and judges. What impresses me the most is how they encourage one another with grace and without judgment. It is such an exciting program for us to be a part of.”
Plano Public Library continues to support entrepreneurs with various resources. SCORE mentoring sessions are available on Thursday evenings at Schimelpfenig Library by appointment. Additionally, the library hosts monthly community education and networking meetings and offers ongoing programs aimed at fostering small business success.
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