If you are young + entrepreneurial and/or female + entrepreneurial, these are the headlines that are affecting how you build, grow, and sustain your businesses from around the world from a variety of publications.
Empact, in partnership with Startup America and others, is showcasing 100 “top entrepreneurs in the US age 30 and under with revenues over $100,000.”
The list they have gathered as of today, with a looming deadline of August 7th is impressive. Diamond engagement ring designer, office furniture distributor, and an Intern Queen to name just a few are among the 203 entrepreneurs that are under thirty who have applied.
While the list is impressive, it’s also very much male dominated with only 20% of ownership coming from women, which is why YFE is reminding you all that if you meet the criteria below, to please apply today.
The criteria for applying includes:
100% of the founders must be 30 years or younger as of October 1, 2012.
Business must have over $100,000 in revenue for 2011 or year-to-date in 2012.
Located in the United States.
Public companies are not eligible.
You will be in good company with the average age of applicants being 27. There is no application fee and if chosen for the top 100, you will be recognized at an event at the White House in September.
I know more of you should be on this list, so be sure to apply today. Come back to the YFE Facebook Page and share your link when its up so we can all put our votes in for you.
Happy Passover and Easter weekend to those of you who are observing the holidays! Heading into the weekend, take some time to read the following articles that are relevant to entrepreneurial women in their 20s and 30s and let YFE know what you think.
Last week a friend of YFE, The Young Entrepreneurs Council, launched it’s latest campaign #FixYoungAmerica, advocating for entrepreneurship as a solution for the un-employment, under-employment, and student loan debt problems that faces our youth today.
From policy ideas and educational programs, to private sector solutions and philanthropic activities, the #FixYoungAmerica initiative will provide politicians, educators, community leaders, executives, ordinary citizens and young people with best practices and tangible solutions — directly from the very leaders who have proven their effectiveness — that reveal how government, academia, nonprofits, the private sector and ordinary citizens we can ALL work together to spark an entrepreneurial revolution and rebuild the American dream for millions of young people.
The YEC has stated that the campaign’s goals include:
Put a copy of the book into the hands of every politician, college president and applicable leader in America;
Testify in a Congressional hearing about issues facing young entrepreneurs, and the solutions that can help them;
Set up a round-table meeting to discuss #FYA solutions with President Obama and other government leaders;
Rally support for our initiative and its goals from major U.S. corporations, celebrities and noteworthy entrepreneurs;
Gain traction in the mainstream media for the solutions presented in order to generate greater awareness for the campaign;
Raise enough funds to bring the campaign to the masses and deliver our message to decision makers across the United States;
Get hundreds of additional proven solutions from individuals and organizations not included in the book or campaign, to further our objective to #FixYoungAmerica.
Last week I shared a story on the YFE Facebook Page of a group of women who banded together to create a source of income for themselves that has grown from being a small group of seamstresses creating goods for their local town, into a cooperative amongst forty women that export their garments through partnerships between large brands like Anthropologie and Nicole Miller. There are hundreds of similar stories where women have joined together to lift themselves out of poverty, which has in turn given back to their community in countless ways.
While our personal stories may differ, if you are here reading this, chances are you have the desire to take control over your own financial well being, you have something you are passionate about, or you want to help others. We are all very much alike in that way.
The big picture solution to the problems that young Americans face today is that we work together. We continue to collaborate in growing our businesses while not only encouraging others that have an interest in entrepreneurship to get started, but also in working to make it easier for them than it was for us.
Collaboration is just half of the battle. There needs to be someone that is leading the march, inspiring us all to work harder, smarter, faster while looking out for our peers along the way. The YEC is that leader; they are organizing the cooperative that will help us all succeed.
For “an entrepreneurial revolution” that will “rebuild the American dream for millions of young people” to take place we need to all contribute. My question to you then is, what solution to #fixyoungamerica are you bringing to the table?
Show up tomorrow night (Thursday, March 15th) at 6p/9e at http://on.fb.me/yfetv for a YFE live stream with guest, Ryan Paugh, the Chief Of Staff and Community Director for the YEC. He will be live answering questions you contribute over Facebook. Stay informed and be active in what is being done in our community.
Make sure you stick around after Ryan to hear from two women that recently graduated from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and immediately founded their own company (get the scoop).
Former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model and role model to many young, female entrepreneurs, Kathy Ireland is gracing the cover of Forbes Magazine this month as an entrepreneur. Watch the video below to hear how she was able to grow her Kathy Ireland Worldwide empire and who she looks up to in business.
Beginning her career as supermodel, famous for her Sports Illustrated Swim Suit covers, Forbes asks if a woman who has been objectified in the media is still able to take her brand legacy and turn it into something that has longevity. Find out what kind of a business woman Kathy Ireland is and what her thoughts are on if beauty can hinder a career.
Fast forward to today, Kate Upton (2012 Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Cover) on the Today Show mentioned that she aspires to be Kathy Ireland and land on the cover of Forbes Magazine. Watch this video via Forbes to hear a YFE favorite, Forbes writer Meghan Casserly talk about how this nineteen-year-old could reach upper six figure status as an entrepreneur.
Kathy Ireland is a role model for young, female entrepreneurs in remaining focused and driven even while faced with rejection after rejection. The piece of advice she gives Upton is to “take the time to consider the big picture and what she wants to do so that she is making things happen, not just reacting to what is happening around her.” Advice for any YFE regardless of supermodel status or not. Read the entire story on Forbes.com.
Opening up my Entrepreneur Magazine and seeing a spread of young, female entrepreneur Erica Zidel of Sitting Around was incredibly exciting. If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, be sure to do so. Not only does Erica have an awesome article she is the feature in, but she is also gracing the December cover!
In the article, How to Bootstrap Your Business, Erica talks about the fine balance between working a full time job to fund your startup, building the business, and being a mom.
“A lot people think that to be a successful entrepreneur, you need to be sleeping on an air mattress and working on your business 80 to 90 hours a week,” she says. “But I think that definition of success is silly. I’m living proof that if you have a quality idea and you spend your time well and execute it well, you can wind up with something great.”
AMEN to that!Congrats to Erica on such a huge accomplishment. Keep up the good work!
Young people are becoming more resourceful as there are fewer opportunities to get hired, advance, or even change jobs. This article out of Jacksonville.com highlights stories of young entrepreneurs who are starting companies despite the poor economy, using their age as an advantage.
Read on for an array of examples in the article that illustrate what starting a company looks like when you are young…
Before you get the wrong idea, Kris Ruby, owner of Ruby Media Group did not go on the show to flaunt her millions and find a mate, but instead to school the matchmaker, Patti Stanger in the ways of Twitter. Patti Stanger is the star of the Bravo reality hit Millionaire Matchmaker. Watch her clip below!
I briefly met Kris Ruby while in DC in August and saw first hand that she keeps good company. Her welcoming persona translates well into the online world often going out of her way to encourage others and thank people.
Ruby Media Group (RMG) is a Social Media Marketing & Public Relations agency. RMG “socializes” businesses for Web 2.0 and helps companies adapt traditional marketing into social media platforms.
Looking at her site Ruby keeps busy with a full speaking lineup and press to match. How does she do it all? Why did she found her company? We will have to see if we can profile her soon. Stay tuned!
YFE profiled Krystal Harrell back in August and today we are seeing her as one of eight female entrepreneurs under the age of 25. Check out here highlight in the CNN Money article, 25 and under: Next-gen female entrepreneurs. A HUGE congrats goes out to Krystal and all of the women profiled!
Along with mentioning Krystal’s Create Exposure marketing firm, the author pointed out her work in Camel Milk, which she has partnered with another YFE, Sarah Jahangir in her new company, Wondermilk. Wondermilk is the first company to distribute camel milk in Pakistan.
Other young, female entrepreneurs that are highlighted include: Jessica Mah of inDinero and Jessica Scorpio of Getaround. Keep it up ladies!
The majority of the YFE Facebook newsfeed is filled with remembrance of Steve Jobs co-founder, chairman and former chief executive of Apple Inc. Despite some of his more ‘difficult’ qualities as some have said it tonight, he was a true American innovator and a source of inspiration for many of us. He helped create the tools we use in our businesses and penned many of the quotes we all have on our walls.
Here are two quotes from young, female entrepreneurs that YFE has profiled in the past. There are many, many more. What quotes, events, or characteristics of Jobs will you be keeping with you as you continue to build your business?
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” – Steve Jobs (RIP)
– posted by facebook.com/EntrepreneuressAcademy
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” -SJ
– posted by facebook.com/iammichellemoore
And of course, if you have some how gone without watching his 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech, do so immediately.
Entrepreneur Magazine and The Princeton Review announced their 2011 top 50 (top 25 undergraduate and top 25 graduate programs) schools for entrepreneurship. While my alma mater didn’t make the undergrad list, it did make the graduate list at number 16; congrats UW! Topping the list in the undergraduate category is the University of Houston, for the second year in a row. Making the top of the list for the third year is Babson College.
The criteria in which over 2,000 schools were judged against includes: “teaching strong entrepreneurship fundamentals in the classroom, staffing departments with instructors who are successful entrepreneurs”, “excellence in mentorship, and providing experiential or entrepreneurial opportunities outside of the classroom.”
“This ranking provides a unique look at top schools that offer the type of training, encouragement and direction that nurtures entrepreneurial skills. It’s an excellent resource for those interested in academics as a pathway to their goals, and it can help tremendously in the discovery process to finding the right program,” explains Amy Cosper, vice president and ediotr in chief at Entrepreneur.
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