The Clovis Chamber is now accepting applications for the upcoming Young Entrepreneurs Academy, YEA!, Class of 2015. This 26 week program will be a life changing experience for hard working, serious middle and high school students who are passionate about owning their own business.
Created by the University of Rochester and the US Chamber of Commerce in 2004, the ground breaking course has worked its way across the country, landing in Clovis in 2014 at the request of the US Chamber.
Students will vet their BIG business ideas, create professional business plans, learn about every aspect of business, present their plans to an investor panel and receive actual funding for their companies.
The three instructors all have teaching experience, but more importantly they own successful businesses or work with them closely. The students will interact with over 3 dozen business people and hear their advice including the mistakes they have made. According to last year’s class, hearing about their mistakes and failures had the biggest impact.
In addition to business curriculum, the Clovis Chamber spends a lot of time talking about “performance” skills for success. Those include good character, critical thinking, communication, integrity and how to handle customers and other people they work with. They even get advice about interviewing for jobs that two of our students used to land jobs this summer.
The students also learn about how a Chamber of Commerce runs and its importance to their business. They are invited to participate in the Chamber Trade Shows, mixers and some even worked at BIG Hat Days. Abby used the event to sell some of her knitted scarves and made a lot of contacts.
Every student and parent has expressed their appreciation for the course and have called it life changing. One graduating senior reported that a college rep said that no college presents a course as extensive as YEA!
There will be a YEA! information meeting at the Clovis Chamber at 6 pm on Wednesday, August 6th at the Chamber.
Applications and information are available on the Chamber website atwww.clovischamber.com or feel free to call the YEA! Program Manager, Fran Blackney, at 299-7363.
