Tapping into Local & National Resources as a Young Entrepreneur

Your Guide to Success

Hey there, future trailblazers, my name is Kenet Espina, and I’m a high school student interning at Ascender for the summer.

If you’re reading this, it means you, like me, have caught the entrepreneurial bug and are excited to explore the possibility of turning your passions into a thriving business. We’re not alone. According to a 2022 study from Junior Achievement, 60% of teenagers (13–17 yo) are more interested in starting their own business than working a traditional job, and 2 in 5 teens are interested in educational programs that focus on teaching entrepreneurship.

As a fellow beginner, I understand the excitement and uncertainty that comes with starting your venture. In this blog post, I’ll share some lessons I’ve already learned and the resources you can dig into to kickstart your entrepreneurial adventure.

What is Entrepreneurship?

If you’re just starting, it’s essential to understand what entrepreneurship is. Behind every business, startup, or company, there are entrepreneurs or individuals who create and build the business. Since we’re all unique, there isn’t a single definition, but a good definition is:

Entrepreneurship is the process of starting or growing a business. Entrepreneurs identify a problem or market gap and develop a product or service to address that need.

Source: What is Entrepreneurship? The Ultimate Guide (hubspot.com)

As an intern at Ascender, I’ve had the chance to meet business owners and startup founders from our community. One entrepreneur that I interviewed was Alicia Sewald-Cisneros. During our chat, Alicia reaffirmed that it’s hard to come up with one definition for entrepreneurs because they can come from all backgrounds and have lots of different passions that inspire them to start their own businesses.

Alicia is a mental health counselor with a master’s degree in counseling focused on helping individuals working through challenges related to immigration and acculturation. Alicia started her venture, Ayudate because she saw such a need for low-cost mental health services in the Spanish language via telehealth in Pennsylvania. Entrepreneurship for her is like a dream because it allows her to solve a problem while doing what she loves.

National Resources for Young Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship allows you to unleash your creativity and turn your unique ideas into reality, but you can’t do it alone. Luckily, there are dozens of online resources and national organizations that can help. Here are a few that I found in my search:

• Junior Achievement provides interactive learning experiences, hands-on activities, and mentorship opportunities for teenagers to develop entrepreneurial skills.
• Beta Camp hosts ongoing virtual workshops and masterclasses to teach young entrepreneurs how to build all kinds of businesses, from apps to ice cream companies.
• Kid Everest is a crowdfunding platform that allows teens a safe space to practice their business pitch and raise money for their idea.
• Young Entrepreneur Institute has a large library of free resources, including games and competitions to help teenagers get their business ideas off the ground.
• DECA offers courses in business management, entrepreneurship, and marketing through after-school clubs in high schools across the country. Click here to see if your school has a chapter.

Local Resources for Young Entrepreneurs

It’s always a smart idea to start close to home, and we have a lot of great resources I found here in Pittsburgh, too!

• Catapult’s Kidpreneurship is a 6-month business program for minority youth ages 14–17, where they learn about setting goals and all the responsibilities of starting a business.
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has a small business resource center at its downtown branch. If you have a FREE library card, the business librarians are happy to help!
• BUILD Pittsburgh is an entrepreneurship program for high school students that teaches them how to build their own businesses while becoming the CEO of their own lives.
• Startable Pittsburgh is a free program for teenagers ages 13–19 that teaches entrepreneurship and design skills through open-ended project-based learning.
• Western PA’s JA Biztown is a learning laboratory that teaches middle school students the day-to-day realities of running a business. This is a Junior Achievement program (see above), and if you want to visit Biztown, talk to your teacher or guidance counselor for more information.

If you’re about to graduate from high school and plan to attend a local university, you’re in luck. Most of the colleges around Pittsburgh offer majors in business and have centers for undergraduates excited by entrepreneurship, like the Big Idea Center at Pitt, the Swartz Center at CMU, and the Center for Excellence in Entrepreneurship at Duquesne. CCAC also offers 2-year degrees and certificates in business management and entrepreneurship.

Internships: A Real-World Classroom

Internships provide valuable opportunities for teenagers and college students to develop and apply their talents in a real-world setting. They’re also an awesome way to learn from others, test out different career paths, and gain professional mentors.

I knew I wanted to learn more about International Business, so I applied to this internship at Ascender through the Partner4Work / Latino Community Center of Pittsburgh Learn & Earn internship program.

During my internship, I’ve learned that starting and running a business can be tough, and entrepreneurs must be prepared to overcome obstacles and adapt to changing circumstances. I’ve also learned that some successful business owners aren’t afraid to ask for help. So if you’re interested in starting a business today or in the future, consider looking for internships and asking the business owners in your life if you can learn from them.

Tips for Young Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship is a learning journey, and every step you take, no matter how small, brings you closer to your goals. Here are some tips I’ve learned from speaking with the Ascender team and the other business owners in the coworking space:

• Start Small: Begin with a manageable idea or project that aligns with your passions and interests. Don’t feel pressured to create the next big thing right away.
• Learn Continuously: Attend local workshops, join your after-school club, and talk to your relatives who own businesses to expand your knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship and business management. No business owners in your family? Then, think about interviewing your barber or the manager of your favorite restaurant.
• Seek Mentorship: Connect with experienced entrepreneurs or business professionals who can guide and support your journey. Teachers can also be great mentors!
• Embrace Failure: Not every idea will succeed, and that’s okay. Learn from your failures and use them as stepping stones toward future success.
• Stay Persistent: Entrepreneurship can be tough, but perseverance is key. Stay committed to your goals and keep pushing forward, even when facing obstacles.

As I was finishing up my interview with Alicia from Ayudate, she told me that for a business to grow, you have to accept ideas and choose the best ones that can help you make your business better. This post offers just a few ideas to help you get started, but you’re going to have to be the one to make the best decisions for you and your future business.

So get going and don’t hesitate to start your own business! Being an entrepreneur forces you to embrace your creativity, gain independence, make a positive impact, and overcome challenges. The good news is that dozens of resources and support networks help you reach your entrepreneurial dreams. The world needs your fresh ideas and innovative spirit — let’s shape a brighter future together.

This post was written by Kenet Espina, our 2023 Summer Intern, Marketing & Storytelling. Kenet is a rising senior at Brentwood High School.

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