The comic book, developed with aspiring entrepreneurs in mind, not only demonstrates a fresh spin on traditional corporate storytelling, but also provides students and startups with valuable “lessons learned” to keep in mind as they embark on their own entrepreneurial ventures.

Even better? The first year’s proceeds will go to three nonprofits, including the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, which works with high school students to develop startup skills.

For complete details on Honest Tea’s unique offering, check out this New York Times article, and raise a glass (of tea) to startup strides.

I am a 27-year-old, starter OR small business owner OR entrepreneur OR whatever the new, exciting or trendy buzzword is for people who feverishly work full-time to make their passion a reality.  I’m that and my business is growing in terms of name recognition tremendously.  Clients are falling in my lap at every turn, but cash is slow to flow.  I am also a college graduate with over $30,000 in school loan debt (oh, and, I had scholarships and grants) to my name that is weighing me down like an anchor to an ocean liner. I am indebted to the United States government and to blood thirsty private education lenders like Sallie Mae.  I often dream of being free of the shackles of debt my tertiary education has left me bound by. It is at those times that I think of the many successful business owners out there who never graduated from university. I think about how they had a head start on me in terms of time to learn and grow and perfect their business before life’s pressures of bills, true adulthood in the way of self-sustainability (rent, car payments, etc., etc.) all took over. I also think about the fact that they were debt-free before they became business owners which means that they didn’t have to add insult to injury by piling small business debt on top of school loan debt.  So, it really befuddles me when I read articles like, “A Gap in College Graduates Leaves Some Cities Behind.”

Studies and articles like this one assert that the future of the nation’s cities is predicated upon how many people go to college.  But, I’m starting to think that the state of both the U.S. and the world economies indicate otherwise. How many unemployed or underemployed college graduates have to enter the market for us to realize that perhaps, we need to take a different approach to preparing our young people for the world that awaits them?

I am, by no means, advocating the dumbing down of our young people, BUT I am protesting the overwhelming, continuing indebtedness of the next generation.  It’s been proven time and time again that one does not need a college education to own and run a successful business or by extension, achieve a measure of socially acceptable success.  And, I can anecdotally prove by citing all of my many classmates who are grossly underemployed after now being out of school for five years or more. Let’s see, there’s the girl with the print journalism degree who is gainfully employed at the neighborhood grocery store as a cashier. Oh, and there’s the super smart waiter who graduated Suma Cum Laude with not one, but two degrees—one in mathematics and the other in physics. Last, but certainly not least, what about the poor chap with a degree in education who is detailing cars at the local carwash? There has to be a better way.

And, I think organizations like the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) and the National Federation of Independent Business’ Young Entrepreneur Foundation have the right idea. They have programs in place that don’t necessarily discourage higher education pursuits, but certainly instill or recognize and reward an entrepreneurial spirit in young people of high school age and younger.  I think we need more programs like these—programs that take this work a step further—and perhaps, they are already out there and I just haven’t heard about them so I’ll throw my idea out and you guys can tell me what you think may or may not work OR throw out your own ideas. I like the idea of starting incubator programs throughout the nation (and the world) geared toward secondary school graduates. These incubators would help them identify their passion or a viable business pursuit, provide them with mentors and micro-financing as well as guide them through starting a sustainable business and offer them some support through the first two years of their new business. For those who lack entrepreneurial skills, let’s make apprenticeship and intrapreneurial programs available to them where they can learn practical skills that they can apply in the workplace as well as critical thinking and analysis skills that they don’t need thousands upon thousands of dollars in scholarship, personal or loan funding to access. I know that many people will disagree with me and I don’t claim to have all of the answers, but I started Agitate Media to rally people to think outside of the box, to look for alternative solutions where others have tunnel vision and so this is my offering to start a new discourse on this issue.

Youth Entrepreneurs of Atlanta (YE-ATL), a privately funded business program hosted in public high schools, teaches students free-enterprise fundamentals through hands-on learning activities, including a final project of writing and presenting a workable business plan. During the spring, every YE-ATL student must complete and present a business plan. While students are encouraged to develop plans for profitable businesses, they are also urged to consider what they’re most passionate about and create a business idea out of that passion. A team of educators and business professionals judge the students’ plans, and the winning students at each participating school take part in a city-wide Youth Entrepreneurs competition for Venture Capital Awards. YE-ATL students learn about different types of businesses and the many aspects of running a business. The goal of the program is to spark students’ interest in owning their own business or creating value as an employee by “thinking like an owner.” YE-ATL’s role is to reveal avenues of opportunity for young people who dare to dream.

At Maynard H. Jackson High School, Dr. Theo Smith, Jr. and Kristie Stargell are the two instructors. Both are highly qualified in business education. The instructors, in collaboration with Scott Brown (program manager), afford the students various learning opportunities ranging from guest speakers to experimental field trips.

The highlight of the fall semester was Market Day, in which student teams compete to see who can create the greatest profit margin through sales. Items sold are left solely up to the student teams after appropriate market research for the item(s) has been conducted. The event is preceded by a field trip to CostCo Wholesale Warehouse to purchase stock for Market Day sales.

Additionally, the spring semester’s highlight will be an in-class business plan competition. From this tier of competition, a winner moves to the citywide competition to be held at a later date. All principles gained in the fall semester are applied during the spring semester.

Youth Entrepreneurs of Atlanta is not a typical business class. It is a privately funded class in public schools that uses a nationally certified curriculum from the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) along with hands-on learning activities and business community involvement to bring out the entrepreneurial talent each student possesses. High school students who enroll in YE-ATL, which is a business elective, receive credit just as they would for any other elective. Dr. Smith and Stargell are NFTE certified and enjoy teaching the course.

Big thanks to Jackson’s Lola Azuana for this info!

“What is the #1 piece of business information you wish you had known when you were younger?”

Today’s answer: That entrepreneurship was an option for me.

Understanding entrepreneurship as a potential career track is important, as described by Julie Silard Kantor, Author of I Said Yes and Vice President of Public Policy for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE):

“Here is the message I received growing up: ‘Go to school and get a job.’ There weren’t a lot of outlets for me  in my education to look at following the path of an entrepreneur.   I am a social entrepreneur. I learned that when I stumbled into NFTE.  It took some falling down and getting back up in arriving at that conclusion.  I wish I knew what it was to be an entrepreneur and that it was okay to have that identity. There is more out there than, ‘Go work for someone.’  I wish I understood those options at a younger age.”

Suggested readings and discussion questions for the classroom to the boardroom:“Wish you knew” Module #2.

1. Do you think entrepreneurship is an option for you? Why or why not?

2. Read the quote below from Julie Kantor and answer the following question:  Do you believe everyone who is an entrepreneur goes against the grain/conventional thinking? Do you know anyone like Julie is describing? How do you think of an entrepreneur?

“I see a lot of young people that are naturally inclined to be entrepreneurs and they struggle and think there is something wrong with them.  I want to tell them, ‘There is not something wrong about you, there is something RIGHT about you!’ Sometimes they don’t fit in, they have a lot of ideas and are told to keep it to themselves…they are natural entrepreneurs.”

3. Look up examples of entrepreneurial thinking by doing a Google search. Discuss in class.

4. See Module 1 of this free EITC curriculum (registration required). Complete Exercises 1-3 (Characteristics of an Entrepreneur) and 1-3a (Your Future Entrepreneurial Passion).

Source: NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation Entrepreneur in the Classroom curriculum

5. Taking Exercises 1-3a a step further, here is a more detailed exercise on tapping into your entrepreneurial passion: Your Passion Inventory

Source:  Susan G. Duffy, Simmons College; Kathy Korman Frey, the GW Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership class at The George Washington University.

Tip: Also see the EITC “Entrepreneur in a Day” curriculum and alternative exercises for another on-ramp to entrepreneurship.

Part 1 in this series

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

More information

Know a Young Entrepreneur? Nominate them here.

The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization promoting the importance of small business and free enterprise to the nation’s youth. More information is available at www.NFIB.com/YEF. The Foundation is associated with the National Federation of Independent Business; NFIB is the nation’s leading small business association, with offices in Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals.

Entrepreneur In The Classroom. The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom (EITC) supplemental curriculum exposes students to entrepreneurship and the necessary steps to take an idea and turn it into a business. The free curriculum can be integrated into classes teaching a variety of subjects including music, art, fashion, business and many more. You must be registered to view the full Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom curriculum.

Related links:

Follow NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation on Twitter

Follow NFIB on Twitter

Follow blog author Kathy Korman Frey on Twitter

sweetriot: overview

sweetriot is a small mission-based company in NYC, which provides quality cacao products “in a different way for a different generation.” They’ve even created their own noun: A sweetriot is a “joyful celebration of culture, diversity, and understanding — it is the opposite of a civil riot, which is dangerous, violent, and oppressing.”

The company is creating a sweet movement to fix the world through chocolate – that’s not a bad platform. Is it too late to submit a late presidential candidate? They’ve started by sourcing their cacao directly in Latin America, using recyclable, reusable packaging which features emerging artists, and only using all-natural, healthy ingredients for their dark chocolate ‘peaces.’ Inspired by companies like The Body Shop and Ben & Jerry’s, Sarah chose this path because she dreamed of having her own triple bottom line business.

About the founder

Sarah Endline has an interesting bio, having launched products, created brands, founded and run organizations, and worked many places like Yahoo!, Microsoft, the World Bank, AIESEC, and The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE); Sarah loves the work at sweetriot best. She has been an active member of many non-profit boards including those for NFTE, Harvard, UMichigan, and AIESEC. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BBA from The University of Michigan. (Go Blue!)

The size and focus of the business helps her to feed her creative side, something hard to tap into when working in the technology sector. All skills are transferable if utilized properly and as with every life journey, the positions she held in the past brought her to this point. Her additional training wasn’t necessary to start the business but it gave her additional perspective. She insists that being around chocolate and the story of chocolate minimizes whatever downside there would be.

Sarah derives much satisfaction from her work and is in good company – many entrepreneurs find starting and managing their own venture to be one of the more rewarding activities they undertook in their life.

How They Give Back

sweetrito supports non-profits who share similar values and ideals. They focus on organizations that celebrate culture and diversity and young people. Thier partnerships usually involve giving organizations cacao for their special events and donating time by sending speakers and/or people to help them at events.

Espresso Shot Insights what’s this?

- Establish a deadline to earn your salary from the business

- Think Outside-In

- Get out and meet with people

- Focus On People

Establish a deadline to earn your salary from the business

Many people try to keep one foot on the dock and one on the boat, but Sarah went in full force – from the beginning the business comprised 100% of her income. Starting in 2005, she began modestly and now makes a comfortable living – like most small business owners, she works 7 days a week. “There is no balance in entrepreneurship :) and I’m probably not fairly compensated, but that’s bootstrapping.” Like many people starting a business, Sarah established a deadline for making a living off of the business as a forcing function for initial growth.

Think Outside-In

Outside-In thinking is critical to the company’s success. Sarah solicits input from outside advisors to grow and develop her business which helps her stay on course and consider alternatives.

Get Out And Meet People

Presence at events, speaking gigs, and constant networking are a huge factor in the business’s growth and overall success.

Focus On People

Another cornerstone of her business is people: “hiring great people focusing on everyone’s core strengths” enables her to spend 50% of her time following up on outside partnering or production opportunities.

Rachel (from Burt’s Bees) also mentioned “Everybody has to win. I believe that. You will never make progress unless you fully take into consideration [everyone's] point of view and make sure their needs are met.”

Whether staff or outside partnerships, relationships are an important currency and the energy on which a business sustains itself.

A few words from Sarah:

What are the misconceptions about being in small business or social enterprise? That it’s easy

What about your business are you grateful for? Growth

Any comments or words of advice for someone thinking about starting up their own social enterprise or small business? lots of work – choose something you’re passionate about

My most rewarding business moment? creating a great team

My scariest business moment? losing a great team member

Every entrepreneur should: spend time with other entrepreneurs

Success to me means: creating a piece of history