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Can an entrepreneurial mindset be nurtured? Absolutely. In fact, as I started specializing in this area, I realized very early on that not only can it be nurtured, but it's important to start young. So I created a program, and it's an entrepreneur project for elementary kids. And for students between the ages of nine and 12 to start their businesses. And they actually develop an entrepreneurial mindset by launching a business venture. So they have to create business plans, they develop products and marketing materials, and at the end, they participate in a real-life event called the Young Entrepreneur Show. It's like a trade show. They get to interact with customers, and they earn real money. The program is facilitated, which I think is the most powerful piece, is that it's facilitated by the classroom teacher. And it makes topics like math, and English language, arts, and social studies more meaningful and relevant for kids. It's already reached about 40,000 kids, and I'm really excited to be able to share some of their stories with you here today.

Let's follow Bill Roche...

Can an entrepreneurial mindset / be nurtured? // Absolutely. // In fact, / as I started specializing in this area, / I realized very early on that not only can it be nurtured, / but it's important to start young. // So / I created a program, / and it's an entrepreneur project / for elementary kids. // And for students between the ages of nine and 12 to start their businesses. // And they actually develop an entrepreneurial mindset by launching / a business venture. // So they have to create business plans, / they develop products and marketing materials, / and at the end, they participate in a real-life event called the Young Entrepreneur Show. // It's like a trade show. // They get to interact with customers, and they earn real money. // The program is facilitated, which I think is the most powerful piece, / is that it's facilitated by the classroom teacher. // And it makes topics like / math, and English language, arts, and social studies / more meaningful and relevant for kids. // It's already reached about 40,000 kids, and I'm really excited to be able to share / some of their stories with you here today. //

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Now, the idea of coming up with a product to sell for real to customers is incredibly exciting for kids. And in fact, they take it very, very seriously. Sometimes the students will create products that people enjoy. Other times they go a little bit deeper, and they think, you know, what can I... how can I solve a problem? Or how can I make a difference in the world by creating a product? Mimi is one of our students that decided to come up with this cat toy, and a toy that looked like a cat, I should say. And she took this, two materials, a mock suede and a mock fur, she cut strips, sewed them together, and had a cat face at the front and a tail. And she really wanted to have a fun name for this. So she called them Roadkill Kitties. And if that wasn't enough, she took a big branch that had fallen from a tree in her garden, she mounted it on top of the table, and then she had all the products hanging up here. So as you walk by, all you could see are these feline creatures looking down at you. And then she'd take them down, she was all about showmanship, so she'd take them down and lay one on the arm as customers would come up. And the customers would smooth it down, and it would roll up, and Mimi's product came alive. The Roadkill Kitty came alive. Mimi's business came alive. And Mimi came alive. You see, Mimi wasn't strong. She wasn't a strong academic student, and yet had perhaps the most successful business in her class. And what was so exciting was that she was able to achieve that success by showcasing her entrepreneurial and her artistic flair.

Let's follow Bill Roche...

Now, / the idea of coming up with a product / to sell for real to customers / is incredibly exciting for kids. // And in fact, they take it very, very seriously. // Sometimes the students will create products that people enjoy. // Other times they go a little bit / deeper, / and they think, you know, / what can I... how can I solve a problem? Or / how can I make a difference in the world by / creating a product? // Mimi / is one of our students that decided to come up with this / cat toy, / and a toy that looked like a cat, I should say. // And she took this, / two materials, a mock suede and a mock fur, she cut strips, / sewed them together, / and had a cat face at the front and a tail. // And she really wanted to have a fun name for this. // So she called them / Roadkill Kitties. // And if that wasn't enough, / she took a big branch that had fallen from a tree in her garden, / she mounted it on top of the table, / and then she had all the products hanging up here. // So / as you walk by, / all you could see are these feline creatures looking down at you. // And then she'd take them down, she was all about showmanship, so she'd take them down and lay one on the arm as customers would come up. // And the customers would smooth it down, / and it would roll up, / and Mimi's product came alive. // The Roadkill Kitty / came alive. // Mimi's business / came alive. // And Mimi / came alive. // You see, Mimi wasn't strong. // She wasn't a strong academic student, / and yet / had perhaps the most successful business in her class. // And what was so exciting was that she was able to achieve that success / by showcasing her entrepreneurial / and her artistic flair. //