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Youth Entrepreneurship

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Today’s young people are more connected to each other and to the wider world than any previous generation. Many reject the status quo because they see alternatives, know that a better life is within grasp and are willing to reach for it. That’s how U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton described the youth of the Middle East and North Africa on April 12. But this description can be applied to youth almost anywhere.

Many young people around the world share the belief that entrepreneurship is the most effective and exciting vehicle for realizing their dreams and ideas. Entrepreneurship gives young people an opportunity to better their own lives and those of their families. And, as the founder of an organization of young entrepreneurs writes in this issue, it also gives young people freedom to transform their communities and change the world for the better.

To be sure, entrepreneurs, whether adolescents or adults, face daunting obstacles, particularly in countries with underdeveloped financial systems, overdeveloped bureaucracies and inadequate infrastructures. Yet, today is a better time than ever to start a business. The Internet offers access to a variety of resources for potential business owners and many governments make doing business easier in the hope of creating jobs and tapping the economic growth potential of entrepreneurship.

This publication discusses many of the opportunities and challenges of being an entrepreneur today. It also discusses — and debunks — persistent myths about entrepreneurship.

If you are a young person interested in exploring the path of entrepreneur, you can read about how some of your peers have started their ventures and set off on a new path in life.

Additional Resources

Global Entrepreneurship Week, an annual event celebrating and promoting entrepreneurship among young people around the world.

Kairos Society, a student organization that aims to foster the next generation of global leaders through entrepreneurship.

Junior Achievement Worldwide, the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

Teen Business Link, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s information resource for potential young entrepreneurs.

GenX Startup and Idea Café, a forum for young people on business ideas and startup advice.