Teen dreams - teenage entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur, June, 1996 by Janean Chun, Cynthia E. Griffin

Success as an entrepreneur may be limited by finances, demographics, the economy or government regulation, but it's certainly not limited by age. Teenagers who go into the business world before they've even gone to the prom are no longer considered a mere curiosity but a bona fide threat to their competition. More evidence that the young will inherit the earth: Junior Achievement, the world's largest nonprofit economic education organization, reports enrollment of 2 million students in the United States and 500,000 students overseas. Not content to be labeled the leaders of tomorrow, these high achievers are striving to be the business leaders of today.

Star Students

Steven Slackman plans to double his lawn-care business to 200 commercial and residential clients this year.

* In his first year as a newspaper publisher, Tye Thomas has netted prime advertisers, surprising the competition.

* Joseph Bakhit establishes telecommunications accounts in Egypt.

Employee empowerment, customer service, social responsibility, health insurance, payroll taxes--these are some of the topics on the minds of the finalists of the fifth annual Outstanding High School Entrepreneur Contest, sponsored by Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. "Too many kids today get into the wrong things," says Slackman, 18, owner of Steve's Lawns Inc. in Chestnut Ridge, New York, and winner of the competition. "[Entrepreneurship] gives us the chance to do something good."

Slackman admits being a young entrepreneur isn't always fun and games, especially when dealing with age discrimination. "At first, I wasn't able to go after commercial properties," he says. "I couldn't walk into a place without people laughing. But that's OK; I like to be challenged." Today, most of those skeptics are devoted customers.

Slackman was also challenged by the High School Entrepreneur Contest, but ultimately won not only the Johnson & Wales scholarship but also nine friends in the process. "We have an edge," he says, "and it's up to us to affect tomorrow's economy and make a difference."

The deadline for nominations for the 1997 Johnson & Wales Contest is January I 15; call (800) DIAL JWU for more information.

Main Course

Fast Food and teenagers go together like hamburgers and french fries. Now, thanks to SNAP (School Nutrition Accountability Program) Systems Inc., adolescents in New York and California are seeing up close how a fast-food restaurant operates.

Santa Monica, California-based SNAP Systems, which designs software and hardware for school cafeterias nationwide, created Project ECHO (Entrepreneurial Concepts-Hands On). The 4-year-old program teaches students business basics, then provides the opportunity for youth to put their training to practical use.

"Students redesign or convert a school cafeteria into a nutritious fast-food restaurant," explains Carol Frischman of the University of Southern California's Business Expansion Network, which coordinates the one-year implementation and partnership of ECHO at Compton High School's Regional Occupations Program outside Los Angeles.

The students conduct a market study, learn about food management from cafeteria staff, then open the restaurant. "Our program looks at the entrepreneurial end, although we do talk about the culinary aspects," says Frischman. Students also create and often fill job positions such as those dealing with customer service.

Compton is completing its first year with Project ECHO. The school's restaurant is run by 18 students using a joint decision-making structure.

Frischman says SNAP is in the process of creating a nonprofit foundation to take Project ECHO national.