With the entrepreneurial spirit teeming on university campuses across the nation, it's no wonder many schools have begun to offer student entrepreneurs the resources they need to move their business ideas forward. And Gen Y students are taking advantage of these business incubators turning their fresh and innovative ideas into moneymakers.
Not all of us are born with the entrepreneurial spirit flowing through our veins. But being involved in a startup is something anyone can do. And while it may just take one person to produce the big idea, to "power the vehicle" and become a successful venture a young company needs a strong team.
Zazu, referred to by its creators as "the smartest damn alarm clock," is an application for smart phones. It is the brainchild of four young entrepreneurs, all under the age of 25, who despite busy schedules and school obligations have taken on the daunting task of launching a company. If the name sounds familiar, it's because it happens to be the same name as the famous bird from "The Lion King," who serves as King Mufasa's assistant. Associating their product with a friendly and relatable character was important in branding the company.
Late last month Marketplace Money did a story on "hauls," online video diaries about the junk people buy. Call me a Luddite, but that makes me want to cuddle up with Tolstoy's War and Peace. If you have a different reaction it might be because you--like so many savvy entrepreneurs in the information age--are seeing dollar signs where others might see cultural decline.
YPNation will round out Black History Month by spotlighting an outstanding "Young Professional of Color" each day this week. They are pioneers in fields from business to blogging, serving as an inspiration to other YP's looking to excel in their own right. They are, without question, YP's to watch.
Darley Newman fell in love with horses and travel at an early age. And after paying her dues at networks such as CBS and The WB, Newman used her budding experience in television and merged her two passions to create an Emmy winning travel series, Equitrekking.
No matter how amazing your venture may be, if you can't show others how great it is, you might miss your opportunity to get it started. Getting funding isn't easy and these days venture capitalists are less likely than ever to invest in startups. So it's important to have the pitch perfected--whether its the impromptu elevator pitch or a formal written business proposal.