YBI Program Gives Students Hands-on Experience in Entrepreneurship

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Local students received hands-on experience in entrepreneurship this summer through the Youngstown Business Incubator’s Youth Entrepreneurship Program.

A weeklong business education boot camp, in partnership with the city’s parks and recreation department, took place at Wick Park. Students learned business fundamentals, including goal-setting, planning, branding, advertising, finances, budgeting and loans.

The interactive sessions were designed to encourage creativity and problem-solving while instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in the young participants. In addition to learning about entrepreneurship, the students also gained practical experience in teamwork and financial literacy.

The program culminated in a Lemonade Day on Aug. 6, where participants sold lemonade to the community.

“We believe in empowering the next generation with the skills they need to succeed,” said Megan Payich, director of Youth Entrepreneurship at YBI. “These students are incredibly talented, and it’s inspiring to see how they apply what they’ve learned to their businesses. Lemonade Day was the perfect way to celebrate their hard work and achievements.”

The students embraced the challenge, creating their own branded lemonade stands with unique themes and slogans. As they interacted with customers, they showcased the knowledge they had gained throughout the week, from pricing their lemonade to managing customer interactions.

More information about the Youth Entrepreneurship Program is available HERE.

Pictured at top: Participants in the Youth Entrepreneurship Program boot camp.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.