cte's rodgers promotes youth entrepreneurship
By: Lorenzo Williams
ReDonna Rodgers believes entrepreneurship is the way to success for urban youth. At the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, she is showing young people that they can control their own destinies.
“Entrepreneurship gives us the option, if you can’t get a job, make a job,” said Rodgers, the founder and CEO of the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a non-profit organization that helps young people from ages 9-to-24 develop the skills to launch small businesses, save and invest their money and succeed in the workplace.
Rodgers’ mission is to show young people that they can “Be the CEO of Me,” a phrase she developed from her experiences. Youth can learn skills they need to help them become the leaders in their lives. Rodgers also saw an opportunity to work with young people “on their assets, and not their deficits.”
Through the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, youth experience personal and professional enlightenment from programs and coaching related to financial awareness, career exploration and entrepreneurship. They also learn the principles of business through a program called “My Biz” and apply such knowledge to their own business ideas. In this program, students learn financial literacy, how to start a business, and computer skills. They then develop a business plan around a concept and create presentations.
The Center’s self-awareness program, “Teach Me Some Cents,” covers financial literacy components such as financial values, budgeting, saving, investing, insurance, credit, and how to handle debt.
The ideas of the youth are supported through a program called, “I Can Be My Own Boss.” As part of the program, youth learn about marketing, financing of a business, pricing, and the type of workers needed.
The concept Rodgers uses for teaching entrepreneurship originally came from her father, a hardscrabble, painter and entrepreneur who bought and sold wholesale products.
As a child, Rodgers often would go with her father on dry-walling and painting jobs. While working with her father, she began to like the concepts he used for teaching her how to do things. From that experience, Rodgers developed a passion for working with youth and is now following her father’s example.
Rodgers is known for her intelligence and leadership around the community. Among people in the community who admires her work is Robert Wynn, financial expert and president of Akamai LLC, a business and community development consulting firm.
She is a fantastic person to work with, who truly cares and has the skills to connect with young people,” said Wynn, who is one of Rodgers’ close business partners.
Wynn shares these words with youth, “The best way to build wealth is to start young.”
One obvious path to building wealth is through entrepreneurship, Rodger says. “Entrepreneurship gives us the option, if you can’t get a job, make a job.”
“There is no limit on the amount of income a person can make,” and Rodgers shows that there is no limit to the amount of ideas a person can try.
At the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, young people not only have the opportunity to develop into a successful employee, they also receive the proper training and knowledge to create jobs for others.
ReDonna Rodgers believes entrepreneurship is the way to success for urban youth. At the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, she is showing young people that they can control their own destinies.
“Entrepreneurship gives us the option, if you can’t get a job, make a job,” said Rodgers, the founder and CEO of the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a non-profit organization that helps young people from ages 9-to-24 develop the skills to launch small businesses, save and invest their money and succeed in the workplace.
Rodgers’ mission is to show young people that they can “Be the CEO of Me,” a phrase she developed from her experiences. Youth can learn skills they need to help them become the leaders in their lives. Rodgers also saw an opportunity to work with young people “on their assets, and not their deficits.”
Through the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, youth experience personal and professional enlightenment from programs and coaching related to financial awareness, career exploration and entrepreneurship. They also learn the principles of business through a program called “My Biz” and apply such knowledge to their own business ideas. In this program, students learn financial literacy, how to start a business, and computer skills. They then develop a business plan around a concept and create presentations.
The Center’s self-awareness program, “Teach Me Some Cents,” covers financial literacy components such as financial values, budgeting, saving, investing, insurance, credit, and how to handle debt.
The ideas of the youth are supported through a program called, “I Can Be My Own Boss.” As part of the program, youth learn about marketing, financing of a business, pricing, and the type of workers needed.
The concept Rodgers uses for teaching entrepreneurship originally came from her father, a hardscrabble, painter and entrepreneur who bought and sold wholesale products.
As a child, Rodgers often would go with her father on dry-walling and painting jobs. While working with her father, she began to like the concepts he used for teaching her how to do things. From that experience, Rodgers developed a passion for working with youth and is now following her father’s example.
Rodgers is known for her intelligence and leadership around the community. Among people in the community who admires her work is Robert Wynn, financial expert and president of Akamai LLC, a business and community development consulting firm.
She is a fantastic person to work with, who truly cares and has the skills to connect with young people,” said Wynn, who is one of Rodgers’ close business partners.
Wynn shares these words with youth, “The best way to build wealth is to start young.”
One obvious path to building wealth is through entrepreneurship, Rodger says. “Entrepreneurship gives us the option, if you can’t get a job, make a job.”
“There is no limit on the amount of income a person can make,” and Rodgers shows that there is no limit to the amount of ideas a person can try.
At the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, young people not only have the opportunity to develop into a successful employee, they also receive the proper training and knowledge to create jobs for others.