Why we created the Youth Entrepreneurial Zone?
The Benefits of Earned Income
By encouraging teens to explore and activate their business ideas we provide the opportunity for them to feel empowered by earning their own money. They can then make decisions on how to use this money to spend or save for their future.
Connection to The Finance Camp
The secret to creating long-term wealth is starting your investing journey early, so the power of compounding works for you. The ultimate investment account for a teen is a Roth IRA but this can only be funded with earned income. This is the driver behind the creation of the YEZ.
Key Business Concepts Presented
Identifying Opportunity
Proper Business Formation
Proper Business Formation
Entrepreneurs solve a problem or satisfy a need. We will teach our members how to see the opportunity and create a business.
Proper Business Formation
Proper Business Formation
Proper Business Formation
We will help our members understand the legal business options, how to register with the state and open business transaction accounts for proper revenue recognition.
Basic Accounting Skills
Proper Business Formation
Basic Accounting Skills
Our members will learn essential accounting skills to measure revenues, track expenses, and take advantage of proper deductions. Income statements and balance sheets will be introduced.
Marketing Basics
Social Media / Content Creation
Basic Accounting Skills
Great ideas need visibility. We will work with our members to create marketing plans and teach the art of advertising and communication to the marketplace.
Social Media / Content Creation
Social Media / Content Creation
Social Media / Content Creation
We live in a digital world. The opportunities for exposure to brands and ideas through digital means are available to anyone who creates and is consistent with their message.
Mentoring Support
Social Media / Content Creation
Social Media / Content Creation
Entrepreneurship can be a lonely endeavor. We aim to partner our members with successful community business members with similar passions.
Who is running this program?
Ron Speaker
Ron started his business career at the bottom, in the mail room of Janus Capital in the mid 1980's. He was trained as an investment analyst by two Wall Street legends and traveled the country, and the world learning about the characteristics of good businesses and meeting some of the world's most iconic business owners. After a successful 21 year career as a money manager at Janus he left to start his own business, Equus Private Wealth, that focused on high net worth clients for 15 years.
In 2022 after the passing of one of his key life mentors, he pivoted to serving others by running a private family charitable foundation (MEMCF.org) and forming two youth educational programs. In 2023 he started The Finance Camp, helping teens get an early start on investing, and now the YEZ program helping teens create "earned income" so they can open their own Roth IRA accounts, the ultimate wealth creation tool.
Student Leader
Eli Norris
Eli is an outstanding junior at Roaring Fork High School and promoting the entrepreneurial program through out the valley. He is active in student government and currently president of his junior class. He is an avid outdoorsman, skier, snowboarder and member of the football team. As an entrepreneur at heart, he is actively building his own t-shirt company (Gone Frisky) and planning for his bright future.
Youth Entrepreneurial Zone Gallery
