Did you ever have a lemonade stand when you were a kid? Or, did you have a babysitting, pet-watching or lawn-mowing service and remember the pride and sense of accomplishment you experienced from your entrepreneurial endeavors? (Not to mention the joy from earning some extra cash!) Build a Biz Maine is a non-profit organization that offers free, web-based entrepreneurial education for Maine youth from ages 5-18 and they're preparing for their annual Build a Biz Day on May 18th.
Do your kids have some great ideas for their own business? It's time to get them on paper, start building their idea and thinking about the product they'd like to create and how they'd like to market it. To register your child for this free program, visit www.buildabiz.me. The first 100 youth to complete and submit their business plan questionnaire online will receive a FREE Build a Biz T-shirt to wear on Build a Biz Day on May 18th along with a $5 Bangor Savings Bank coupon, completion certificate and more. The top 3 entrepreneur ideas will be able to compete in the annual Bangor Savings Bank Elevator Pitch Competition on May 6th on CTN Channel 5, "Baldacci on Business" and a chance to win up to $1,000 college scholarship.
"Imagine hundreds of youth businesses open on May 18th throughout the state and run by Maine's future entrepreneurs," said Founder/President Kate Krukowski Gooding. "Build a Biz Day" will bring focus to one of Maine's great strengths, the community of entrepreneurs, young and old, whose energy drives the economy," added Bangor Savings Bank Senior Vice President Yellow Breen.
Our 9 year-old has started his business project as part of our homeschool curriculum and his vision and excitement is tangible and provides a great platform for encorporating mulitiple subjects in a highly motivating, hands-on manner. There's a program for 5-9 year-olds and 10-18 year-olds. I love the idea that the Build a Biz encourages children to earn money, but also to save some and give some away. So each child can choose a charity or cause that they can donate a portion of their profits to.
Sponsors for this year's event include their founding sponsor, Bangor Savings Bank, NE Media, GWI, Maine & Company, WEX, Oxford Networks.
If you would like to register your child, or need more information, visit their website at www.buildabiz.me. You can also contact Kate Gooding at kategooding@buildabiz.me or call her at 207-460-8884.
