Ask students at First Baptist Academy in Houston, Texas what they are most excited about and chances are, their answers will be related to entrepreneurship. Two years ago, Teresa brought an entrepreneurship program to her campus and engaged her 8th grade students in launching a student-run venture at the school. Now they are developing a certificate track, certifying their teachers in the entrepreneurial mindset, and digging into deeper parent engagement.

Teresa's story is an inspiration to any head of school who is wondering how to start a meaningful entrepreneurship program--if you want to learn more about her school, visit their website at https://www.fbahouston.org/

For those wanting more information on what starting an entrepreneurship program at K-12 school looks like, reach out to Stephen Carter at Stephen@seedtreegroup.com

"Failure as fuel to future success" - Ryan Moore, Director of the Business Academy at North Cobb Christian School, outlines the key ways his entrepreneurship program has grown and is impacting students through the development of the entrepreneurial mindset. Overseeing multiple student-run ventures as part of the business academy at the school, Ryan (in addition to helping coach varsity baseball) helps students have "Ah ha" moments when it comes to building skill sets and increasing confidence, all through hands-on learning in entrepreneurship.

Connect with him at rmoore@ncchristian.org

North Cobb Christian School Website: https://www.ncchristian.org/academics/academies

Alumni mentioned in podcast to follow:

Finley Ross - NCCS Alumni at UGA - Finns Mobile Detailing - www.finnsautodetailingllc.com

Jaden King - NCCS Alumni - Superior Cans - Started his own commercial and residential trash can cleaning service. https://www.superiorcancleaning.com/

John Michael Meadows - NCCS Alumni - Started a Christian Clothing Brand - 2nd2him. Instagram handle is 2nd2him.

Follow Ryan on LinkedIn - Ryan Moore M.S.

To learn more about starting an entrepreneurship program in your school, reach out to Stephen Carter at Stephen@seedtreegroup.com

This episode of the Entrepreneurial Mindset for Transformative Education Podcast features a short clip from our entrepreneurship symposium event where we launched the premise that All of us are called to be entrepreneurial in how we think and act - how entrepreneurship is rooted in empathy and creativity, and how it is a calling to embrace.

When you bring a creative, artistic person and put them into a business setting, things don't always work out. But if that business setting is a space where the entrepreneurial mindset flourishes, good things are bound to happen: you will be forced out of your comfort zone, you'll be drawn into real-world problem solving, and you'll encounter ongoing critique and feedback on your way to develop empathy and a growth mindset.

Charleigh Wright, 2024 graduate from Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, exemplifies the entrepreneurial mindset in all that she does--she explains, in this podcast, how failure is a maze and how leadership, team building, and goal setting contributed to her overall success both in high school and now in college.

The word "entrepreneur" is not just hard to spell--it is loaded with meanings both literal and suggested, to the point that we need clarity around what the term actual means and represents.

In this episode, we explore Jordan Raynor's definition from his book, Called to Create, where he explains that an entrepreneur is "anyone who takes a risk to create something new for the good of others." In this sense, he has three primary components:

1) Takes a risk

2) Creates something new

3) Serves others

When we consider this three-fold definition, it becomes clear that we are all actually entrepreneurs in how we think about and interact with the world.

As part of the foundations of entrepreneurship program as we work to instill the entrepreneurial mindset in our students, we give them a project where they go out and sell something. And the real kicker is it has to be to someone they do not already know.

This involves identifying a product or service and cutting to the heart of the TRUE value and creating a UVP or Unique Value Proposition. The true power comes as students identify the WHY behind what they are selling and it adds power to the entire experience. In the end, teaching the entrepreneurial mindset is about arming our students with real-world skills that will set them up for success in every area of life.

Wow--talk about a supercharged podcast episode! Dr. Jen Bennett, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Endowed Faculty in Business Entrepreneurship at Indiana Wesleyan University dives into the heart of what it means to think like an entrepreneur and how she uses her classroom to help students embrace their calling and step into who they were created to be.

Key points in the talk:

Impact Start with a Pivot

You learn entrepreneurship by Doing It

Students need to step out of the pressure to be perfect

We need to do scary things and get uncomfortable

Rubrics and tests stifle curiosity

Don't Give students an Easy Way Out

Being Successful Means Doing the Work You Were Created to Do

You can follow Dr. Bennett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjenbennett/

Bella Randle is flourishing in every sense of the word - since graduating from the entrepreneurship program at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (where she led the flagship business, The Leaning Eagle Coffee Bar), Bella has entered into an Entrepreneurship and Innovation major at West Virginia University and has woven her love of entrepreneurship with her love of theater through constantly seeking opportunity.

In this conversation, we explore how a firm foundation in the entrepreneurial mindset through a hands-on approach can set us for everything life can throw our way.

Some primary takeaways from our conversation:

1. Creativity is a key part of the entrepreneurial mindset

2. There is no "solo" part of entrepreneurship - it takes a team and it takes communication

3. Problem solving is a key skill and shows up everywhere

4. We need freedom, resources, and autonomy (but not too much) to flourish

5. Have a plan but hold it loosely

Reserve your spot at the 2025 entrepreneurship symposium today! https://www.seedtreegroup.com/