NFTE blog

Entrepreneurship isn’t without risk.  Apply all the learning moments from 2011 to make your entrepreneurial spirit and business flourish in 2012.  The focus could be on keeping better records, staying focused on executing ideas or taking the time to mentally relax (chances are you’ll be more productive). 

If you’ve long forgotten those resolutions made a mere 11 days ago use this as a time to give pause.  A number of people are ready to help.

It won’t just be cutting edge gadgets that you can’t live without being unveiled this week at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.  Innovative start-ups and entrepreneurs are finally getting their own spotlight at the over-the-top annual gathering of new consumer technology.

Written by Harsh Bhargava, President of I Create Inc

This year at the 5^th National Business Plan Competition conducted by I Create (NFTE India) we witnessed a historical moment when Montu Shah took the stage.  Montu Shah gave a stunning presentation of his business plan to manufacture individually designed and painted t-shirts. The truly remarkable part about this presentation was that he did it all in sign language.  With the aid of an interpreter and his PowerPoint slideshow, Montu explains how the shirts would be individually designed and painted by the other hearing and speech challenged students in his school.  His business would provide them with a way to earn some greatly needed pocket money, and he will be able to keep his unique business going.

Attention all NFTE teachers, alumni, students, and entrepreneurs! Steve Mariotti, the founder of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, has just co-written another book about entrepreneurship with Dr. Caroline Glackin.

This week we have Victor Salama, NFTE’s Vice President of Business and International Partnerships, guest blogging for us to tell us about his recent trip to China for their 4^th annual National Business Plan Competitiion.

I just came back from China having attended the Bright China Foundation’s (BCF) 4^th annual National Business Plan Competition for its youth entrepreneurship program.  What a fantastic experience!  Having worked with BCF since it became a NFTE licensee in 2003, I knew that they ran excellent programs, and over the years I have had the opportunity to meet several graduates and some teachers.  But being there in person at the competition was really eye opening.

“A large segment of America is in the midst of an economic and education crisis that threatens to relegate a vast majority of our future generations to the front seat of the bus: the driver's seat.”