Last month, the 2021 Class of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, a Grand Junction Chamber program that serves as the catalytic spark for students as young as 11 to become entrepreneurs and
champion their own professional development, welcomed their business mentors to class! Though business mentor involvement looks a little different this year, with mentors having to join the class virtually— business mentors are still an essential component of the YEA! program and crucial to the success of the YEA! students.
YEA! students are charged with the difficult task of completing a business plan and Investor Panel presentation in the span of just seven weeks. That’s where the YEA! mentors come in! These business mentors have generously volunteered their time to work one on one with a student, 90 minutes a week for a total of seven weeks.
The one-on-one support mentors provide is a tremendous opportunity for students as they are formulating their business plans. Mentors guide students as their businesses grow from just an idea, to a well thought out plan. In the process, mentors have the opportunity to work with some really great students!
“As a YEA! mentor, I am able to guide and inspire the young men and women of today that have a dream of being more than the world tells them they can be. These young entrepreneurs are a joy to be around and always inspire me to be and do more!” – Jeff Crew’s, Intermountain Safety, YEA! Business Mentor for the Class of 2019 & 2020 We’d like to thank our dedicated Business Mentors for taking the time to guide our students through the entrepreneurial process. YEA! Class of 2021
Business Mentors:
- Ann Hartter, Hartter Education
- Kirstin Maska, Mesa County Workforce Center
- Paola Perez, CMU SHRM Chapter President
- Jennifer Pettingill, Bank of the San Juans
- Andrea Potter, Community Hospital
- Shannon Power, Blythe Group + co.
- Laura Smith, Vectra Bank
- Nicole Troester, GJEP
- Mariko Wilcox, Northwestern Mutual
- Lindsay Woodrich, Mesa County Workforce Center