The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneur’s Academy (YEA!) has an exciting month approaching with their YEA! Trade Show scheduled on May 6th and class graduation on May 9th. The YEA! students are ages 11 to 18 and are taught by local entrepreneurs and introduced to guest lecturers, successful entrepreneurs, and business mentors.
Ready to reveal eight new start-up businesses, these students are preparing to sell their products and services to the public at the YEA! Trade Show on Saturday, May 6th from 12:00-2:00 PM at Mesa Mall. Come by and show your support for the YEA! Class of 2023 and their diverse businesses:
- Korbin Henson, KRH Clothing
- Kylee McLaughlin, Sarah’s SheShack
- Caden Motz, Custom Strings
- Alivia Nicodemus, HomeTown Macrame
- Brayden Rooks, S’More and More
- Alaina Scripps, Alaina’s Studio
- Brayden Urlacher, Moko Manta Ray
- Sienna Wright, Tyne Metal Works
Following the Trade Show, on Tuesday, May 9th, the TENTH class of YEA! will officially graduate at CMU’s Maverick Innovation Center. These eight YEA! students will finish out the year strong and will be able to officially call themselves the CEOs of their own companies!
Throughout the YEA! program, students develop the necessary skills, from hands-on entrepreneurial experience, to launching their own business or social movement, while also becoming more confident in their ideas and abilities. Each step of the way, students work with prominent business leaders from throughout the community, learning, and networking with those who know the ins and outs of the business world best.
The Chamber staff is already looking forward to the future and the next class of budding entrepreneurs who will begin their own 28-week odyssey to owning and operating a business in the fall of 2023. YEA! students are taught by local entrepreneurs and are introduced to guest lecturers, successful entrepreneurs, and each paired with a business mentor. They brainstorm ideas, write business plans then launch their own company or social movement. YEA!’s academic year runs from October through May, with classes meeting every Tuesday from 4:00-7:00pm.
The program will begin accepting applications for next year’s YEA! class of 2024 in June 2023. For more information visit https://gjchamber.org/young-entrepreneurs-academy-yea.