On behalf of the entire SGU Community, I will like to express our absolute pleasure for being given the opportunity to join the Chamber in this very important venture. It is crucial, in this era where terms such as poverty alleviation has become one of our buzz words, that we embark upon projects that teach our people, especially our your people, self reliance. Building entrepreneurial spirit has long been a part of the SGU philosophy. Our very creation was by visionaries like Chancellor Modica and the late Sir Eric. Our tag line – “Think Beyond” embraces the very same ideal and it is this drive that we attempt to cultivate in our students. Some of you may have heard that as part of our business program students have the opportunity to do a 7 month externship at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Hands on experience to complement their education!

Some of the common complaints we hear from employers is that they need to teach new employees so much because they are not ready for work. We hear that the workforce can only absorb so many school leavers and hence persons need to be creative in finding employment. As a people, we have not developed a culture of financial literacy, which in turn has compromised our abilities to maximize on the little that we do earn. As a society, we do a lot of victim blaming and very little to give persons the tools to become productive members of society, early. “JA is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands on programs.” That is, JA goes beyond theory and teaches the ‘how to’.

I sincerely hope therefore, that your experience over the last seven or so months have been instructive. That it has been challenging but rewarding, that your curiosity has been peaked and you have been left yearning for more. That is, I hope that the entrepreneurial spirit has been kindled.

Michael Simmons of NYU in an article called, “Why Starting a Business now may be the Best Way to Achieve your Dreams” pointed to seven (7) myths of student entrepreneurship. Let’s raise them and dismiss them, ONE TIME.

 

1.    I don’t have enough money – many successful businesses were started by people with nothing. You will have to be creative, resourceful and make realistic plans

 

2.    I don’t have enough time – we all have 24 hours in the day. As a matter of fact, Napster, FedEx, Apple, Netscape, Microsoft and Dell were all started when their Founders were still in school. If it is important to you fit it into your schedule (less TV, liming, texting, whatever)

 

3.    I’m not smart enough – 50% of all millionaire entrepreneurs, never graduated from college. And 75% of all U.S. Presidents were in the bottom half of the high schools classes. Lesson, don’t allow your present class position to dictate your future.

 

4.    I’m not creative so I can’t come up with good ideas – Nonsense! That’s why there are libraries, the internet and friends to bounce ideas off of. In addition, you don’t have to invent something new, just improve on an old product.

 

5.    I can’t because the economy is bad – some of the most successful businesses were started during recessions. It might be cheaper to find talented assistance, lower rent, etc.

 

6.    I don’t have enough experience –Remember neither did Michael Dell of Dell Computers nor Bill Gates of Microsoft when they first started and besides: YOU JUST GOT SOME!

 

7.    I can’t because I’m afraid of failing – read up on the Wright brothers who created the first airplane, Henry Ford the automobile giant or Thomas Edison, who invented the light bulb. You can choose to define an unwanted outcome as failure OR a learning experience from which you will grow. You want to consider it a fall, then fall forward, NOT Backward.

Please allow me now to remind you of the core values of Junior Achievement:
➢    Belief in the boundless potential of young people
➢    Commitment to the principles of market-based economics and entrepreneurship
➢    Passion for what we do and honesty, integrity, and excellence in how we do it
➢    Respect for the talents, creativity, perspectives, and backgrounds of all individuals
➢    Belief in the power of partnership and collaboration
➢    Conviction in the educational and motivational impact of relevant, hands-on learning

SGU’s commitment to JA stems from our pledge to making a difference in Grenada, cultivating ingenuity, complementing the formal education system and developing thinkers as we challenge our young people to “Think Beyond” the traditional to foster personal and national development. I wish you a successful trade fair, a profitable liquidation and fertile ground for your future endeavors.