#TeenBoss

#TeenBoss is an initiative aimed at exposing youth to entrepreneurship. We aim to challenge conventional programmes and change the mindset of youth through exposure to entrepreneurship. #TeenBoss joins teen entrepreneurs on a three day adventure, helping them discover their talents and learning how to turn their passion into a profit.

#TeenBoss is a three day event designed for maximum impact on teenagers, exposing them to entrepreneurial and leadership skills. 

The workshop encourages teenagers to turn their passion into a profitable business and equips them with the tools to do so. With the unemployment rate at its highest since 2005, and youth unemployment at over 50%, we want to instil an entrepreneurial mindset into the hearts and minds of young South Africans and inspire a generation of innovative thinkers who can design their own future. 

The programme takes each participant and their team on a journey from a defined initial problem through to a business proposal presentation. Each team is tasked with providing a business solution to a social problem. Teenagers team up to exchange ideas and work together to build a business plan which they will present on the last day of the workshop to a panel of judges (Dragon's Den style). Each team receives feedback on their plan and follow up mentoring after the workshop.

Every participant walks away from the 3-day  #TeenBoos experience with a framework to address social and community problems and turn them into viable business solutions. Leadership, teamwork and collaboration are also key take home outcomes for each participant. 

The South African economy is shrinking. We are also in the midst of an educational crisis, where even those who do access and complete their education, are simply not equipped enough to enter and stay in the world of work. 

Whilst #TeenBoss is focused on inspiring South African youth to become entrepreneurs, we also believe that the programme allows for participants to function in an entrepreneurial mindset. This facilitates for disadvantaged youth to engage in critical thinking and to adapt to this ever changing world. 

Within the South African context, #TeenBoss seeks to address the crisis of youth unemployment. 

The first #TeenBoss workshop had 70 participants from Cape Town. 

The second #TeenBoss workshop hosted 50 participants and received the attention of the Tourism Deputy Minister. Our workshop was recorded by a TV show that has a daily viewership of 2.5million where our participants were featured in a daily 3-minute segment. 

In South Africa, the muliplier effect is such that for every working individual, s/he is supporting up to 7 dependents. 

It is therefore necessary and urgent for initiatives like #TeenBoss to receive support.

#TeenBoss addresses youth unemployment by imparting entrepreneurial mindset. This is key to particpants accessing skills that allow for them to create their own businesses that address social problems and also employ people. Some youth will choose to enter the world of employment, entrepreneurial mindset is a valuable attribute that allows for young people to adapt to a dynamic environment and mitigate gaps in knowledge as a result of low quality education. Employers appreciate a workforce that is entrepreneurial, whilst the state benefits youth population that creates employment. #TeenBoss is a three-day, expert-led workshop hosted across South African cities. 

Host 10 #TeenBoss workshops in 10 locations in South Africa to reach a target of 500 participants - Create awareness around entrepreneurship within young people

One viable business per workshop. Register the business, launch the business and business generates an income - Young people turn passion into profit

Work with the Department of Basic Education to host #TeenBoss workshops as an endorsed extra curricular activity in schools. - Instil entrepreneurial mindset in young people

#TeenBoss is a fun and interactive workshop that breaks from the norm of how South African youth is taught. Each workshop comprises of 10 75-minute sessions that take each participant through the business planning process. Sessions kick off with a 15-minute presentation, delivered by young and successful entrepreneurs. This approach is rare in South Africa. #TeenBoss engages on social networking platforms, where the last workshop had over half a million impressions on Twitter alone, within three days. As #TeenBoss grows, we would like to create a database that will be of benefit to future youth entrepreneurs and to employers alike. 

The starting point for every #TeenBoss workshop is the definition of problems that face the communities from which the participants come. The first session of the workshop focuses on the participants explaining these problems to each other and therefore storytelling is the springboard to creating a business. This is a unique feature of the human centred approach to creating ideas as participants are compelled to interrogate themselves and each other with regards to what they see as problems that they believe they can solve. 

#TeenBoss is leveraging on the South African regulatory framework. All large corporations are required to engage in Corporate Social Investment activities as a means of participating in Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBB-EE). Corporations are assessed and awarded with a grade that allows for them to access incentives from the Department of Trade and Industry. Something like #TeenBoss falls within the “enterprise development” and “socio-economic development” categories of the BBB-EE scorecard. These categories hold the highest weighting on the scorecard. #TeenBoss therefore can operate as a corporate-sponsored event that is free of charge to participants. 

Four successful, passionate entrepreneurs, all under the age of 40, lead #TeenBoss. Each member of the leadership team has the resources to sustain themselves during the growth phase of #TeenBoss. Furthermore, each entrepreneur is in a business that can support their efforts in growing #TeenBoss. In other words, each member of the leadership team can dedicate time to this initiative whilst delaying remuneration.  #TeenBoss has already been piloted and has been enthusiastically received over two iterations. It is now time for #TeenBoss to grow. During the growth phase of #TeenBoss, the team will rely on sponsors absorbing costs and also paying honoraria to them. As #TeenBoss grows, it will need to employ full time staff, who will be supported by this current team of leaders. 

#TeenBoss will be registered as a Non Profit Company in South Africa. This means that there will be limitations on its ability to generate streams of revenue, especially given the profile of its beneficiaries. The regulatory framework in South Africa does provide incentives for corporate entities to support socio-economic development and enterprise development initiatives such as #TeenBoss. The limitation is that corporate budgets are subject to the economic climate.  Our current targeted beneficiaries are high school learners, whose time we are competing for - #TeenBoss will consistently have to prove itself to its audience as relevant, necessary and useful. 

#TeenBoss is the articulation of the vision for a better South Africa and a better life for all Africans. The vision is for the improvement of all lives, without relying on government largesse or charity. It is a grand vision but one that comes to life through collaboration, simple interventions and an emphasis on people. For #TeenBoss, Solve represents the best of what humanity can offer Africa, given that Africa has offered the rest of the world so much. #TeenBoss provides a youthful glimpse into Africa, which will be of benefit to all partners in the Solve community.

Over The Rainbow: Providing entrepreneurs with knowledge, connections and support that will enhance their success in business. 

Teen Entrepreneur: Cultivating and promoting and entrepreneurial spirit amongst high school learners 

There are no identified competitors.