The Oxford Mail recently wrote about a group of high school students who look it upon themselves to start a business during their regular academic year. The company was called Bizee Beads and the students made and sold items such as greeting cards and jewelry. They have generated 500 pounds so far.

While they may not be the most lucrative opportunities for students for immediate financial success, my own experience with Junior Achievement programs has been that getting the hands on entrepreneurial environment early on in life teaches you important lessons for when you go out and start your own business. You have the experience of creating a business plan, managing a team, and selling a product or service and you can do it all in a relatively risk-free environment with the advice of teachers and local business experts.

I have always said that my 3 years at Junior Achievement taught me more about running a business than all the courses I took in school and University because it was learn by doing, not by reading a textbook.

Have any of you had similar experiences?

Evan Carmichael