Pittsford Teens Continue Tradition of Entrepreneurship
By: Cierra Putman
Updated: October 2, 2012
A Rochester start-up continues to help area teens start their own business. The Young Entrepreneurs Academy works with students across our area and teaches them how to launch their own company.
Two of the academy's success stories are Pavan and Shreya Patel.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to do something," Pavan said.
He founded Empire Sports Stars. It makes sports paraphernalia.
"I like the business cards and just the idea that I created something and its mine," Pavan said.
His younger sister Shreya started a non-profit called Seniors to Seniors. She plans fun events for the elderly.
"Students are being sheltered they're being protected, they're being told what to do, but the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, they let you do it by yourself," Shreya said. "They're that stepping stone to becoming an independent person."
Through YEA the teens worked with a mentor to develop a businesses plan, which they pitched before launching. The program is available to area students in grades 6th thru 12th. It's a year long and costs about $1,000. The Patels' father, who is also an entrepreneur, was impressed by their progress.
"It's amazing," Nilesha Patel said. "When you look at them before this program and after they learn so many things."
To learn more, you can attend a YEA informational meeting. There are two this week. The first is at 6 tonight at the University of Rochester. The next one is Thursday at SUNY Geneseo.
To RSVP call YEA's office at 272-3535.
http://www.yeausa.org/
