10 Ways to Raise Capital Without Leaving the House

You may have a wonderful business idea, but most startups require at least a little bit of money–or capital–to get off the ground. Aside from asking friends and family to invest in your business, what’s a young entrepreneur to do to raise money for things like website hosting and product production?  Here are ten simple things …

10 Ways to Raise Capital Without Leaving the House Read More »

What is Entrepreneurship?

Here at the Kantner Foundation, we celebrate young entrepreneurs. But what, exactly, is entrepreneurship? How can you get started? The Center for American Entrepreneurship defines entrepreneurship as: “…the process of starting and developing a company, with the aim of delivering something new or improved to the market, or by organizing the means of production in a superior way.” …

What is Entrepreneurship? Read More »

Follow Your Heart, Start a Business

For too many previous incarnations, running a business meant focusing on profit and growth. Social issues, community involvement, and sustainability were thought to be the exclusive purview of the non-profit sector. Thankfully, these days that is no longer the case.   While Ben & Jerry’s ice cream has been successfully balancing social initiatives with business profits …

Follow Your Heart, Start a Business Read More »

Marketing Ideas Anyone Can Use

One of your most important keys to success as a young entrepreneur is marketing yourself and your business. While online ads may be outside your budget, there are a few things you can do that are inexpensive yet effective. In fact, some of these ideas cost nothing but a little time and energy – and don’t require any special training on your …

Marketing Ideas Anyone Can Use Read More »

How (and Why) to Find Your Mentor

What is a Mentor? Why Do You Need One?   Young entrepreneurs are, by their very nature, bright and ambitious go-getters. The Kantner Foundation respects all the hard work you put into everything you do: school, community, sports, and your business. However, starting an enterprise from scratch, no matter how much research you do, isn’t easy.   There are common mistakes that nearly …

How (and Why) to Find Your Mentor Read More »

3 Things Young Entrepreneurs Can Learn from the Past

In early December 2020, the New York Times published this piece on a 1,020-year-old mochi shop in Kyoto, Japan. The shop stands out because the idea of a company staying in business for so long seems not only unlikely but impossible. Today, the average lifespan for a business is 15 years; it wouldn’t survive past 8th grade.   This is why young …

3 Things Young Entrepreneurs Can Learn from the Past Read More »