7 Great Gift Ideas for Teen Entrepreneurs (Under $100) This is the title of my debut post on PBS Nightly Business Report Blog. It is awesome, awesome exposure as their blog is ranked on Alexa #536 in the U.S. and #1550 in the world! Whooop!

Tentatively, I am a guest blogger, but I will be blogging bi-weekly about teens in entrepreneurship so I expect I will get a regular self-branded column….fingers crossed

Excited about what’s in store for 2010 as I have already gotten nearly a dozen entries to partner with the Renegades and someone even gave a donation of 1 year membership to DC’s National Press Club , for one very deserving Renegade CEO, who loves writing, media, journalism, photography, broadcasting….you name it!

And if you happen to live in the DC area, bonus- you will be able to benefit from networking with Who’s Who at the events that are hosted regularly at the Club (A DC landmark for 100+ years and counting)!

Post for Week of Dec. 18, 2009: http://bit.ly/7aFG5h

My small group of teen entrepreneurs with BIG DREAMS, BIG HEART and BIG POTENTIAL is at it again and based on what they have scribbled down on the timeline for Q1 2010, things are definitely not slowing down anytime soon. I am ECSTATIC to report that in November 2009 the Top 4 Producing Renegade CEO’s (under my direct care) with an average age of 17.5 were ‘balling big time’ – having grossed nearly $100k combined in their respective businesses. They are igniting the energy and living through their entrepreneurial endeavors which is motivating the others. They represent a variety of traditional, service and technology related businesses and some even had to do the old school handshake big dollar contract get up.  How is that for Keeping It Renegade?

So how did they do it? Same as just about everybody else – They built their “big idea” starting with zero dollars, zero business knowledge and a lot of determination. I would have to say in my experience in collaborating and sharing with these teen entrepreneurs, the difference between them and most people is they LISTENED……………………..to themselves. It’s an art in itself.

And what was my role in all this?

I cared …………and connected with them, oftentimes when nobody else did. Nothing more, nothing less. I ask the same of you and will continue to ask it of others I meet along the way.

Just because the majority of teens do not have money or a recognized name especially when they are trying to launch an idea whether it is business or otherwise, does not mean they don’t have value.

Alas, their life circumstances dictate that they are teens by default . But let it be known, they are Renegade by choice .

Stay tuned as we decide on the best way to introduce them and their respective stories.

@teenbizcoach

iPhone Apps Madness continues for the Renegade CEO’s. Marshall Haas, BizBreak iphone app (Jan 2010 release) was just annouced as one of the Finalists in the App Star Awards (look for the ‘orange’ video). The App Star Awards acknowledges ‘Brilliant Upcoming’ iPhone Apps so this is obviously a huge honor to be considered for this award given the app has yet to launch.  The distinguished panel of judges includes technology and social media’s who’s who: Michael Arrington of Tech Crunch , Technical Evangelist Robert Scoble and French Blogger Loic LeMeur (creator of Seesmic.com). To read more about the app and see the list of distinguished judges: http://bit.ly/4tKXYM

This is huge news and comes fresh off the success of Ed Nash’s www.fitorfugly.com , which has reached nearly 10,000 paid downloads after being on the market for just over 2 weeks. It also got mentions in the Huffington Post and the Real Housewives of Orange County.

The Biz Break App allows you to release that bent up frustration that evolves from being constantly degraded by beating up your boss (VIRTUALLY) [only teenagers could think of something like this and actually be able to get away with it- huh?]. Wondering when he is going to partner up with [insert another Teen Renegade CEO] and introduce a version where you can [too good to put in the public domain]…..now that’s an idea!

The App is due to release in January 2010 with some other fun perk$ associated when you download the app but you’ll have to follow his blog to learn what it all goes down: www.bizbreakblog.com

Peep the preview video below for the BizBreak iPhone App. Awesome Job, Marshall! Love the background music

Beauty Was in the Eye of the Beholder….Until a Teen Developed an iPhone App to Prove Otherwise

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From being selected as a National TV Business Commentator for a show that reaches over a half million viewers daily to being chosen as the subject of a documentary that will reach in the millions of viewers- the past few weeks have brought a whirlwind of incredible news, amazing partnerships, international recognition and tremendous opportunities for the Renegade CEO’s and emerging Teen Entrepreneurs across the globe.

To the most amazing business coach who has helped me from nothing to everything and understands me. Devon Landers, 19, CEO, TexasCrawlers.com @DevonLanders on Twitter

Inquiries, questions, well-wishes and nastygrams gotta love them- have come from all over the place, from teens and adults, new and long-time friends, organizations and family, all asking me about my journey to this point and wanting to know how I got the ‘Golden Touch’. So what is this experience in the limelight all about and how does it feel? My teens have been famous for a long time so I have learned to live vicariously through them. Needless to say the question inspired me to write a post today about ‘Growing Up Renegade’.

BLOG CLIFF NOTES (Since I know I can sometimes be long-winded, tee hee he):

So how does it feel to be in the spotlight?

Just like it feels sitting at the conference table when you enter a new partnership- one person is looking at you with a big grin and thinking ‘we love these guys because they bring a fresh voice’ and another person is looking at you with a big grin and thinking ‘we love these guys because the real pundits are going to have them for lunch.’

Alas, it’s the same as it ever was….

Entrepreneurship is not a course or a class, but a level of consciousness. Therefore, in order to learn it you must first LIVE IT.

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What a fantastic week…it was! We had so many big things happen I don’t even know where to start. So I guess I will start from the beginning of the week.

1. Ed Nash, 18, UK, got his iphone app submitted for approval to Apple. Go Nashy! We also started his official marketing campaign for LamboFaces.com LamboFaces is his philanthropic endeavor where people pay 1 British Pound to upload their face on a website. The 100,000 most interesting and beautiful faces will be painted onto a Lamborghini. The ‘World’s First People’s Lamborghini’ will then be auctioned on eBay with no reserve price and the money will be used to build a hospital in a poor community in the south of Zanzibar. No idea where people think of this stuff. I swear I had nothing to do with this, lol.

Twitter @Nashy (I am not going to spill the beans on his app, but perhaps he will. I have to say it is a pretty cool concept…in a teen tech genius type of way).

2. Ben Lang, 16, (barely 16, lol) is on fire! First he did a book review on his blog which got 25+ comments. So we were able to line him up with a feature article on next month’s Toilet Paper Entrepreneur Blog which gets a whole lotta traffic.  Ask and you might receive. But threaten the influential blog owner who fears the worst if he doesn’t feature your teen entrepreneur and you know something, that usually works Also, Ben got his first article published in his local newspaper. It is a multi part article and just might turn into a regular syndicated column. WHEW HEW! When I heard that, it totally made my day. He is such a giving person and is sincerely and truly deserving of it.

Twitter: @entrepreneurpro (Ask him about his new sponsored comments program, it is a really cool concept!)

Full of grace and inspiration, Danielle Herb, Founder of Drop Your Reins, the Only Official Grrrl Renegade CEO, celebrated her Sweet 16 on October 23rd. Happy, Happy Birthday to Danielle!

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We are proud to announce that one of our Renegade CEO’s (and currently the only grrrl Renegade) Ms. Danielle Herb, ‘The Horse Listener’ and ADHD Conqueror is going to be the subject of a 1 hour TV documentary exclusively about her and her company. As if she couldn’t get any more famous huh? Over recent weeks a google search on her name has soared from 69,000 search results to 658,000!!! Renegades CEO Founder Shonika Proctor is so honored to be managing her brand development, strategic partnerships in the U.S. and abroad and her 2010 International Drop Your Reins Tour, whooop!

This past week has been over the top and filled with media highlights (inc 2 TV features), double digit partnership requests from around the globe and exciting news (including accepting a partnership with a Beverly Hills TV Production co. that represents 5 Major TV networks who want to build some TV shows around our teens…more to follow). Double Whooop! But the big news of the day centers around Danielle Herb who is the 2009 Yanik Silver Underground 5 Scholarship Award Recipient and 2008 Award Recipient of the Start Something Grant (Co-sponsored by Target and Tiger Woods). Having just landed her first major sponsor earlier this week, and landing on the front page of the Fernandina Beach, FL newspaper it seems that everything just keeps getting better for this small town girl with big, big dreams!

Danielle Herb, 15, is an inspirational speaker, author, pioneer and the the founder of the internationally recognized Drop Your Reins and the ‘Drop Your Reins Experience’, a Youth to Youth Program that uses natural horsemanship to give kids tools that will assist them in ways to overcome fears and challenges, develop healthy loving relationships, build trust, grow their inner confidence and self esteem. Clinics are hosted at the beautiful Cheers Ranch in Yulee, FL.

The documentary will be filmed live on Saturday, July 11, 2009 at one of Danielle’s Drop Your Reins Clinics. SearchAmelia.TV a North Florida based media organization that highlights news and happenings in Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach and Yulee, FL will be doing the filming.  The central theme of the documentary will be about Danielle and some of the experiential teaching techniques she uses with ADD/ADHD and Autistic youth using equine assisted activities. If you are in the North Florida (Jacksonville, FL) area you can attend as a spectactor or participant. http://bit.ly/IuGlz

You can learn more about Danielle Herb and her work at www.dropyourreins.com

Or connect with her on Twitter: @danielleherb

until next time….in true renegade ceo fashion- challenge not the limits of society, but the limits of oneself.

@teenbizcoach

I am not talking about Russell Simmons, I am talking about the other guy in the red shirt (on the front of the video screen shot at end of this post). Well you may not know him, but the funny thing is I do. His name is Daniel Uribe and he is the co-founder of Lazer Bearings with John Brzezicki. Note to Self: Daniel currently serves as the National Spokesperson for the Renegade CEO’s. [after you watch the video you will see his classic line and why he IS the most awesome National Spokesperson ever].  He knows its about the energy, having fun and being different (in the way you think and carry yourself). If you got that, you will always make the final cut

Anyway, I was browsing the web today for something completely unrelated when I came across this video in which he is leaning back on the front of it (in the red shirt, and most likely the only one that is still in his teens). So I just started cracking up to myself before I even pressed play. The coolest thing ever is the video was on the home page for The Race to BE which is a joint creative project between media mogul and multimillionaire Russell Simmons and the Kauffman Foundation which does alot of advocacy work for entrepreneurship and young entrepreneurs. Hence why Russell Simmons does the intro. The video recaps the film competition for Global Entrepreneurship Week where Daniel was one of five national finalists in the film competition (don’t ask, long story ). But just goes to show you- you just never know where a Renegade CEO is going to be or show up and how they may eventually inspire & impact the world (after the fact, lol). So make sure whenever you are out and about you are tearing down the walls and not being a wall flower because you never know who’s watching…or filming [big smile].

(Note: This is Part 2 of 2 from our innerview 2 days ago….sorry we were having “technical” difficulties yesterday).

Here is Part 1 if you missed it: “Part 1″

In Part II of his INNERview, we ask Teen CEO “Nashy” of ClastaZ.com questions that inquiring minds want to know . These questions were asked by our Renegades Community and Teen Biz Coach “Shonika Proctor”.  Hope everyone will find this useful as you continue to push forward with your own entrepreneurial pursuits:

1. You said you have been online since the age of 12…at what age did you start your first business and what was it?

Yea, that is right I have actually been active online since I was 12 either just browsing to find ways to make money, or attempting to create my own site. Looking back I don’t think you can call my first site a business, it was a free site I set up on freewebs! The only thing I paid for was the name: www.rediz.com. It was a shopping portal that simply displayed a lot of different sites selling numerous things. I was an affiliate of all of them, so was paid on click thru and also commission if a user went on to buy a product. It actually worked out well to start with but eventually traffic slowed down and commercially it turned out to be a failure. Having said that, I was so young at the time the money it made me felt like a lot and I learned some really valuable experience on the way.

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(Note: This is Part 1 of 2 of the INNERVIEW)

And here is Part 2 if you were looking for that (you’re welcome )

With his love of music, boyishly good looks and charming ways you’d think that UK teen Ed “Nashy” Nash was bringing back The British Invasion with a modern twist. But in fact, he’s soaring up the charts in a slightly different kind of way- as a successful teen entrepreneur with his latest social media venture www.ClastaZ.com a music discovery site which is used to find new music and dig up the old.

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