South By Southwest (SXSW) is a 10 day conference held in Austin, TX. It brings together the latest and greatest in film, music and digital media. That is an extremely oversimplified explanation so be sure to check out their website to see what they are all about.
A few months ago when I noticed that the Call for Speakers request was open I sent out emails to a number of the Renegade teens who are active online or in the film, music, media and creative space. Today, I am proud to announce that 3 of our panel submissions were selected for consideration to be presented during the actual venue.
1. The Age of Micro Business and Teen Entrepreneurs http://bit.ly/Vote4Teens (Submitted by Shonika Proctor)
2. Horses Heal ADD/ADHD and Autistic Kids http://bit.ly/VoteDYR Submitted by Danielle Herb, 15, Drop Your Reins)
3. Teens and the Age of New Media http://bit.ly/sxsw2010panel (Submitted by Matt Pippen, 18, Teen Media Productions)
One third of the requirement for a panel to be accepted is based on votes. So if you could be so kind can you please click on the links above and vote for each one of our panels? We would greatly appreciate it.
Do you have a panel submission that you are trying to promote for the for venue? Please post it in the comments section.
Until next time…
Don’t talk about it, BE ABOUT IT!
Comments Off Posted by Shonika Proctor on Monday, August 17th, 2009
The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Linked In Members was shared with us today by Teen Entrepreneur, Patricio Quezada of HispanicsLearn.com who was recently featured on Hispanic Entrepreneur [Congrats, btw].
I think the tips are useful for teen entrepreneurs especially those who are new to Linked In. Although I have to admit it is difficult to personally write back to every single person who responds to a question from you. Kudos to hard core LI folks like “Relo Mary” and “Tim Tym” who get a serious amount of inquiries to their questions and posts and have the focus and time to do that.
The article itself was written by Randy Schrum who runs the blog ‘Success With Linked In’.
Just in case you didn’t get the memo on it: Service Organizations are supposed to serve the people. While I realize that we live in a capitalist society it is still very possible to achieve your social mission and make money and today’s teen entrepreneurs are doing just that.
Having my pulse on society I am feeling that all the world needs now is a little organic cleansing. These organizations that have been around for years and years whether non profit or for profit are going to be flatlining soon. I am on the grassroots level and very connected at the community level. Like a bad criminal who has left too many clues, their tell tale signs are evident. Everyday I am making calls on behalf of my teens and my work with teens. I look for opportunities at the local, regional and national level where they can take an active role, serve on committees and board of directors and have their voices heard especially as it pertains to policies and topics that directly impact them and their future. Before I go off on my 1 min tangent about these bullies in the ’social’ service space I want to share some tips on how my visionary teen proteges and emerging young leaders can avoid going down that same path.
5 Tips on Serving For Young Entrepreneurial Leaders:
1. Companies are built for customers not for you. Without customers your business cannot exist. You must serve before you can lead. My average client is 17 years old and from Day 1 it is my duty and honor to serve them and support them like the great leaders they are of our time.
2. Walk with them. Don’t tell people to take a different path or lead them to the path if you are not going to walk with them. Embrace. Educate. Empower.
3. Know Your Impact. My global program strategist, Wheatle Peart taught me about the importance of tracking metrics and reach. You need to know your numbers. Use a list management system such as http://bit.ly/madmimi1 (up to 100 people can register on your list before you incur a monthly subscription fee). This is a program that will allow you to capture emails of people who visit your website/blog. It is IMPERATIVE that you have one of these. When you need to connect with your audience to make an announcement, offer a new product, host an event it helps if you know where they are and can reach them at once. Encourage people to keep in touch via your email list or social networking site.
4. Build a Bridge for the People. You need to serve as a conduit. If people are connecting to you, that usually means they respect your work and want to be involved. If you don’t want to personally take the calls have someone on your team (i.e. your mom/dad/grandparent or a college intern in marketing, business or social services) who will accept the calls/emails on your behalf and have a way to build a bridge to get people where they want to go. If you don’t know what is happening at the ground level you can’t continue to stay at the top. You need to know the challenges that exist in the marketplace so you can innovate and evolve with the ever changing marketplace. Use a survey or feedback system like Survey Monkey.
5. Leverage Your Community. You don’t need to do anything and everything on your own. Other people will gratefully and humbly support your cause. Don’t be afraid to ask. Be inclusive and express your sincere appreciation. If you give them a space they will fill it.
So what inspired this post today? Even though I am so tempted at this point, I will not even put high profile Acronym ’service based’ economic development organizations on blast in this post. Long story short- Since the late spring/early summer I have been calling, emailing, calling and emailing some very high profile ‘urban’ organizations that have presence at the national level. While they advertise that they are all about economic empowerment, working with the community and uplifting today’s youth, the reality seems to be unless you are an ‘elitist’ (you are a person with a branded name who only talks to other people with branded names) or a ‘victim’ (a national story can be made to profit from you) it is not likely you will get a call back. So tell me…who are they really helping?
Until next time kids….challenge not the limits of society but the limits of oneself.
@teenbizcoach
Comments (2) Posted by Shonika Proctor on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Washington, DC – Group Interactive, Inc. today unveiled a new membership based division of their company, ‘Global Partners for Innovative Teen Entrepreneurs’. The purpose of the organization is to bring independent youth centric organizations from around the globe together to collaborate and build better programs to support teens who are social, technological, environmental and entrepreneurial innovators.
The Global Partners for Innovative Teen Entrepreneurs will fill a huge void in the marketplace: lack of experiential, innovative AND entrepreneurial programs that exist for today’s technologically savvy and visionary teenagers.It will provide an infrastructure and network for organizations to connect and collaborate so that they can achieve both their individual and collective missions. Additionally, it will serve as a resource for corporations and schools that may need help coming up with “creative and progressive” programs especially for STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math) Initiatives. Entrepreneurial teens will be strategically partnered with them to design the programs that speak to their peers.
“Across socioeconomic boundaries, my teens are designing and engineering pit motocross bikes, creating and testing natural alternatives for ADD/ADHD and Autism, trying to bring commercial high tech applications into the consumer space and creating anti-piracy awareness campaigns. It’s just a typical day,” says Shonika Proctor, Founder of the Global Partners for Innovative Teen Entrepreneurs. “The challenge in finding ongoing support for them is they often have ‘hybrid’ needs coupled with being a teenager. I have found that a lot of traditional youth organizations are intimidated and overwhelmed by today’s teens. We desperately need a collective initiative bringing together best of breed practitioners that include entrepreneurs, engineers and compassionate community leaders along with a 21st century vision.”
About Group Interactive: Washington, DC based Group Interactive is an experiential training design company with a primary focus on teen workforce development and entrepreneurship programs. To date, their books, programs, speeches and coaching services have impacted over 12,300 youth in the U.S. and in countries such as England, Canada, Singapore, Bosnia, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Teens enrolled in the Renegade CEO’s Coaching Program have established innovative niche businesses, written and published books, built companies from scratch to 4 figures per month, launched onto the speaking circuit and been the subject of a 1 hour TV documentary. They have won leadership and entrepreneurship awards at the national and international level and have been featured in major media outlets such as CNN, Black Enterprise Magazine, Business Week and Fox Morning Business News.http://bit.ly/globalpartners
Comments (2) Posted by Shonika Proctor on Friday, July 31st, 2009
This post today comes courtesy of Wayne Liew, 19, year old self taught entrepreneur with internet marketing savvy.
If you are not following Wayne’s Blog, you should! I frequently find myself reading a lot about many of the things as he is blogging on. So he definitely has his finger on the pulse…at least in the world according to me
Follow @wayneliew if you are on Twitter to stay looped on trends in small business ownership and marketing via social media!
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
This opportunity was sent to us courtesy of Kari Dunlop of “Glinda Girls”. Contest deadline is July 15, 2009.
Are You A ‘Grrrrl’ Entrepreneur With Heart, Brains and Courage?
Enter The Business of Bliss Pitchfest and you could
Win a Business Booster Package Worth $30,000!
All ideas are welcome – whether you’re a business owner, an artist, a nanny, a philanthropist or even the next Oprah, we’re looking for the next big idea, clever twist or novel notion to inspire the world.
Five finalists will be selected to pitch their big idea to our panel of savvy, friendly, inspiring Celebrity Glinda Girl Judges including: celebrity brow guru Anastasia Soare (www.anastasia.net), tarte cosmetics creator Maureen Kelly (www.tarte.com) and Danielle LaPorte, the outspoken and inspiring voice behind www.whitehottruth.com.
The successful “pitch” will win a Business Booster Prize package worth $30,000 of business and lifestyle services that will support you on your journey down the yellow brick road…a new lap top, marketing coaching, pr strategy, professional head shot, shopping with your own personal stylist and more!
You’ve already got the great idea – now all you have to do is present it! Big gain – no pain (Glindas are the good ones, not the wicked ones!)
Submission deadline is July 15th. Net proceeds supporting kiva.org.
Additional details found at www.glindagirls.com/contest/
You’ve always had the power…turn it on!
Comments (1) Posted by Shonika Proctor on Friday, July 3rd, 2009
Today is Canada Day…So Happy Birthday Canada! And in 3 days in the U.S. we will celebrate Independence Day. I thought it was timely to write about this today because earlier today Patricio and I spoke to an entrepreneurship class filled with enthusiastic 14-16 year olds at the William E. Doar Jr. Public Charter School in NE Washington, DC.
We were inspired by the youth who attended the school. It is a performing arts school and even though we didn’t get to see them doing their ‘individual talents’, it’s just the whole energy and culture that surrounds creative young people who are confident, comfortable and glad to be ’different’ or ’individualistic’. The class was attentive and they asked lots of introspective questions. To give you some idea of how much they were into it, we were scheduled to be there for 30-45 min and we ended up staying there for over 2 hours!!! We even got a chance to do some laser coaching sessions and without any prior preparation or knowing that we would be doing that, everyone came up with some really great ideas. We definitely hope some if not all of them we worked with today will actually pursue some of the ideas that they shared (and in the very near future).
This is how the life of an entrepreneur jump starts….fearlessly being YOU everyday in every way. Realize you have something special and of value to offer the world today that is truly unique to you. So don’t be afraid to OWN it!
Big thanks to Jamila White, The Ecommerce Diva (@ecommercediva on Twitter) for sharing the speaking opportunity with us. And also to Monique Riviere, the entrepreneurship teacher who hosted us today. Last but not least many thanks to all the young people who asked questions, sat in the ‘hot seat’ and openly participated in the presentation today. We appreciate your enthusiasm and are grateful to have had the chance to meet you all and share with you today!
Until next time…
remember that a true renegade ceo challenges not the limits of society….but the limits of oneself.
Comments (5) Posted by Shonika Proctor on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
“On behalf of Girl Scouts of the USA and Microsoft Windows, I would love to introduce you to a new initiative called “LMK (text-speak for “Let Me Know,”) which provides parents and girls with resources catering to both generations, and whose goal is to bridge the digital gap between parents and teenagers.
On www.lmk.girlscouts.org, the girl-targeted website, teens can find interactive quizzes, videos, and expert articles to be informed about online safety in a fun way! Girls can comment on the site content, sharing their thoughts, experiences and perspectives on topics many teens face everyday, like cyberbullying and social networking. New content is posted periodically and will cover twelve different areas related to being a teen online today. Teens can even download an interactive patch they can share on social networking sites like Facebook, just by registering for the site at no cost. Best of all, it’s for all teenagers, not just Girl Scouts! Continue reading…
Comments Off Posted by Shonika Proctor on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
Carrrlita27 (sometimes incorrectly referred to as Carlita 27) is a 14 year old teen entrepreneur and rising online star aka internet personality on You Tube. See her video below that has over 3.5 million views!!! In a recent interview on Fox she said that she started making videos for fun about random things in her life and one of her videos went viral (meaning it was getting sent all over the place) and that basically started a domino effect. As a result of all her instant new found fame she got contacted by You Tube with an offer to set up a partner account and now she enjoys paid advertising on her site and her site draws in somewhere in the 4 figures per month.
I know a lot of teens that try to go this path of overnight You Tube Star. But it seems like when you are trying to make something viral no matter how much marketing you put forth it never happens! Go figure, huh? It is always something really random that becomes popular. Needless to say if you are out there marketing you tube videos you should always have a blog or something ready to be able to capture the continued interest of all those ‘fans’ who may be curious about you in general and want to see other things you have to offer. And instead of focusing all your efforts trying to make a viral video, focus on your niche/specialty business and create videos that tie back to that brand. This is what will build you a strong, loyal following of raving fans and repeat buyers. Remember it was ultimately the turtle who beat the hare.
Ready to start your small business empire? Send the responsible adult in your life here http://bit.ly/4P8dx
Until next time-
keep it real and keep it moving…. @teenbizcoach
Comments (4) Posted by Shonika Proctor on Thursday, June 18th, 2009
or a college intern in marketing, business or social services) who will accept the calls/emails on your behalf and have a way to build a bridge to get people where they want to go. If you don’t know what is happening at the ground level you can’t continue to stay at the top. You need to know the challenges that exist in the marketplace so you can innovate and evolve with the ever changing marketplace. Use a survey or feedback system like 
