1. The Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow Are in Our Schools Today!

2. The Changing Economy According to the SBA there were 27.2 million businesses in the US The number of nonemployer firms has risen steadily in this decade, from 16.5 million in 2000 to an estimated 21.1 million in 2007. An estimated 637,100 new employer firms began operations in 2007 and 560,300 firms closed that year. Only 5% of closures were bankruptcy. In the most recent year with data (2005), employer firms with fewer than 500 employees created 979,102 net new jobs, or 78.9 percent of net new jobs.

3. Education levels of Small Business owners 24% High School or less 28% Some college 24 % Bachelors degree 19% Post graduate degree (Associate Degrees are not shown in data) 2002 latest Small Business Census data available

4. Entrepreneurs are not Born…. They “Become” through the Experiences of their Lives! Professor Albert Shapero, The Ohio State University Entrepreneurship Education is a Lifelong Learning Process

5. ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS bring Special Opportunities for American Youth… 1.Orientation to change and opportunities everywhere 2.Student motivation based on opportunity to use personal skills and talents 3.Understanding that success and wealth comes to those who create something that benefits others 4.Belief that entrepreneurship experiences of any kind develop expertise over time 5.Establish entrepreneurship curriculum that provide students with * educational rigor, * real world relevance, and * connections to adult world relationships.

9. THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP FORUM IS… IDEA SHARING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORKING NEW RESOURCES ADVICE FROM ENTREPRENEURS AWARDS NEW FRIENDS SUPPORT SYSTEMS

10. ….so I can bring back great ideas for our community and share them with you. I invite you to sponsor my participation in the 29 th Annual Entrepreneurship Education FORUM