We were lucky to catch up with Naomi Porter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Naomi, thanks for joining us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

My parents created a home environment where we were able to ask questions and embrace creativity. We never had an idea that was too foolish or a thought that wasn’t relevant. Any time we had an idea we were supported and encouraged. Likewise, service was always an integral part of my family structure and we were taught at a young age the importance of giving back and helping others.

Naomi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

EntrepreYOUership is a 501(c)3 nonprofit I founded in 2019 to overcome financial and educational barriers to create opportunities for young people from all zipcodes and backgrounds to become entrepreneurs. My challenge as a teen entrepreneur is that I rely on self-education for daily business operations. I independently learn about website development, content creation, and employment law. I create my own logistical resources, while developing tools to measure impact. Little of what I learned during school prepares me for these challenges, which motivated me to take action.

The main barrier to entrepreneurship is that youth have limited information about how to begin. EntrepreYOUership solves this problem by offering youth access to free workshops, consulting services and an extensive mentor network. We equip youth to make their own jobs, based on needs and opportunities identified in their communities. Through individualized coaching sessions, we help participants write business plans and identify a path to profitability.
Our partnerships with 45+ organizations have served 3800+ youth. We have raised $17,000 that goes directly to young entrepreneurs through funding competitions to provide youth with physical materials required to begin. 100% of funding has been awarded to youth with demonstrated financial need from underrepresented backgrounds.

EntrepreYOUership’s leadership team reflects geographic and racial diversity because representation matters. We are youth led to debunk the myth that entrepreneurship is reserved for adults with fancy degrees who have access to venture capital. It can be intimidating for youth to enter spaces led by highly accomplished adults, which is why we focus on creating a community of teen entrepreneurs who support each other. Our tag line is “You can do it too!” because we want youth to see themselves as capable of starting businesses and managing professional finances, even when they are young. Our team includes 13 Directors, 10 Journalists, and 141 Ambassadors from 35 countries. Our team implements our curriculum and financial literacy book clubs and translates our curriculum, opportunities and promotional materials into 5 languages.

The social problems we face are opportunities for entrepreneurial minds to address them. The path forward to address climate change, racial inequalities, and economic injustices will require young people to look at our individual talents and ask: “How can I use my passions to make the world a better place?”

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The biggest pivot for EntrepreYOUership came during the pandemic where we had to adapt to completely online programming. This turned out to be the moment where we grew exponentially. We grew our audience and were able to reach people from around the globe at the touch of a button.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Clear communication! Our organization is entirely youth led so we understand when young people have exams, family issues and other events so we lead with grace. Remembering your team is a human first helps to build trust. Encouraging them to take on new projects and saying yes to team members taking initiative is vital.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://entrepreyouership.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naomiporterpv/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomiporterpv/

Image Credits
Ute Reckhorn