Celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week and NFTE Philadelphia’s Visionary Gala
Posted by | November 17, 2011
Monday marked the start of Global Entrepreneurship Week, a growing movement to motivate aspiring entrepreneurs, help expand networks, and foster entrepreneurial ecosystems. The initiative kicked off in 2008, launched by former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Carl Schramm, the president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. This week, nations across six continents will come together to inspire innovation and creativity among students, educators, and business leaders.
I believe that initiatives such as this are vital to developing an entrepreneurial culture. An entrepreneurial skill set is not only empowering to individuals, but also helps foster participation in the community. Perseverance and commitment characterize the entrepreneurial spirit and are qualities we strive to instill in our students. The NFTE classes support the future of our business community by helping to prepare students for successful careers and sowing the seeds for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
As part of our programs, we encourage local business leaders to mentor our students. Their support shows the importance of entrepreneurs giving back to future leaders, which keeps the cycle of innovation alive.
Tonight, we will be celebrating our region’s youth entrepreneurs at the NFTE Philadelphia Visionary Gala. Key businesses in the Greater Philadelphia community have exemplified their commitment to entrepreneurship, and during the event, we’ll get a chance to honor the very best of them. We are humbled by the endless commitment of the many Greater Philadelphia business leaders who have contributed so much to the success of the NFTE program.
We want to give a special thanks to this year’s sponsors for their commitment to NFTE and supporting the programming that allows our students to create and build their own businesses. It is through the continued support of entrepreneurs that the next generation of leaders can emerge, developing the knowledge and skills that have a positive impact on their lives and communities, and are the keys to a healthy, thriving economy.
This is the perfect week to think big, turn ideas into a reality, and help others move forward.
How can you get involved? Check out what other activities are taking place in your area for Global Entrepreneurship Week and visit the NFTE Philadelphia website to get involved as a volunteer, be a mentor to NFTE students, or make an investment to develop tomorrow’s business leaders.
