In the early days of the program, 1996 to its incorporation in October of 1998, the Executive Director’s efforts were focused on sharing his personal, educational and business experiences with youth throughout the greater Chicagoland area. In April of 1997, the YEP began conducting a series of discussions at networking events in Chicago including one at Ace’s Business Network Affair (A.B.N.A). Addressing some 50 businessmen and women these discussions stressed the benefits of introducing youth to the world of small business.

In June of 1998, the Young Entrepreneurs Program hosted a small business brunch that brought together some 18 of the City of Chicago’s top young business minds in an effort to exchange ideas, address critical business issues and concerns and to promote each other’s businesses. On July 20th, 1998 the Young Entrepreneurs Program began hosting the first in a series of annual workshops that ran during the summer through 2000 in the City of Chicago. These initial workshops focused on teaching students basic business concepts and encouraging them to explore their options in creating their own financial opportunities.

Since 1998 the Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP) has been committed to helping students get an early start on small business success and obtain a better understanding of economic literacy through enterprise and technology. The Young Entrepreneurs Program gained local and national recognition when the Chicago Tribune ran an article entitled ‘Getting In Tune’ (August 6, 1998) featuring a then 14-year-old Mitchell Gaddis, one of the programs first participants. In the February 1999 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine, renowned marketer Jerry Fisher featured the program’s efforts in an article titled ‘Fishing for Ideas’ in his monthly Ad Workshop section. On January 27th, 2003 The Chicago Defender ran a front-page photo on January of one of the program’s early students.

Vision:
The Young Entrepreneurs Program is an Illinois based, 501(c)(3), non-profit dedicated to 'nurturing a new generation of entrepreneurs'. Our intent is to teach young, aspiring entrepreneurs (ages 12-18) how to get an early start on small business success and gain a better understanding of 'economic literacy' through enterprise and technology.