Entrepreneurship is essential to our future and, unfortunately, the modern image of entrepreneurship does not reflect our diverse population. This means we are missing out on so many innovations, new ideas, and creative solutions for the world’s challenges. So what can we do to change that?
VentureLab’s Founder, Dr. Cristal Glangchai, and Program Manager, Itzel Gutierrez, recently participated in a panel discussion with Arielle Milton and Shree Bose at SXSW EDU 2022 exploring this topic.
Here are three tips they discussed to help increase diversity in entrepreneurship:
1. Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset
At VentureLab, we believe that being entrepreneurial is much more than starting a business, it’s a way of thinking and a way of doing. Practicing entrepreneurial thinking helps people identify needs, brainstorm creative solutions, innovate, and take calculated risks. It helps them become more confident, creative, and embrace failure as a learning opportunity.
"Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for kids is put the right tools in front of them, and really great ideas come from that."
Shree Bose, Piper Learning, Inc. Tweet
That’s why learning and practicing entrepreneurship starts with cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset. The VentureLab entrepreneurial curriculum directly and indirectly teaches the critical mindsets and skills of an entrepreneur, helping youth and adults to see themselves as entrepreneurs, regardless of what career path they choose.
Learn more about fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in your classroom:
2. Start early
Early entrepreneur training provides the missing toolset and mindset needed to create future innovators and changemakers. Therefore, it should be part of every child’s education, and especially for girls and people of color. No age is too early to start cultivating entrepreneurial thinking!
“Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for kids is put the right tools in front of them, and really great ideas can come from that,” said Shree Bose, co-founder of Piper Learning, Inc.
The need to start early is why VentureLab offers youth entrepreneurship opportunities for youth from first to twelfth grade. Learn more!
"Entrepreneurship education shows youth that they can create their own futures and create their own opportunities."
Dr. Cristal Glangchai Tweet
3. Show youth entrepreneurs who look like them
What is the first image that comes to mind when you think of an entrepreneur? Is it someone that looks like Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk? We are constantly bombarded with those images of entrepreneurship from the media we consume and it leaves a skewed perception of what entrepreneurship is and what it could be.
"Representation matters. Young people have trouble imagining becoming people they don’t see."
Arielle Milton, The Mott Foundation Tweet
As much as possible, use real-life examples of female and people of color entrepreneurs so girls, youth, and minorities can be exposed to entrepreneurial role models that looks like them.
Let’s change the face of entrepreneurship and not miss out on the entrepreneurs or innovations that could have been!