THATCHER — The next wave of Gila Valley entrepreneurs started the path to small business ownership Monday.
The Small Business Development Center at Eastern Arizona College started its Youth Entrepreneur Excellence Training Monday for high school students interested in owning their own business.
The program grew out of the 2023 Rural Policy Forum.
“We took that time to come up with an idea of something we could bring back to the Gila Valley and our service area, and that was a youth entrepreneur program,” said Eric Bejarano, with the SBDC.
The business boot camp runs from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Wednesday, where the teens will receive “hands-on, practical experience. You’ll create real business ideas, develop business plans, and gain insights into the challenges and opportunities that entrepreneurs face every day,” the program description reads.
On Thursday, the participants will then pitch their business ideas and the best pitches will receive prize money, with first place receiving $1,000, second $500 and third $250.
“That’s where United Way (of Graham and Greenlee Counties) came in,” Bejarano said. “Thank you . . . to those on the board and especially to the donors who donate to United Way. We couldn’t do this without them.”
Also helping sponsor the program is Arizona Commerce Authority.
