What you will learn from this book
We can awaken the intuitively innovative spirit
Social structures and systems are often inherently dysfunctional. That dysfunction creates a predicament for many youth. The pre-apprenticeship component of the ESP concept revives the natural ability we possess to overcome challenges with imaginative solutions.
Apprenticeships for youth entrepreneurs pay dividends
The needs of youth entrepreneurs parallel those of skilled-trade apprentices. An apprenticeship program for aspiring entrepreneurs, like the one introduced in the ESP book, can have a positive impact on the well-being of the participants and the wider community.
Early detection of a problem reduces the cost of recovery
In any field, lingering problems result in a higher cost of recovery. Early detection and a proactive response reduce recovery costs. A quality entrepreneur apprenticeship program puts this truth into practice and generates better social and economic returns on investments made in youth entrepreneurship.
An unlikely source of global knowledge offers a new perspective
Worldwide, communities proactively manage the full life cycle of “non-breathing” assets such as roads and bridges. With lifelong benefits in mind, the Entrepreneurial Spirit Program applies the management concept to our “breathing assets” – our youth. The care and feeding program recommended by ESP is a support channel for apprentice entrepreneurs.
Youth independence need not come from going it alone
Communities that teach a new understanding of strengths, weaknesses, and imperfections encourage youth to ask the right people for the right help at the right time. This concept is a foundational principle of ESP.
External measurement and analysis are good things
Thanks to the forces of social media and big data, no person, place, or thing can escape external assessment. This phenomenon has value, though: it moves us to look beyond our own biases and perhaps see things the way others see them. It has the potential to change behavior for the better. The ESP concept of apprenticeship for aspiring entrepreneurs openly measures and evaluates performance.
