Young Entrepreneurs

Young, Rich, and Calling Their Own Shots

Entrepreneurs keep getting younger and younger, while their companies only get bigger. From solar energy to lobster trapping, the members of our annual 30 Under 30 list are shaking up a variety of industries -- and doing it on their own terms. Meet the next big stars of the business world.

While there's no magic formula for success in business, it never hurts to be quick on your feet, able to brush aside fears, and come armed with a fresh perspective. It's no wonder we're seeing more and more young entrepreneurs these days.

Take Aaron Hall, who was just 21 years old when he took over a struggling solar power firm from a family friend. Now 28, Hall sits at the helm of a rising star in the energy industry, poised to hit $60 million in revenue.

Then there's Tina Wells, who was a teenager herself when she started writing product reviews for young people. At 28, she now heads Buzz Marketing Group, which develops marketing research and strategy for SonyBMG, among other corporate giants.

And don't forget Leanna Archer, who was barely 10 years old when she launched a line of all-natural hair-care products. This year, she's set to bring in $150,000. In October, she turns 13.

That kind of early-life success has landed all three a spot on this year's 30 Under 30, Inc.com's annual ranking of the nation's top young entrepreneurs. As always, this year's group reflects the broad interests and skills of a tech-savvy generation connected to the world and its markets like no other in history. They range from a basement start-up offering cheap WiFi access in underserved communities from San Francisco to India, to a multimillion-dollar federal contractor providing IT services for the Pentagon.

In between, we have a pair of lobstermen selling lobster trap timeshares, and a group of college-age guys who will haul anything out of your home for a price.

Whatever your idea, starting a business at any age has its challenges. For young entrepreneurs like these, that can include juggling homework and making payroll. It can also mean convincing your parents, bankers, and other grown-ups to take you seriously. Yet despite the many pitfalls -- least of which is the current economic downturn -- a growing number of tweens, teenagers, and 20-somethings want to be their own boss.

Of 2,400 young people surveyed last year by the Kaufman Foundation, four out of 10 said they wanted to start their own business. And 63 percent told the Kansas City, Mo.-based non-profit group that through hard work, they could do it, too.

Most said running their own businesses would allow them to put their skills to work, build something for the future, and make money. Increasingly, those entrepreneurial instincts are being fostered at school -- and at an early age. According to the National Council on Economic Education, a growing number of states are adding entrepreneurship studies to K-12 curriculums, though the topic is also feeding into math, history, and other standard high school subjects. There are now more than 2,000 colleges and universities offering at least one course in entrepreneurship, compared to just 300 in the mid 1980s, studies show. Over the same period, the number of college departments dedicated to entrepreneurship has doubled to about two dozen and growing.

That's not to say these millennial CEOs are textbook business school grads. In fact, many put their degrees on hold to watch over their ventures. Aaron Levie, 23, and Dylan Smith, 22, both dropped out of college and moved to Palo Alto, Calif., to run Box.net, their online file sharing start-up. Levie describes the high-tech hub as a "haven for college dropouts looking to launch a business." Rahim Fazal, co-founder of Involver, started his first business when he was in high school, and actually told his parents he was dealing drugs -- just so they wouldn't find out about his company and make him focus more on his schoolwork.

Others, like 28-year-old Claire Chambers, transitioned seamlessly from school into the corporate world, only to leave behind an enviable career to do their own thing. "I've always been an entrepreneur at heart," says Chambers, the founder of Journelle, a lingerie company. "As a child, I started a dog-walking business."

So what do their parents think of all this? Where did they get the money? And what industries are they taking over? These are just a few of the questions we put to this year's group of junior overachievers, while catching up with a few of our past honorees. Get to know them -- they're going to be around for awhile, and, who knows, one of them may end up being your boss someday.

As 12-year-old Archer says, "I don't take no for an answer."

rights and responisibilities of youth in india

Rights and Responsibilities

Youth – Rights and Responsibilities

What the youth can expect in the years to come will depend on how well they understand and leverage their rights and how willingly and efficiently they are able to shoulder their responsibilities. What then are the rights and responsibilities of the youth of India?

National Youth Policy – 2003

1. Preamble

1.1. The National Youth Policy, 2003 reiterates the commitment of the entire nation to the composite and all-round development of the young sons and daughters of India and seeks to establish an All-India perspective to fulfill their legitimate aspirations so that they are all strong of heart and strong of body and mind in successfully accomplishing the challenging tasks of national reconstruction and social changes that lie ahead.

1.2. The earlier National Youth Policy was formulated in 1988. The socio-economic conditions in the country have since undergone a significant change and have been shaped by wide-ranging technological advancement. The National Youth Policy - 2003 is designed to galvanize the youth to rise up to the new challenges, keeping in view the global scenario, and aims at motivating them to be active and committed participants in the exciting task of National Development.

1.3. The Policy is based on recognition of the contribution that the youth can, and should, make to the growth and well-being of the community and endeavours to ensure effective co-ordination between the policies, programmes and delivery systems of the various Ministries, Departments and other Agencies. The thrust of the Policy centres around “Youth Empowerment” in different spheres of national life.

1.4. For India to occupy her rightful place in the Comity of Nations and to meaningfully discharge the manifold obligations thereto, it would be imperative to ensure the effective pursuit of youth development programmes which promote personality development and Qualities of Citizenship and enhance commitment to Community Service, Social Justice, Self-reliance, National Integration and Humanism, an inclusive view of the entire universe as enshrined in our ancient scriptures. The Policy, therefore, recognizes these inter-related values and principles as its basic premise.

2. Rationale

2.1 Since our national progress depends, crucially, on the ways and means through which the youth are encouraged and nurtured as a positive force for national progress and are enabled to contribute to socio-economic development, it is essential for an appropriate policy framework to be in place to harness the energies of the youth in this task.

2.2 Recognizing, further, that youth development is a multi-faceted concept, it is equally necessary that all the relevant agencies, including the Ministries and Departments of the Central and State Governments, and local self Government bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions devise their plans and programmes bearing these aspects and features in mind. The Policy will facilitate a multi-dimensional and integrated approach in this behalf, with the State Agencies striving to accelerate the formulation and implementation of programmes.

2.3 An important indicator of the success of such programmes being the stake of the beneficiaries in the results of the same, this Policy also stresses that the youth of the country should enjoy greater participation in the processes of decision-making and execution at local and higher levels. Such participation would be facilitated by identifiable structures, transparent procedures and wider representation of the youth in appropriate bodies, with the emphasis being more on working with the youth than for the youth.

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Universal Acceptance of the Rights of Youth

The rights of our youth come from two sources: convention and written law. The law as it relates to the youth confers certain rights primarily to meet the needs of young people who require physical, material, and moral support because of their young age. These laws are basically protective in nature. And the notion of laws specifically for the youth is a recent development.

The legal rights to which an individual is entitled begin at birth, and as the individual grows in age entitlement to rights increase as too the responsibilities.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

On December 10, 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. After the adoption of this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration principally in schools and other educational institutions irrelevant of the political status of countries or territories. This was because the Declaration contained several articles of special interest to youth.

Principle 1

Declaration of Human Rights

The Declaration of Human Rights which deals with family life, work, health, and education contains certain Articles that have special relevance to youth. These Articles are as follows:

Article 16

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

Article 23

(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Article 24

Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 26

(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

The Indian Constitution and Youth

The Indian Constitution has certain articles with the primary objective of safeguarding the basic rights of youth. Some of these safeguards are built into the Fundamental Rights and are enforceable in a court of law. Other guarantees are part of the Directive principles of State Policy which cannot be enforced but underlie government policies and programmes.

Below are some of the provisions of the Constitution that have special relevance to youth:

Part III Fundamental Rights - Right to Education - Article 21 A

Freedom of education incorporates the right of any person to form a school and the right of parents, their children, or students to be educated at the school of their choice. In some countries enrollment in a public or government managed school system is compulsory and individuals are blocked from founding schools without a license. In principle, anyone could found a school, freedom of education is meant to eliminate any monopoly on education.

Right against Exploitation – Article 23 (1)

Article 23(1)prohibits traffic in human beings and forced labour and thus aims at “recognition and restoration of the dignity of man.”

Article 23(2) of the Constitution, the government should not discriminate the citizens on the grounds of Religion, caste, creed and group.

Article 24

This Article provides that no child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment.

Part III Fundamental Rights - Right to Freedom of Religion – Article 28 (1)

This Article provides that if the institution is an educational one and it is wholly maintained by the State funds, religious instruction cannot be provided in such institution.

Article 28 (2)

Provides that if the educational institution has been established under any endowment or trust which requires that religious instruction shall be imparted in such institution, then despite the prohibition in Article 28(1) and despite the fact that the education institution is in fact administered by the State, religious instruction can be imparted in such institution. Article 28(2) thus in no uncertain terms envisages that an educational institution administered by the State and wholly maintained by the State can impart religious instruction.

Article 28 (3)

States that there may be educational institutions imparting religious instruction according to whichever faith and conducting religious worship which can be recognised by the State and which can also receive aid out of State funds. Similarly, Article 28(3) provides that no individual attending any educational institution which may have been recognised by the State or is receiving State aid can be compelled to take part in any religious instruction that may be imparted in such institution or to attend any religious worship that may be conducted in such institution without such person's consent. Implicit in this prohibition is the acknowledgement that the State can recognize and aid an educational institution giving religious instruction or conducting religious worship. In the United States, on the other hand it has been held that State maintained institutions cannot give religious instruction even if such instruction is not compulsory.

Part III Fundamental Rights – Cultural and Educational Rights – Article – 29 (2) is a protection against discrimination on the ground of religion, race, caste or language, and does not in any way come into play where the minority institution prefers students of its choice.

To put it differently, denying admission, even though seats are available on the ground of the applicant’s religion, race, caste or language is prohibited, but preferring students of minority groups does not violate Article 29(2).

Article 30(1)

“All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.”

Article 30(2)

This Article prevents state discrimination against a minority educational institution.

Article – 39(a)

All citizens of India have equal right to an adequate means to livelihood.

Article – 39(c)

The state shall direct its policy to securing the health and the tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength

Article 39(f)

Childhood and youth are guarded against exploitation and moral and material abandonment.

Article – 41

The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want.

Article 42

The State shall make provision for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief.

Article 44

The State shall endeavor to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.

Article 45

The State shall endeavor to provide, within a period of ten years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years.

Article 46 Promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections

The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.

V Fundamental Duties Article 51 (A) (k)

It shall be the duty of every citizen of India who is a parent or a guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or as the case may be ward, between the ages of 6 and 14.

Although Part IV of the constitution refers to fundamental duties, it makes special reference to proper education and socialization of youth. The National Charter of 2004 of the Government of India emphasizes the government’s commitment to children’s rights to survival, development and protection.

Welfare Laws and Regulations

The governments at the centre and the states have enacted laws that favor welfare and development of children and youth in the areas of health, education and employment.

Responsibilities of Youth

The following are the responsibilities as enumerated by the National Youth Policy:

• To contribute to sectoral, family and self development and to promote social and inter-generation understanding and gender equality
• To extend respect to teachers and elders, parents and the family, in consonance with our cultural norms and traditions
• To uphold the unity and integrity of the Nation, maintain peace and harmony, observe Fundamental Duties and respect the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution to all sections of the people
• To respect others’ faiths and beliefs in the religious, cultural and social spheres and to different schools of thought and to neither exploit nor be instrumental in the exploitation of fellow citizens and other persons, especially women
• To promote appropriate standards of ethical conduct in individual and social life, to maintain honesty and integrity of character and be committed to fight against all forms of corruption, social evils and practices
• To preserve and protect the Environment; and
• To commit themselves to create a discrimination and exploitation free environment and to devote their time and energy in nation building activities

HOW TO MANAGE CREATIVE PEOPLE
Creativity and innovation in business have been hot topics inrecent years. Ever since Peters and Waterman's In Search of Excellencedefined excellent companies as those that are "continuously innovative," it seems as though innovation has become the latest management buzzword. The In Search of Excellence authors maintained that "innovative companiesare especially adroit at continually responding to change of any sort intheir environments." Since most companies are faced with rapidly changing environmentsin today's business world, innovation, which is the result of creativethinking, is imperative. Over one-half of the Fortune 500 companies haveadopted some sort program in creative thinking or problem solving in thelast several years. Few businesses have a more rapidly changing environment than themedia industries do. Thus, few business need innovation and creativepeople more. This need requires brings up three questions: 1) How do youtell the difference between people that are creative and those that merelythink they are, 2) how do you manage creative people, and 3) in what typeof jobs will creative people be most effective.
How to Recognize Creative People
The first question is particularly important in media because thebusiness tends to attract scores of people who want to express themselvesor to act "creative." However, there is a big difference between wantingto be thought of as creative and actually being creative. Creativity canbe measured, and true creativity fulfills at least three conditions:
1. It involves a response or an idea that is novel or least statisticallyinfrequent and must be adaptive to, or of, reality.
2. It must solve a problem, fit a situation, or accomplish some recognizable goal. 3. It must involve sustaining the original insight, an evaluation andelaboration of it, and a developing of it to the full.
Creativity from this point of view is a process extended in timeand characterized by originality, adaptiveness, and realization. Theseconditions are the one's reported in Wolfle's book, The Discovery ofTalent, which reports on a six-year study conducted at the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, on creativity. Applying this definition to media industry context, it suggeststhat simply being new or different is not enough, an idea must also have apractical, problem-solving application. Too often newspeople, discjockeys, program directors, news directors, or sales managers want to try something just because it is new and different (creative, they think), but if it does not help accomplish the goals of an organization or solve a practical,reality-based problem, an idea is not only not creative, it is virtuallyuseless. There is no virtue in being different; the only virtue an ideahas is in being useful--in solving a problem. In fact, many people equate being different with being creative. Many people get in the media business because they have strong needs to berecognized, to be loved, to gain approval, and to be noticed, and theyoften attempt to satisfy these needs by trying to be different. Butdifferent does not necessarily mean creative. In a book titled Characteristics of the Creative Individual,Raudsepp writes that truly creative people are intensely career orientedand devote enormous amounts of energy to their work. They pay particularattention to the intrinsic satisfactions in their work (they view theirwork as an end in itself)--they look for interesting, stimulating,challenging, and creative projects. They need a variety of problems,professional and organizational recognition of their achievements (soundfamiliar--"my boss doesn't appreciate me"), ascending degreesof responsibilities and steady advancement and self-realization. They donot look for easy, comfortable situations, but want to utilize theirtalents, aptitudes and interests to the fullest. Truly creative people tend to have the following characteristics:
1. They are self-confident, often to the point of arrogance (as opposed to many people who get in the broadcasting and cable business seeking love and approval to bolster a low self-image).2. They are enthusiastic.3. They are optimistic.4. They can examine things impartially and objectively.5. They are constructively discontented.6. They are dynamic.7. They have diverse interests.8. They are honest with themselves.9. They are not self-satisfied and complacent.10. They are not afraid to ask questions that show ignorance.11. They are not afraid of making a mistake and are risk takers.12. They do not seek approval from others or society.13. They will not compromise on those things they hold dear.14. They engage in hobbies which require concentration and exercise of problem-solving abilities.15. They strive for perfection.16. They have an uncommon capacity for self-instruction.17. They are flexible and can tolerate a high degree of ambiguity.18. They are highly motivated.19. They are uncommonly persistent.20. They have an unusual ability to concentrate.21. They constantly expand knowledge.22. They dislike being bossed or policed.23. They are intensely absorbed in their work.24. They have above-average intelligence.
The last point is interesting. Research has shown that in order tobe creative a person has to have above-average intelligence, somewhere inthe neighborhood of an IQ over 125 or 130, but after that threshold ofintelligence has been reached, there is no correlation between highercreativity and higher intelligence. In other words, a person withabove-average intelligence can be as creative as a genius. Furthermore, the creative process involves the following elements:1. Gaining a great deal of fundamental knowledge2. A period of incubation in which this large store of knowledge ferments in the brain3. An uncommonly large amount of time spent in analysis4. An absorption in details
Creative activity typically comes in spurts and streaks and israrely, if ever, continuous, and dry spells do not mean the creativejuices have dried up--they are just resting and incubating. Creativity issubject to personal, internal blocking mechanisms that can be overcome attimes by discussion and verbalization. Finally, creativity is grounded inexpertise. In the book by Ettema and Whitney, Individuals in Mass MediaOrganizations: Creativity and Constraints, well-known television producerQuinn Martin is quoted as saying that producing successful entertainmentis "75% craft and 25% creativity...you need to know the rules before youcan break them."
How to Manage Creative People
To manage creative people, the most important thing to keep inmind is that they are happiest when they get little or no supervision. They like to be independent and autonomous. Creative people intenselydislike doing routine, low-grade chores and paperwork. They work best inan atmosphere of freedom--freedom to experiment and to make mistakes. Thus, a favorable environment and the proper style of supervision areabsolutely critical to creative people's success. It is impossible toseparate creative people from the environment in which they operate. Formanagers to mold an environment that is maximally conducive to creativity,they must be extremely careful about giving criticism. Criticism must be in the form of feedback that a creative personviews as attempt to help, to teach, and not in the form of anythingapproaching personal criticism. Criticism must be done in an encouragingmanner. Amabile in The Social Psychology of Creativity writes that"Criticism and imparting feelings of failure will destroycreativity--avoiding them are the keys to fostering creativity." Theauthor states that the "...work environments most conducive to thefulfillment of creative potential may include a high level of workerresponsibility for initiating new activities, a low level of interferencefrom administrative superiors, and a high stability in employment." Thus, there are several don'ts in dealing with truly creativeemployees: Don't interfere, don't criticize (give specific feedback),don't compare them to others, and don't threaten them with the loss oftheir jobs (either love and support them to the hilt or fire them--there'svirtually no room in between). It means in the case of creative people who have a great deal ofadministrative work to do, that it is probably best to give them anassistant to help and to keep them away from routinized, repetitive work. Avoiding the cost of an assistant is usually penny wise and pound foolishwith truly creative employees. Managers who successfully deal with creative employees tend toshow the following characteristics: 1. They respect individual differences.2. They understand the creative process.3. They have professional knowledge (expertise).4. They know how to communicate sympathetically with creative people.5. They give credit and recognition.6. They take calculated risks.7. They provide inspiration in the form of support and encouragement of ideas.8. They bolster self-confidence.9. They are flexible and have flexible organizations. 10. They welcome and encourage constructive nonconformity, individuality, and diversity.11. They involve creative people in the planning and decision-making process at the earliest possible moment.12. They allow creative people to try their pet projects and ideas without fear of criticism.
Nurturing Creative People In a June 1994 Fortune article, titled "How To Nurture CreativeSparks," author Alan Farnham gives several rules for nurturing creativepeople:
1. Accommodate: Creative people tend to be high maintenance. Managers mustkeep their doors open and let creative people have access to them. Creative people usually need constant stroking. So stroke. Also, creativepeople cannot choose when they create--ideas come to them at odd times. Accommodate to their schedules. Never, never, never punish failure. Managers must learn to celebrate failures as learning experiences forcreatives.
2. Stimulate: Management must find ways to stimulate creativethinking: trips or green and purple offices if creatives want them. Creatives must be encouraged to gaze out the window. They do not alwayshave to be doing something.
3. Recognize and reward--the right way:"Since creative people tend to be self-starters, giving them greaterautonomy can be a powerful reward," writes Farnham. The worst type ofincentive is for a manager to try to hog credit. Creatives want to beknown for their work and ideas--that is where they get their powerfulintrinsic rewards. Creatives care about what their peers think, so peerrecognition is vitally important. Managers should enter the output oftheir creative people in awards. Money, an extrinsic reward, is notespecially valued by creatives.
4. Direct (lightly) and give feedback:Creative people need deadlines, otherwise they will stay in an explorationmode too long. On the other hand, they hate specific directions. They needfeedback on how they are progressing, but do not like to get feedback frommanagers. If they can see research, talk to audience members, or hear fromtheir peers, they take feedback better than from managers, who they feeltry to control them.
5. Protect them: Managers have to protect creativepeople from dullards who do not understand the creative process. Managersalso have to protect creatives from restrictive, corporate-mandatedpaperwork and rules.
Placing Creative People in Jobs Creative people are best suited for jobs where they can grow,learn, accomplish goals, avoid personal criticism and comparison, workindependently and autonomously, and in which there is little or norepetitive, routinized work. In other words, if your employees arerequired to follow rules in an exact manner or if you allow little or noleeway in making decisions, then do not hire truly creative people--you'lldestroy their motivation. On the other hand, if you need new ideas and anew approach, hire creative people and give them plenty of leeway andsupport.
Summary If there were one word that summarizes what creative employeesneed from a manager, it would be encouragement. When feedback isnecessary, it must be put in a context of "here's some suggestions on howyou can do it even better," not in a context of "here's what you didwrong." Two other concepts that are vitally important to remember indealing with creative people are participation and autonomy--let themparticipate in decisions and then give them autonomy on how to carry outtheir assignments. And, finally, remember that your entire approach shouldbe to make these rare, invaluable creative people feel like winners tobuild their confidence. How do you treat associates that are not truly creative? Generally, the same way you treat creative people. If you treat everyoneas though they were creative, and if you expect everyone to be creative,you might find that they will become, in the best case, truly creativeand, in the worst case, at least happier. Plus, you'll be astonished asthe number of good ideas that bubble up.