JETS Head To Made In Monmouth
Local Sharks Pledge Investments In Junior Entrepreneurs Ventures
Three teams of budding entrepreneurs went before a panel of local sharks last week to pitch for investment in products they hope to debut at the Made in Monmouth event on Saturday at Monmouth University.
The budding entrepreneurs are 7th and 8th graders participating in the 15-week Asbury Park Junior Entrepreneur Training [JET] program founded by Interfaith Neighbors Business Development Center and administered by Konscious Youth Development & Service [KYDS] founders Mychal Mills [at right] and Rodney Salomon.
The JET program is the brainchild of Asbury Park’s West Side Citizens United president Frank Syphax. It is based on Rider University’s Minding Our Business program that’s worked with over 3,000 Trenton middle school students since 1997. Syphax’s son Tracey is that program’s chairman of board.
Locally, a team of adult community volunteers worked with the students each week since the November launch, helping them to create business and marketing plans based on their original ventures.
On Tuesday, The Memestop, S & I Cases, and SweatX, comprised of middle schoolers from Asbury Park, Sister Academy, Mt. Carmel and Hope Academy were seeking production costs at the pitch event held at the Asbury Park Senior Center on Springwood Avenue.
The sharks were: Just Before Dawn filmmaker Tom Jones, Dean’s Natural Food Market owner Dean Nelson, retired telecommunication executive Gene Wolf, software company entrepreneur Thomas McGhee, Sweetly Chic owner Kuree Cain, and Project Write co founder Greg Phelan.
Vetting was based on everything from the creativity of the product itself to marketing, production, service and sales plans.
It was S&I’s tagline – If you need a case we are on the case – that garnered rave reviews from the sharks.
Sweat X’s town pride sweatshirts featuring logos for Asbury Park, Neptune, Red Bank and Long Branch won praise for its pricing model and built in safety guard to reap a profit if prices need to be discounted toward the end of the 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 8 Made in Monmouth event.
And, the Memestops, who advised the sharks that they are ‘young, creative, and up on the hottest trends,’ were lauded for their innovative tags.
“Asbury Park is making a statement that young people know at a young age how to make it work,” said Freeholder Tom Arnone, a program supporter since its launch three years ago. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to see students from this area make it happen.”
Arnone who has roots in the westside community, said it was a special thing to see the community starting over again.
“You are first proof but you need help to make that happen,” he said. “I just want you to know that we are here to support you.”
Support they did, as the panel of sharks not only gave production, marketing and sales tips but agreed to invest $200 to help the middle schoolers bring their wares into fruition.
The teens hope to sell out their wares at the 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Saturday Made in Monmouth event at Monmouth University. A portion of the proceeds will go toward a charity of their choice.
For more on the JET program, click here.
For more on Made in Monmouth, click here.
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