Black Web 2.0: Creating a new generation of technology entrepreneurs Part 1: Changing the Value Proposition for Urban Youth
isaac barnes
· 1 month ago
This is a great article about something that has been bothering me for a while. I have been in the IT industry for over 9 years so I am naturally exposed to the latest happenings in the tech world. Lately I have been putting a lot of thought into the reasons why young adults and teenagers seem to be clueless to the the fact that they could be living a better life if they were in the tech industry in general.
I have discovered that the main reason why most of these non-minority entrepreneurs are successful is that they are in a different space psychologically than most minorities. Check out Maslow's hierarchy of needs for a better understanding. Every minority person that I have met in the tech space has had someone step into their life at some point and show them that there is more to life than their bubble. If not they were not raised in a minority filled environment.
Another big difference is the parenting. The vast majority of minority parents are not technically or business savvy individuals because of their up bringing. So the only examples of success the youth are exposed to comes from the media. This is something that will take a long time to correct, but I do believe it will happen with the next generation of kids as long as our generation focuses on making sure of it.
The biggest hurdle our generation will face will be figuring out how to use the internet to erase this brain washing that has occurred in our communities since the crack era. We will have to figure out creative ways to convince the next generation that having flashy possessions doesn't mean your rich. We also need to focus on educating parents on preparing their children for the future in a fast paced world where they can easily get left behind. The divide battle between the rich and the poor will soon become the war between the nontechnical and technical.
This has been my main focus and drive as an entrepreneur. And Navarrow i'm pretty sure you agree that it's not about the money, it's more about being able to be that blueprint for the next generation that keeps us hungry.
navarrowwright
· 1 month ago
Isaac Great post man! You are totally right. It's not about the money it's about having a career that is stimulating and the money will come. your also right that i believe that there is a brainwashing that has occurred that make us believe that african americans should just consume technology and not create it. My next post of this topic covers just this point. Thanks again for the reply
Georgianna Pinto
· 1 month ago
This is a great article and I believe this problem extends itself to a number of other areas in out community as well. I agree with mikeydigital. The main point being that we as successful Black people are not doing a good job of making our successes visible to our community. For example, we should some Ron Brown Scholars on the cover of magazines, looking fly, getting paid, etc. Whatever imagery is attractive now, we need to transfer that imagery to those areas that need attention (ie. technology entrepreneurship). The media spends too much time and energy on death, destruction, and celebrity fluff when the media could be using their influence to promote positive behaviors. That being said, since the goal of the mainstream media is not to improve the lives of Black children, it is up to us to create media channels ourselves and start promoting more positive imagery. As an Ivy League graduate and an entrepreneur, I feel a cultural responsibility to create and promote media that celebrates mentors and positions my peers as leaders and role models. I have personally committed myself to working towards that goal and other successful Black people should do the same. This is one of the reasons I appreciate Black Web 2.0 because it promotes an industry that I am starting out in and provides that "imagery" for me to aspire to. Keep up the good work.
mikeydigital
· 1 month ago
Navarrow,
Excellent article and thanks for getting the discussion started. This is a topic we've talked about ad nauseam at blackdigerati.org and at BDPA (http://bit.ly/4y4GIi)..
There are many reasons as to why we don't see MORE black tech entrepreneurs or more blacks working in the technology and digital media space. Instead of going into all of the reasons why, I'd rather focus on two basic things that have worked in organizations such as the Anita Borg Institute, NCWIT, BDPA, etc.:
First: The actual idea/image of technology (beyond just consumption) and tech entrepreneurship has to be presented to black digital natives in a way that they understand and in a way they find appealing. One aspect that could be appealing for some is of course the money; however the options in the technology and digital media space can be appealing as well.
For example, explaining to them how their love for gaming and music can both be combined to work in the gaming industry as a producer or how they could start their own gaming company. This is important because many black digital natives that have been interviewed (check out the book 'stuck in the shallow end') as to why they shy away from technology and digital media as a career or as an entrepreneurs say, ‘well it's only for people who program or who want to be programmers.’ This of course is not true.. Of course they don’t know better until they’re shown other options.. Again, through a medium they can relate to..
Second: They need exposure to people in the industry that look like them. They also need access to the programs like or similar to Y Combinator or the Glitch Game Testers at Georgia Tech & Morehouse College. Within these kind of programs they learn about how to be a tech entrepreneur or how to test and rate the latest video games that hit the market. Presumably, this kind of exposure will spark greater interest into starting a tech company or going to work for EA Sports or Microsoft.
Being someone who has worked on efforts in this particular area since 2003, I’ve seen the positive results once black digital natives become exposed to the possibilities of what’s out there for them in technology..
@Mike Great comments. I agree that there need to be more examples, but I don't think that means 'making examples' out of people. I mean there are a lot of successful Asians (of all types but particularly Indians) in the tech industry and rarely do I see them being presented in a way that spotlights their race or ethnicity over their ideas. As the founder of my own tech startup, I don't particularly want to be introduce as 'the black guy'. IT should be more organic. This was something Corvida, Angela and some other people touched upon last year at SXSW. I think in the long term, truly successful black and minority entrepreneurs will need to remove race and culture from the picture, and let that take a backseat to the stuff they are doing. No offense to 'Black'Web2.0, of course. =)
pablomore
· 1 month ago
Very good points Mike and I appreciate you referencing BDPA whose motto is taking folks from the "classroom to the boardroom" as well as being a resource for entrepreneurs. The 2010 National conference is going to be in Philly. (http://www.bdpa.org/).
One thing which I would like to know from entrepreneurs is what can we (BDPA) as an organization do to help you and be a resource for your business. We have various chapters across the country and we need input to have develop 2010 program meetings.
Thank you,
Pablo
BDPA Orlando chapter president.
mikeydigital
· 1 month ago
Pablo,
Perhaps a balanced focus on both a corporate technology career and entrepreneurship could be a start. I am a member of BDPA Chicago and typically the topics we focus on are more so for corporate technical careers. Not everyone has the desire to reach the boardroom, so seminars, programs, and what not on technology entrepreneurship may be more beneficial to certain BDPA members.
Whether or not BDPA should even focus on technology entrepreneurship (or entrepreneurship in general) is another discussion, because it would essentially go against what our motto is. I personally believe the Urban League is currently leading the way in the black community (especially in Chicago thanks to Cheryle Jackson) in terms of providing entrepreneurs (technology businesses or not) with the tools and resources they need to succeed. The fruit from that is the Urban League Chicago show NextTV being nominated for 3 or 4 local Emmy’s.
Mike Founder Black Digerati & Digerati Labs
pablomore
· 1 month ago
Mike,
Good afternoon and thank you once again for your input. I am very much interested in what the Urban League in Chicago is doing. BDPA does have an Entrepreneur Advisory Group under the leadership of Boyd Stephens. (http://tinyurl.com/cxv4q4). I will say that we have not done as much as we should and I believe you will see a renewed focus on entrepreneurship thru chapter programming, seminars and at the National conference. Also more and more chapters are using webinars to reach out to more folks so you as a business owner can still remain connected.
I believe that BDPA as a proffesional IT association can play a major role in encouraging our young people to go into entrpreneurship giving that we already have a successful High School Computer Competition program as well as IT Showcase. I believe this is a very good and timely article. We need to spur more innovation, encourage our young students into STEM opportunities especially young girls whose numbers are low in the field. One of the best methods of encouragement is to mentor a student or young proffessional but also to pay a visit to a local public school, community center and volunteer and show folks what opportunities exists. There is allot of work that we have to do and its very encouraging to hear that other groups are stepping up.
Thank you,
Pablo
Wm_Tucker
· 1 month ago
The BDPA (and similar organizations) can function as excellent conduits for capital -- social, financial, and intellectual -- between corporations, members, students, entrepreneurs, and schools. I'd like to speak with my local chapter on creating an incubator, perhaps with Bowie State, Howard, or another HBCU.
Akeet-Music Lovers Forum
· 1 month ago
Nice article here but you lost me with the Mark Zuckerberg comment... He is only a billionaire on paper, as who is going to purchase Facebook really? Those days are over my friend, as I don't see any major company lining up to fork over a billion or more for that web property... That goes for the Twitter founders also...
Other then that you make some valid points...
navarrowwright
· 1 month ago
Akeet Thanks for the comment but i think your missing the point on the Zuckerberg example. In the scheme of things i don't care if facebook gets bought or goes public etc... The key point is that 5 years ago the guy was sitting his dorm room eating off a college meal plan and now his company is worth over billion dollars (whether you agree with it or not) and has millions in the bank. Honestly there are a lot of entertainers and athletes whose wealth is more on paper and less stable than his. The point here is that the barriers for him to achieve what he did are still lower and more avail to people than the entertainment or pro sports route. Lastly the facebooks of the word are the extreme cases but i can point out startups for days that you have never heard of that pulling in 7 figure revenues and were created from scratch. Kids see images in the media with faces like ours and assume that is the only way they can " make it" My point is that we need to show them that there is more they can do and that it's attainable. Thanks
Akeet-Music Lovers Forum
· 1 month ago
I know what u were saying, so it's all good... I just was stating the facts, he isn't a billionaire... To date over 400plus million in funding... So for him to ever become a billionaire, FACEBOOK would have to sell for a few billion... NOT going to happen...
Still your point is, our youth need to embrace the technology more...
chosenalpha
· 1 week ago
I can understand where you are coming from with your comments Akeet-Music Lovers Forum. But there is always a niche` market that someone has not touched because the universe and the seasons change all the time that births new concepts. The key is that you can only be successful in it, if it aligns with your passion and if you are truly sincere about it.
Also yes you will be amazed who would place down money to get a site like Facebook publicly traded. You have to think about it..there is data on just about any person in the world that companies, government or whoever would love to get there hands on. And let's not forget that the more traffic you can prove that comes to your site the more "Corporate America" comes calling you to place ads on your site; that itself alone is major funds. Demand and Supply will never die as long as you have the wheel to keep it rolling :)
Nikki Marchmon
· 1 month ago
Liked article!
Just my opinion but I believe that students need access and time to play with technology and dream of the capabilities of technology outside of listening to music or text messaging. Then students must have entrepreneurial spirit or be exposed/awaken to the technology startup as a viable option.
navarrowwright
· 1 month ago
I agree Nikki. The sense of discovery is lost. Students use things and their minds don't wonder how things work, We need to teach digital literacy but from the standpoint of creation not consumption. Then once they develop that love for it. Showing the career options behind it will be easy. Thanks for the comment.
Jonathan akwue
· 1 month ago
Thanks for this article. We have similar issues here in the UK.
As a Director of a digital/new media consultancy I’m often disappointed to see the lack of diversity within the new media industries. However, let’s not forget our brothers and sisters from the mainland. I know many West African’s that are involved within the tech industry, some of whom are taking their skills back home and developing start-ups on their own turf.
I think the greater issue is overcoming the ‘urban’ mentality, which in the UK is not constrained to Black people. There’s lots of evidence to demonstrate that urban consumers are early adopters of tech, but making the mental shift from consumer to producer is more challenging. The reasons for this are probably similar to those you face in the US, and a great deal centers on capturing interest at an early age within education, and creating an environment where this interest can be honed and developed.
Urban black kids are not short of ambition, but part of the challenge is to rebrand terms like ‘geek’ and ‘nerd’. I tell my kids that being a geek is cool, and many of the richest people in the world are nerds. Your President is actually a great example of that – he’s a black guy who s both cool and nerdy.
By tapping into the aspirations of urban young people who want money, power and influence; providing positive role models; and creating education pathways, hopefully we will start to see the tiny trickle of Black urban tech entrepreneurs turn into a stream.
mikeydigital
· 1 month ago
@Jon - I agree with you, however I'm not too sure if removing the image part from the entire equation will always work for urban youth.. It may work more for some, but not all.. I say this because what many of the kids have said when researchers have interviewed them is they don't see representation of themselves in the technology space..
Truthfully, many of them only see the successful tech people from other races, gender, etc.. However, they don't see themselves.. So perhaps a better approach is balancing everything out, showing them successful IT people that look like them as well as successful Asians, Indians, ect.
blacksmithie
· 1 month ago
NW- I guess you will just have to get out there more. I think it takes "real" people talking to youth and exposing them to opportunities. You gotta keep hitting the speaking circuit. Just in terms of entreprenuership (sp), Angela Simmons has exposed a lot of young adults to opportunities out there. But her upbringing, social and economic connections, would allow many to rationalize why they can't do what she is doing. Also, Obama could not be a better role model--modest means, single parent-household, even dabbled in a little drugs. But his smarts, some supportive mentors, and persaverence got him where he is today.
Teen Biz Coach
· 1 month ago
Thanks for sharing this post. Interesting to see the thread of comments here.
I come from a wireless background (a dozen years in one company....think back to the days of 457 MhZ pager) and since 2005 I have been working with urban youth in "entrepreneurship". I work with kids ages 10-19 across the globe, mostly boys. Many of my kids have overcome some life challenge or hardship but they are beating the odds in school, life and business. My teens have written and published books, designed and manufactured products and built companies from scratch up to over 5 figures per month.
Yes, in America it is easy to start a company.....very easy. But it is not easy to grow and run it. Technology and entrepreneurship are both very abstract- meaning the lingo, the rules, the non universal approach to things. It is easy to get turned around in that space. And when you are overwhelmed and confused and everything is an exception or a rule that you learn along the way, you feel cheated or don't really know if you are moving forward and making progress or not.
Instead of using traditional courses and 'technical lingo' I am making entrepreneurship (and any business you can dream of) accessible to ALL young people regardless of where they are in the world and whether or not they have access and understanding of technology and entrepreneurial terminology. In terms of entrepreneurship I encourage my teens to LIVE IT vs. learn it. When they realize that entrepreneurship is not a course or a class but a level of consciousness that directly impacts their quality of life or lack thereof regardless of whether or not they work for themselves or someone else they take a different approach. Entrepreneurship is not about owning a business, but about owning your life. I have been saying that since my program started back in 2005 and more and more I am seeing other youth organizations spokespersons adopt my language (sincerely flattered, btw).
I think too many people focus on all the things and technical mumbo jumbo and certifications they need to be done or learned before they get their recognition or the reward when that is not necessary. Because you don't lack training, background, certification or something or other does not make you 'less' or inadequate. In business, the marketing is more important than the mastery. When you are out there and people know that you are trying to do something, the people and support you need will appear.
I have been able to stimulate and engage my teens by showing them out the gate the value of themselves and their intellectual property and how they protect it and get paid for those things one way or another. Ever since I started my program I have always given them recognition, credit and shout outs first. I support them in seeking out media exposure (TV, Print, Radio), getting them on the panels at conferences and workshops, lining up opportunities for them to speak at their schools and making warm introductions to high profile people in my network and their industry that they want to pursue (all of this and they might not even have paid me any money or closed their first client). It is how you build trust and 'prompt their emerging voice'.
It’s the strength, character and trust in the people within your network that fosters trust and reciprocity. When trust is the norm, people engage in reciprocity, doing for others without any immediate expectation of repayment. This directly impacts people’s health and happiness and levels of economic development among other things.
It is THIS experience they need to develop so that they realize they have the POWER now and today to do whatever they want to do and other people who TRULY align with their cause will support them selflessly.
Getting continuing education or specialized training is only going to make them more confident, more refined and allow them to play competitively with the bigger guys. However, it is for them to decide on their own time when they are ready to go that path. The reality is they are OK and 'enough' as they already are. Too often we are focusing on IMproving Ourselves when in reality we just need to APprove Ourselves!
As many people struggle in working and communicating with teens, I will leave you with this bit of insight:
When teens act like they don't know something it is usually a 'defense' mechanism. By playing stupid or answering questions in one or two words they expect AND hope that people will leave them alone. They don't want to 'share' and be open. If they are poor they grow up in a world where they often have to fear for their life when they do that. If they are in the middle class, it is a 'mind game' and they don't know what is the motive that parents/teachers/adults are seeking....so they tell the 'commercial truth' - what they think you want to hear. Teens have that sixth sense and it is the tone, the energy and asking the questions indirectly that puts them at dis-ease. And besides, what purpose does it serve to share their opinion, intellectual property, ideas, dreams and contributions with the mainstream when most people don't believe them, support them or give them credit anyway?
So for those looking to have better communications with teens - try removing the invisible hierarchal barriers that often exist between youth and adults. While they are young people they are PEOPLE first. Lead with that thought in mind the next time you enter a conversation with them and I can assure you that the way they respond to you will be completely different.
@teenbizcoach
Atim Annette Oton
· 1 month ago
the value proposition of urban youth is tapping one of their "hip" hop musicians to actually buy into a start-up and focus on marketing the concept...along with their new album
keneisner
· 1 month ago
Great post, Navarrow, and fantastic discussion.
I'm a white guy, so I'll admit a lack of insight at the onset, but ...
I think that kids need to be challenged and pushed at an early age and exposed to technology in the classroom and outside of the classroom. Making it cool is absolutely important, but we need to be careful not to mistake the cool with what is comfortable to us ... instead of getting kids out of the bubble and into innovation and creativity.
My example is this: my wife is the exec director for NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) in Baltimore ... great program, they teach elementary to high school youth from low-income neighborhoods to be entrepreneurs. The problem for me is that a significant number of the ideas are about cool new t-shirts, dance lessons, baby sitting, food, etc. They are still in the box of "what they know," while what is really going to drive entrepreneurship, the big idea and the big venture capital dollars, is technology and energy and innovation. (One kid who went to the NFTE finals last year had a remarkably innovative idea of polarizing football helmet shields, as is done for sun glasses, but he lost to an enterprising youth who put a cake on a stick. Cake on a stick was fun and I'm sure it tasted good, but we're not properly rewarding true innovation.)
I think we need to get kids interested in high tech at an early age ... teach them to be developers and producers of mobile applications, teach them computer networking and how to be involved in using technology for healthcare and energy. Set really high bars for them and urge them to jump higher. Encourage creativity and failure, for there are lessons in failing when you extend yourself beyond your comfort zone.
Music is important, and it resonates, but I personally think that it should be used more as a segue into other careers than an end into itself. There are only going to be so many music entrepreneurs, and media firms are going under at an alarming rate. Music and sports and celebrities should be used as levers to make things cool, but we also need to expand our ideas of role models and use "cool" and $ as way to encourage innovation, just as Navarrow did with Zuckerberg.
Anyway, love the conversation. Great blog, Navarrow.
Wm_Tucker
· 1 month ago
While I understand the importance of pushing more Af-Ams to take control of their (our) production as investors, financiers, executives, etc., I'm ambivalent about what can be done to cultivate a generation of Black Bill Gates. As I wrote in part 2 of this thread, entrepreneurship/commerce and technology are mutually-exclusive institutions, each with its respective culture and skills. AFAIK, neither Shawn Fanning nor Mark Zuckerberg set out to become business people per se -- and yet they both created items in which millions of people discovered value.
Two, the ranks of Af-Ams acquiring the training and skills required for careers in technology and business, respectfully, continue to grow. If anything, it's up to us as adults and technology and/or business professionals to ensure future generations' continued access to quality education. Then, they'll be able to make their own choices. Should K-12 curricula be modified to introduce the basics of business and technology to children? Probably, IMO. At least I can see the practical value for doing that.
My biggest caveat is there's a facet of both entrepreneurship and technology that can't be taught as a skill: passion. What I share with people (of all ages) from personal experience is you have to possess a passion for whatever it is you're going to do -- whether it's play basketball, sing, or develop a smartphone app -- in order to one day be successful. Do it for the love, rather than the money... because the money's not guaranteed to come, and even if it does, it won't make you happy.
All Comments
I have discovered that the main reason why most of these non-minority entrepreneurs are successful is that they are in a different space psychologically than most minorities. Check out Maslow's hierarchy of needs for a better understanding. Every minority person that I have met in the tech space has had someone step into their life at some point and show them that there is more to life than their bubble. If not they were not raised in a minority filled environment.
Another big difference is the parenting. The vast majority of minority parents are not technically or business savvy individuals because of their up bringing. So the only examples of success the youth are exposed to comes from the media. This is something that will take a long time to correct, but I do believe it will happen with the next generation of kids as long as our generation focuses on making sure of it.
The biggest hurdle our generation will face will be figuring out how to use the internet to erase this brain washing that has occurred in our communities since the crack era. We will have to figure out creative ways to convince the next generation that having flashy possessions doesn't mean your rich. We also need to focus on educating parents on preparing their children for the future in a fast paced world where they can easily get left behind. The divide battle between the rich and the poor will soon become the war between the nontechnical and technical.
This has been my main focus and drive as an entrepreneur. And Navarrow i'm pretty sure you agree that it's not about the money, it's more about being able to be that blueprint for the next generation that keeps us hungry.
Great post man! You are totally right. It's not about the money it's about having a career that is stimulating and the money will come. your also right that i believe that there is a brainwashing that has occurred that make us believe that african americans should just consume technology and not create it. My next post of this topic covers just this point. Thanks again for the reply
Excellent article and thanks for getting the discussion started. This is a topic we've talked about ad nauseam at blackdigerati.org and at BDPA (http://bit.ly/4y4GIi)..
There are many reasons as to why we don't see MORE black tech entrepreneurs or more blacks working in the technology and digital media space. Instead of going into all of the reasons why, I'd rather focus on two basic things that have worked in organizations such as the Anita Borg Institute, NCWIT, BDPA, etc.:
First: The actual idea/image of technology (beyond just consumption) and tech entrepreneurship has to be presented to black digital natives in a way that they understand and in a way they find appealing. One aspect that could be appealing for some is of course the money; however the options in the technology and digital media space can be appealing as well.
For example, explaining to them how their love for gaming and music can both be combined to work in the gaming industry as a producer or how they could start their own gaming company. This is important because many black digital natives that have been interviewed (check out the book 'stuck in the shallow end') as to why they shy away from technology and digital media as a career or as an entrepreneurs say, ‘well it's only for people who program or who want to be programmers.’ This of course is not true.. Of course they don’t know better until they’re shown other options.. Again, through a medium they can relate to..
Second: They need exposure to people in the industry that look like them. They also need access to the programs like or similar to Y Combinator or the Glitch Game Testers at Georgia Tech & Morehouse College. Within these kind of programs they learn about how to be a tech entrepreneur or how to test and rate the latest video games that hit the market. Presumably, this kind of exposure will spark greater interest into starting a tech company or going to work for EA Sports or Microsoft.
Being someone who has worked on efforts in this particular area since 2003, I’ve seen the positive results once black digital natives become exposed to the possibilities of what’s out there for them in technology..
Mike
Founder Black Digerati and Digerati Labs
www.blackdigerati.org.. www.9westdigilabs.com/
The 2010 National conference is going to be in Philly. (http://www.bdpa.org/).
One thing which I would like to know from entrepreneurs is what can we (BDPA) as an organization do to help you and be a resource for your business. We have various chapters across the country and we need input to have develop 2010 program meetings.
Thank you,
Pablo
BDPA Orlando chapter president.
Perhaps a balanced focus on both a corporate technology career and entrepreneurship could be a start. I am a member of BDPA Chicago and typically the topics we focus on are more so for corporate technical careers. Not everyone has the desire to reach the boardroom, so seminars, programs, and what not on technology entrepreneurship may be more beneficial to certain BDPA members.
Whether or not BDPA should even focus on technology entrepreneurship (or entrepreneurship in general) is another discussion, because it would essentially go against what our motto is. I personally believe the Urban League is currently leading the way in the black community (especially in Chicago thanks to Cheryle Jackson) in terms of providing entrepreneurs (technology businesses or not) with the tools and resources they need to succeed. The fruit from that is the Urban League Chicago show NextTV being nominated for 3 or 4 local Emmy’s.
Mike
Founder Black Digerati & Digerati Labs
Good afternoon and thank you once again for your input. I am very much interested in what the Urban League in Chicago is doing. BDPA does have an Entrepreneur Advisory Group under the leadership of Boyd Stephens. (http://tinyurl.com/cxv4q4).
I will say that we have not done as much as we should and I believe you will see a renewed focus on entrepreneurship thru chapter programming, seminars and at the National conference. Also more and more chapters are using webinars to reach out to more folks so you as a business owner can still remain connected.
I believe that BDPA as a proffesional IT association can play a major role in encouraging our young people to go into entrpreneurship giving that we already have a successful High School Computer Competition program as well as IT Showcase. I believe this is a very good and timely article. We need to spur more innovation, encourage our young students into STEM opportunities especially young girls whose numbers are low in the field. One of the best methods of encouragement is to mentor a student or young proffessional but also to pay a visit to a local public school, community center and
volunteer and show folks what opportunities exists. There is allot of work that we have to do and its very encouraging to hear that other groups are stepping up.
Thank you,
Pablo
Other then that you make some valid points...
Thanks for the comment but i think your missing the point on the Zuckerberg example. In the scheme of things i don't care if facebook gets bought or goes public etc... The key point is that 5 years ago the guy was sitting his dorm room eating off a college meal plan and now his company is worth over billion dollars (whether you agree with it or not) and has millions in the bank. Honestly there are a lot of entertainers and athletes whose wealth is more on paper and less stable than his. The point here is that the barriers for him to achieve what he did are still lower and more avail to people than the entertainment or pro sports route. Lastly the facebooks of the word are the extreme cases but i can point out startups for days that you have never heard of that pulling in 7 figure revenues and were created from scratch. Kids see images in the media with faces like ours and assume that is the only way they can " make it" My point is that we need to show them that there is more they can do and that it's attainable.
Thanks
Still your point is, our youth need to embrace the technology more...
Also yes you will be amazed who would place down money to get a site like Facebook publicly traded. You have to think about it..there is data on just about any person in the world that companies, government or whoever would love to get there hands on. And let's not forget that the more traffic you can prove that comes to your site the more "Corporate America" comes calling you to place ads on your site; that itself alone is major funds. Demand and Supply will never die as long as you have the wheel to keep it rolling :)
Just my opinion but I believe that students need access and time to play with technology and dream of the capabilities of technology outside of listening to music or text messaging. Then students must have entrepreneurial spirit or be exposed/awaken to the technology startup as a viable option.
As a Director of a digital/new media consultancy I’m often disappointed to see the lack of diversity within the new media industries. However, let’s not forget our brothers and sisters from the mainland. I know many West African’s that are involved within the tech industry, some of whom are taking their skills back home and developing start-ups on their own turf.
I think the greater issue is overcoming the ‘urban’ mentality, which in the UK is not constrained to Black people. There’s lots of evidence to demonstrate that urban consumers are early adopters of tech, but making the mental shift from consumer to producer is more challenging. The reasons for this are probably similar to those you face in the US, and a great deal centers on capturing interest at an early age within education, and creating an environment where this interest can be honed and developed.
Urban black kids are not short of ambition, but part of the challenge is to rebrand terms like ‘geek’ and ‘nerd’. I tell my kids that being a geek is cool, and many of the richest people in the world are nerds. Your President is actually a great example of that – he’s a black guy who s both cool and nerdy.
By tapping into the aspirations of urban young people who want money, power and influence; providing positive role models; and creating education pathways, hopefully we will start to see the tiny trickle of Black urban tech entrepreneurs turn into a stream.
Truthfully, many of them only see the successful tech people from other races, gender, etc.. However, they don't see themselves.. So perhaps a better approach is balancing everything out, showing them successful IT people that look like them as well as successful Asians, Indians, ect.
I come from a wireless background (a dozen years in one company....think back to the days of 457 MhZ pager) and since 2005 I have been working with urban youth in "entrepreneurship". I work with kids ages 10-19 across the globe, mostly boys. Many of my kids have overcome some life challenge or hardship but they are beating the odds in school, life and business. My teens have written and published books, designed and manufactured products and built companies from scratch up to over 5 figures per month.
Yes, in America it is easy to start a company.....very easy. But it is not easy to grow and run it. Technology and entrepreneurship are both very abstract- meaning the lingo, the rules, the non universal approach to things. It is easy to get turned around in that space. And when you are overwhelmed and confused and everything is an exception or a rule that you learn along the way, you feel cheated or don't really know if you are moving forward and making progress or not.
Instead of using traditional courses and 'technical lingo' I am making entrepreneurship (and any business you can dream of) accessible to ALL young people regardless of where they are in the world and whether or not they have access and understanding of technology and entrepreneurial terminology. In terms of entrepreneurship I encourage my teens to LIVE IT vs. learn it. When they realize that entrepreneurship is not a course or a class but a level of consciousness that directly impacts their quality of life or lack thereof regardless of whether or not they work for themselves or someone else they take a different approach. Entrepreneurship is not about owning a business, but about owning your life. I have been saying that since my program started back in 2005 and more and more I am seeing other youth organizations spokespersons adopt my language (sincerely flattered, btw).
I think too many people focus on all the things and technical mumbo jumbo and certifications they need to be done or learned before they get their recognition or the reward when that is not necessary. Because you don't lack training, background, certification or something or other does not make you 'less' or inadequate. In business, the marketing is more important than the mastery. When you are out there and people know that you are trying to do something, the people and support you need will appear.
I have been able to stimulate and engage my teens by showing them out the gate the value of themselves and their intellectual property and how they protect it and get paid for those things one way or another. Ever since I started my program I have always given them recognition, credit and shout outs first. I support them in seeking out media exposure (TV, Print, Radio), getting them on the panels at conferences and workshops, lining up opportunities for them to speak at their schools and making warm introductions to high profile people in my network and their industry that they want to pursue (all of this and they might not even have paid me any money or closed their first client). It is how you build trust and 'prompt their emerging voice'.
It’s the strength, character and trust in the people within your network that fosters trust and reciprocity. When trust is the norm, people engage in reciprocity, doing for others without any immediate expectation of repayment. This directly impacts people’s health and happiness and levels of economic development among other things.
It is THIS experience they need to develop so that they realize they have the POWER now and today to do whatever they want to do and other people who TRULY align with their cause will support them selflessly.
Getting continuing education or specialized training is only going to make them more confident, more refined and allow them to play competitively with the bigger guys. However, it is for them to decide on their own time when they are ready to go that path. The reality is they are OK and 'enough' as they already are. Too often we are focusing on IMproving Ourselves when in reality we just need to APprove Ourselves!
As many people struggle in working and communicating with teens, I will leave you with this bit of insight:
When teens act like they don't know something it is usually a 'defense' mechanism. By playing stupid or answering questions in one or two words they expect AND hope that people will leave them alone. They don't want to 'share' and be open. If they are poor they grow up in a world where they often have to fear for their life when they do that. If they are in the middle class, it is a 'mind game' and they don't know what is the motive that parents/teachers/adults are seeking....so they tell the 'commercial truth' - what they think you want to hear. Teens have that sixth sense and it is the tone, the energy and asking the questions indirectly that puts them at dis-ease. And besides, what purpose does it serve to share their opinion, intellectual property, ideas, dreams and contributions with the mainstream when most people don't believe them, support them or give them credit anyway?
So for those looking to have better communications with teens - try removing the invisible hierarchal barriers that often exist between youth and adults. While they are young people they are PEOPLE first. Lead with that thought in mind the next time you enter a conversation with them and I can assure you that the way they respond to you will be completely different.
@teenbizcoach
I'm a white guy, so I'll admit a lack of insight at the onset, but ...
I think that kids need to be challenged and pushed at an early age and exposed to technology in the classroom and outside of the classroom. Making it cool is absolutely important, but we need to be careful not to mistake the cool with what is comfortable to us ... instead of getting kids out of the bubble and into innovation and creativity.
My example is this: my wife is the exec director for NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) in Baltimore ... great program, they teach elementary to high school youth from low-income neighborhoods to be entrepreneurs. The problem for me is that a significant number of the ideas are about cool new t-shirts, dance lessons, baby sitting, food, etc. They are still in the box of "what they know," while what is really going to drive entrepreneurship, the big idea and the big venture capital dollars, is technology and energy and innovation. (One kid who went to the NFTE finals last year had a remarkably innovative idea of polarizing football helmet shields, as is done for sun glasses, but he lost to an enterprising youth who put a cake on a stick. Cake on a stick was fun and I'm sure it tasted good, but we're not properly rewarding true innovation.)
I think we need to get kids interested in high tech at an early age ... teach them to be developers and producers of mobile applications, teach them computer networking and how to be involved in using technology for healthcare and energy. Set really high bars for them and urge them to jump higher. Encourage creativity and failure, for there are lessons in failing when you extend yourself beyond your comfort zone.
Music is important, and it resonates, but I personally think that it should be used more as a segue into other careers than an end into itself. There are only going to be so many music entrepreneurs, and media firms are going under at an alarming rate. Music and sports and celebrities should be used as levers to make things cool, but we also need to expand our ideas of role models and use "cool" and $ as way to encourage innovation, just as Navarrow did with Zuckerberg.
Anyway, love the conversation. Great blog, Navarrow.
Two, the ranks of Af-Ams acquiring the training and skills required for careers in technology and business, respectfully, continue to grow. If anything, it's up to us as adults and technology and/or business professionals to ensure future generations' continued access to quality education. Then, they'll be able to make their own choices. Should K-12 curricula be modified to introduce the basics of business and technology to children? Probably, IMO. At least I can see the practical value for doing that.
My biggest caveat is there's a facet of both entrepreneurship and technology that can't be taught as a skill: passion. What I share with people (of all ages) from personal experience is you have to possess a passion for whatever it is you're going to do -- whether it's play basketball, sing, or develop a smartphone app -- in order to one day be successful. Do it for the love, rather than the money... because the money's not guaranteed to come, and even if it does, it won't make you happy.