Teen Celebrity Entrepreneurs

This article (Forbes, 5/28/09) highlights the marketing potential of youth, as it showcases teenage celebrities who rake in huge profits by catering largely to a young audience. The language throughout this article continually stresses the teenagers' profitability, as it describes them as "brand builders" who have "bagged endorsements, raised money for charity, and even sold their personal stories to the tabloids," all phrases that note the young stars' money making ability. I thought it was interesting how corporations such as Disney have learned the enormous profitability of using youth to market to youth. I would be interested in exploring whether countries other than the U.S. also have a significant number of teenage entrepreneurs, as I am curious if this phenomenon is just a byproduct of our culture's reverence of younger generations, coupled with our extreme capitalist mindset, or part of a universal human fascination with youth.

Layoffs May Become Good Things for Young Entrepreneurs

(9 Sept. 2009, CNN) Scores of talented individuals have been laid off as a result of the current economic recession. As the large number of unemployed individuals in their 30s seek new career alternatives, they notably look for opportunity within the realm of entrepreneurship. This article offers concrete unemployment statistics as well as abstract ideas regarding the current pursuits of the jobless.

Although the article covers an age group different than my own, I wonder about my situation as a student during these turbulent economic times. How will the people of my generation cope with outside, uncontrollable forces? Only time will tell the opportunities that may or may not arise due to the current state of the economy.