Entrepreneur of the Week: 14-Year-Old CEO Chental-Song Bembry

Expand your network (Image: Thinkstock)

Network: Attend events, conferences and workshops and tell people about your business. Find other people who are successful in your desired industry and as them how they got started. Most people are generally happy to help.

Educate Yourself: Bembry is a freshman at South Brunswick High School and is currently enrolled in an introduction to business course, where she is learning the tenets of business including finance, economics and what it takes to run a business as well as the different types of legal structures for your business (sole proprietorship, LLC, Partnership). Next year she is registered to take a business-marketing course where she’ll get an in depth look at how to reach your target market and promote your product. If a business track is not available at your school, BE also recommends courses such as Youth About Business at Columbia University in New York, The BLACK ENTERPRISE Annual Teenpreenuer Conference, and the Kidult Youth Leadership Conference just to name a few.

Tap Into Your Network: Bembry sold 500 books in 2010 and hopes to sell double that this year. As a member of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, NJ Bembry’s pastor gave her three book signings and also put her book in the church book store. This proved vital to the overall sales of Bembry’s book, which sold out at all three of her signings. She also capitalized on other events such as college reunions and events that allow vendors to sell their products. “You need to push yourself to get out there. If you don’t no one will notice you. Approach as many people, schools, and events and sell your product.”

Advice to other Teen CEO’s: Think about a problem that you can solve. Think about something that is missing and try to improve it or fill the needs. People are waiting for the next big thing and they’re waiting for somebody to create something so don’t sit around and let someone else create it. Stick to your goal and don’t get sidetracked. Don’t let other people tell you that it can’t become anything because those are the people—they really admire your idea but may not want to say it.