JA Be Entrepreneurial®

By developing the essential components of a business plan, JA Be Entrepreneurial challenges students to start an entrepreneurial venture while still in school. 

Students are introduced to the elements of successful business start-ups, myths and facts about entrepreneurship, and early product development.  They develop their product or service idea by analyzing various sources of successful entrepreneurial ventures, culminating in their selection of a product or service as the basis of their business plan.

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Students will be able to:

  • Recognize the elements of a successful business start-up;
  • Evaluate myths and facts about entrepreneurship;
  • Consider product-development options;
  • Recognize the importance of carefully selecting their product or service before starting their business;
  • Apply their passions, talents, and skills to a market-needs assessment to determine the basis of their business plan;
  • Recognize the importance of analyzing their market;
  • Apply a needs assessment to the market available to a specific product;
  • Define competitive advantages and recognize them in other businesses;
  • Demonstrate the importance of selecting competitive advantages that give their product and market an edge on the competition;
  • Evaluate competitive advantages;
  • Select competitive advantages that drive a developing business venture;
  • Evaluate short- and long-term consequences in making ethical decisions;
  • Express that being ethical can be good for business;
  • Compile entrepreneurial elements into a sample business plan.

All JA programs are designed to support the skills and competencies identified by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. JA programs also augment school-based, work-based, and connecting activities for communities with school-to-work initiatives. 

Program Concepts

Advertisement, Business plan, Competitive advantages, Customer, Demographic, Entrepreneur, Ethical dilemma, Ethics, Financing, Franchise, Long- vs. short-term consequences, Management, Market needs, Marketing, Nonprofit business, Product development, Profit, Social entrepreneur, Social responsibility, Stakeholder

Program Skills

Analyzing information, Business planning, Categorizing data, Decision-making, Evaluating alternatives, Expressing multiple viewpoints, Graphic presentation, Oral and written communication, Presenting information, Reading for understanding, Weighing consequences, Working in groups, Working in pairs